The Promise

The night was eerie and the howling wind went through the trees causing the branches to sway and hit
and hit one another. The howling of the wind and the hooting of the owl caused the hairs on my neck to
stand. I stared at the tombstone in front of me and crumpled the letter in my hands, unable to unravel the
anger and sadness in my heart.
Let go, it happened a long time ago. Let go, a little voice whispered in my head.
No, absolutely not! I wont let go! I screamed on the top of my lungs. The hatred was still strong after
all these years. I am not going to let go, never
I was thirteen years ago when the torrential rain was pouring from the sky. I lost my way in the park and
my mother was nowhere to be seen.Where did my mother go? I questioned myself as I ran to get shelter
under a tree. After a few minutes of waiting, my mother did not show up. Hot tears started trickling down
my cheeks as thoughts of unable to be home crossed my mind. Abruptly, I heard the sound of faint
footsteps coming towards my direction.
Hey, are you okay? the voice said. I looked up, and saw a girl with hazel brown eyes and curly back
locks framing her oval face. She held her hand in front of me, motioning me to get up. I gladly took her
offer and got up.
I just lost my way home and my mother is nowhere to be seen I answered her as I sobbed. I needed my
mother, I need her right now.
Dont worry, come to my place to dry yourself and you can call your mother after that, the girl said as
she led me to her house.
Ever since the incident at the park, we had been the best of friends- secrets, future dreams and problems
were shared together. Crystal and I grew to love and care each other as days go by. The both of us share
the same intrest, we both loved sports and outdoor activities. After a long day of school, we would do our
homework and revision at my place. The weekends were spent running around the garden, rolling in the
meadows and flipping through arts and crafts books, discovering the beauty of arts. Crystal and I formed
an inseparable friendship bond.
Life was not always sunshine and rainbows. As everything seemed wonderful, Crystals life started going
haywire. The clothing company owned by her parents went into bankruptcy due to the economy crisis.
Crystals parents had not enough money to pay their debts and her father decided that divorce was the
only way to solve things. They did not considerate Crystals preferences or feelings towards the matter
and went ahead with their own plans. Crystal felt sad and depressed; she even once tried to end her life by
jumping off a building. Throughout that period, I was there with her, to talk to her and we faced
challenges together. We were more than close friends, we were soul sisters.
When Crystal was able to finally accept the situation, changes happened. Her mother decided that moving
to a new environment would help Crystal with her depression. She did not consider if her idea would be
welcomed by Crystal. Poor crystal was forced to pack up amidst of tears and a broken heart. She could
not understand that her loving mother turned into a cruel woman after divorce.

One the day of the departure, I was there at the airport to send her off. Crystal and I hugged, we were both
unwilling to let go of each other. Reality was harsh, we had to let go as it was time she leave. I still could
not believe that she was forced by her mother to move to Amsterdam to start a new life.
I will be back. Wait for me! she said to me before she left for the gates with her mother. I could see that
hat tears were trickling down her rosy cheeks. We hugged for the last time. Hot tears welled in my eyes, I
really wanted to sob my heart out, but I just could not let Crystal see me cry. Despite the grief I felt, I
remembered her promise and clung on that hope.
I will be here waiting for you, I mumbled as I waved to her. Crystal would definitely return.
5 years passed, Crystal grew up into a beautiful and joyful girl. The both of us carried out our friendship
via social media and long-distance phone calls. Crystal was offered a scholarship and place in a local
university to study medicine. No matter how busy her life was, she would remind me that she would
come back one day. It was the promise she made before she took off to Amsterdam.
The wind was still howling. I stood still at my current spot, the faint sounds of the hooting of the owl was
still there. Crystal did not return as what she had promised. She was supposed to return last week, but had
not. I felt my blood boil and my disappointment towards Crystal grew even more. I did not even bother to
finish reading the letter she sent me, even if it had explained why she was unable to return.
I could not contain my anger anymore, I screamed in defiance at the tombstone in front of me, You
promised me that you would return! How dare you lie to me! I will never trust you again. I lit the
crumpled note that was in my hand and threw it on the muddy soil, leaving it to burn.
Mak Wen Shean 5S2