You have to have a dream or you go nowhere ....The cold winds blew across the empty street. The beggars scattered around like hungry rodents in search of their daily necessities. A second wind blew sending the beggars back into the dark alleys and the doors of houses to creak. The night was a quiet one. Everyone was fast asleep, except for Billy Jones. Billy is 26 years old. Standing at 181cm, he had a huge beer belly, an unshaven face and his hair was unkempt all the time. Billy was watching tv dramas again. Billy was a student who excelled not only in his studies, but also at sports. His teachers used to praise him to the skies, but the sight of him now sends pain into their hearts. A student with a bright future, a pity he suffered an emotional breakdown after his father passed away 10 years ago.
Billy now spends most of his time lying on the broken couch his father bought with hard earned money from working at the mine. Billy lives with his mum. A woman in her sixties who slog her guts out to provide for her son whom she loves dearly. She has been working for a fabric company ever since the demise of her husband. She works from dawn to dark but never told her son how terrible she felt. She deems it as her responsibility to take care of her son and feels she caused her son to be this way.
Billy had friends, John and Andy, who used to visit him whenever they are free. John and Andy owned big houses and drove luxurious cars. Billy tutored them when they were still schooling stood up for them when they were bullied. It pains them to see Billy in this state but there was nothing they could do besides trying to talk him round. Andy was closest to Billy and was the more helpful one too. He would bring Billy’s mum to buy groceries on weekends and they would chat about what Billy used to do when he was a young boy. It would normally end with Billy’s mum weeping uncontrollably while reminiscing about the past and Andy comforting her.
It was a on a faithful Monday morning 2 years ago. Andy was on his way to work with John. They stopped by at the café they used to spend their afternoons at for a cup of coffee. It brought back memories of the good times they had with Billy. Andy sipped on his coffee and it burnt his tongue. Andy reacted strongly and fell off his seat. It was then that it struck them that they had to make fallen Billy stand again. It was not going to be easy but they were determined to change him back.
John slurped down his remaining drops of coffee and they made their way to Billy’s house. Billy lived in the house his grandfather had built with his brothers, it was old and dilapidated. The door creaked as they entered. Billy was on the couch. He looked at Andy and John but made no sound and continued staring into blank space. Saliva oozed out of his mouth and dripped onto his lacerated shirt. Andy took a deep breath, clenched his fist and grabbed Billy by the collar.
“Wake up Billy! Look what has become of you!” Andy shouted.
Billy was aware of their existence but continued day dreaming. Andy was infuriated and decided that it was time to use the final method.
“Shake and bake Billy!”
Billy twitched his eyebrows and starred apprehensively at Andy. It was the phrase the three of them used to say whenever they met each other. Andy patted Billy on the back.
“ It’s time to let go of the past and look to the future.”
A tear the size of a pearl rolled down the Billy’s face. A drop of water soon turned into a heavy downpour. Billy wept vigorously and shouted incoherently while throwing punches onto the couch he was sitting on. It broke the hearts of those around him.
“How am I to go from here? I have no aim or future.” Billy uttered under his breath.
“You have to dream or you go nowhere! Besides we will help you.” John said in an enthusiastic tone.
The following day Andy followed Billy as he looked anxiously for a job. Most interviews showed signs of rejection as Billy had neither a degree nor job experience. Billy was negative about finding a job but he was reluctant on giving up. He continued visiting companies and shops in town asking if they would hire him. After a long run, Billy and Andy took a break at the sidewalk. It was then that a car knocked into a pedestrian. The pedestrian flew a few metres away. Billy was reminded of the accident his father was involved in. He witnessed the death of his father. The pain and agony that he felt when he saw someone he loved die in his arms is not something comprehensible by anyone. Tears started to roll down his cheeks. He was traumatised. Grotesque images appeared before him. It was too much for Billy to take. Everything soon appeared to be spinning and it was not long before Billy fell into unconsciousness.
When Billy woke up, he found himself in a hospital. Everyone was surrounding him. He was at a loss. The incident left a deep impression in his mind. He could not stop his imagination from running wild. The images which flashed before him once in a while frightened him. He could no longer control his emotions. Billy went wild. He started slashing himself with a fruit knife and it was not long before the hospital decided he was to be bounded. It took a long time for Billy to forget the incident. Although he was allowed to return home, he had not recovered emotionally. He returned to the days of lethargy and sitting on the couch watching dramas and sleeping hours. It’s an irony when a man with potential loses it all because of an incident deeply etched in his mind.
1020 words/Labels: if you flank, you might just win
; So Emo