Short Story: Right or Left, Heaven or Hell

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It was a sunny and windy Sunday. The weather was genial. James, Annie and their parents went for an outing on this breezy day. On the top of the Gold Mountain, which was the highest and loftiest mountain in the town, James and Annie were flying a kite. Their laughter reverberated in the mountain. However, they soon disputed with each other.

“It’s my turn.” Annie yelled angrily. Her white frock and blonde hair fluttered in the soft breeze.

“Wait for a minute.” James shouted back impatiently. James, who wore a plaid T-shirt and blue jeans, was an extrovert and bossy boy.

“I have waited for a long time already.” Annie grumbled and wrested the kite from James’ hand. James snatched the kite tightly. The thread of the kite could not withdraw their violence. It was snapped and flown away.

“It’s your fault. If you didn’t wrest the kite, the thread would not had been snapped.” James censured Annie’s foolish behavior

“If you let me fly the kite, I wouldn’t wrest it” Annie condemned.

They argued with each other severely. Ultimately, they reached the consensus to trace back the missing kite. It seemed that they were reconciled. However, the scar of wrangle left its mark.

They made their way through a jungle woven with creeper and vine. However, they could find nothing. The jungle was a menacing maze. They were hedged in by the trees. The sunlight was covered by the bushy trees. The wind was chilling. The caw of crows was reverberated through the forest.

“It’s like a hell” they thought and shivered with cold. They walked as quick as lightning to leave the forest. In the darkness, a lamp was sparkling like a diamond under the leafy shade.

“What is it?” Annie asked curiously and opened the lamp.

A spooky wind came out of the lamp and somebody wrote in the air. “I can help you go back home”

Suddenly, two paths appeared in front of James and Annie. They were astonished and their minds went blank. It continued to write. “You have to choose either the left path or the right path. Only one of them can help you return home. But you have to give up your most valuable thing”

“If you can help me return home, I will do whatever you request” James clamored hastily.

“No” Annie shouted “James. Don’t trust it. We might ……” she was interrupted by James.

 “You just follow my orders. Let’s go that way.” James responded and pointed to the left hand side

“James. Don’t be so domineering.” Annie answered.

“You are nuisance.” James shouted furiously and ran away.

James’s rudeness made Annie boil with rage and she ran to the right path.

Annie was walking in the path alone. It was dull and the silence was deadening. It was bitterly cold. “It is a hell.” She thought. She was as blind as a bat and felt extremely scared of being alone. It seemed that she was enclosed in a suffocating cave. She took a solitary walk but the journey seemed endless. She was extremely fatigued

“If James was here, I could lean on his shoulder and he would console me with soft words.” Annie murmured and missed her brother very much. She was mired in a deadlock. When she was in despair, she saw that a lamp was glimmering at the end of the road. It was as bright as sunshine. She didn’t hesitate and chased for the lamp, which was her flash of hope.

James was walking in the path alone after he left his sister. In this road, the air was full of butterflies and the birds were singing. It was a garden in paradise, which was vibrant with life. The air was warm and fragrant. Flowers bloomed in the garden.

“I am as free as a bird.” He thought. He lay on the lawn and enjoyed the soft breeze. Suddenly, the harsh light hurt his eyes. A lamp was sparkling at the end of the road. James neglected it because he didn’t want to leave this place, which was no sorrow and anxiety.

He walked around the garden and felt bored. “If Annie was here, she would love this place very much.” James whispered. He missed Annie very much and picked some roses, which was Annie’s favourite flower.

“I am alone even though this place is nice. I cannot share my happiness with Annie.” He exclaimed and he wanted to go back to find Annie. Suddenly, his fingers were hurt by the thorns of the roses. Besides, the crows were cawing loudly in this paradise. He had a strong intuition that his sister was in danger.

At the same time, Annie clutched the lamp in order to leave this appalling place. However, she felt stiff and was scared. She had a sudden intuition that something bad would happen. She tried to move her lips. “James” she squealed and it was the last word before she fainted.

 All roses in the garden withered and James insisted to go back to find his sister. Somebody wrote “you can’t go back once you’ve made a choice” James was thrust by a gust of wind to move towards. Suddenly, a thought flashed through his mind. “I could find Annie in the lamp.” He thought. When he reached the light, he found that his sister lost her consciousness and her body was as cold as an ice. He was terrified and shook her body vigorously.

“What happen to you? Help! Help! “He yelled but nobody answered him. He was trembled with fear.

“You can’t bring her back. This is the cost that you have to pay for your selfishness and distrust. No one can save her and she will disappear forever.” It laughed wildly

“No, I am sorry. I shouldn’t leave you alone. You are right. It is as sly as a fox.” James apologized and he sobbed aloud. His tears dropped on Annie’s face.

“James,” Annie said feebly. It seemed that her brother’s tears woke her up. “Don’t leave me alone anymore.” Annie begged.

“I am sorry, Annie. I will never leave you alone.” James promised and they embraced each other warmly. “Let’s go home.” James said and felt delighted. He went away and Annie walked behind. But, James was still aware of the warning. “You can’t bring her back” The feeble sunlight was fading and the wind grew stronger.

“Dad, Mum, we come back.” James exclaimed happily.

“James, you are sweating.” his mum replied and handed James a cup of cold water.

“Annie, do you want to drink some water?” James asked and looked back to Annie. However, Annie was disappeared.

“Crack” James dropped his cup. “Annie, where are you?” he screamed vehemently.

“Calm down, James. Who is Annie?” Mum asked in astonishment.

“What? Annie is your daughter. Are you kidding, Mum?” James questioned “She is walking behind me.” He said frantically.

“James, nobody is called Annie here.” Dad answered.

“No, I ……”James paused and knelt down because he realized that he had lost her forever. He was shocked and he could only hear in his head “she will disappear forever.”