Short Story: Survivor

Viji walked backwards along the sandy shore, watching her footprints being washed away by the waves.

Her long shiny black hair blew across her face, she turned towards the sea taking in a fresh deep breath of the salty air. She loved the sea, the beach was her favourite place on earth, being just a little distance across from her house, this was the place Viji came to find a bit of solitude, to relax and ease her tense muscles after a stressful day.

Viji loved to watch the beautiful waves rolling onto the shore and wash over her feet and tickling her toes, it made her feel so happy and carefree. The waves rolling onto the shore was rhythm tic, it was so magnificent, so breathtakingly beautiful.

Reality.......

Viji heaved a sigh and watched the sun sinking into the sea, the corners of her lips twitched at a fond memory......

Her father and she loved to watch the sunset, her father told her that the sun was going to sleep and would wake up and rise the next day.......

Viji wiped a tear rolling down her cheeks......that w as ten years ago when she was just a six year old. She turned her footsteps towards her home a sad smile across her face and tears glistening in her eyes.

Viji opened the door and stepped into the darkness within her house, "house!!"

The word sounded so cold and unwelcoming to her ears. "Where was her home?, where was her family?", she wondered. It was all washed away including her family members on that dark, cruel day.....the day the tsunami struck.

Memories

The place home was a treasured memory in her heart, a place filled with laughter and happiness, the place where she had endless talks with her father, silly fights with her little brother, the place where her mother fed her while she crammed up for an exam the next day.

Shattered

It was all gone now, her home was now four battered walls, where she spent sleepless nights, with huge waves haunting her in her dreams.

People around her told her she was so lucky to be alive, but she had screamed back at them...... "What is so lucky.....you think I am lucky when I lost my whole family, you think I am lucky to be living as an orphan?" she had screamed hysterically.

"If only I had not gone on that trip." she often thought guiltily. After she had finished her O/L exams, Viji had gone on a trip with her friends. On that fateful day she had been enjoying herself in the hills of Kandy while her family was being wiped out.

She wished fervently that she too could have been carried away by those cruel waves.

Courage

"Viji, Viji", the sound of her name being called from outside disrupted her thoughts. She went to the doorway and saw her class teacher and her father's friend, uncle Sathesh.

She straightened her shoulders bracing herself for another lecture, she has shunned everything in life after the tsunami, she lived her life like a zombie, no persuasion from uncle Sathesh or anyone could make her change her mind.

He handed her an envelope, she opened it with stiff fingers, it was her O/L results.

"10 A s", she gave him a blank look and folded the piece of paper and turned to go inside, just then uncle Sathesh made her turn around and shouted

"What's wrong with you child, you got the best results in the whole district and you are not happy?" "What's the use of getting the best results when those who loved me and shared my whole life are not are.....are not here to see it!!", Viji cried back, her shoulders shaking with sobs.

"I don't want anything, I just want my family back....m..my life is meaningless to be without them" with this Viji tried to break away from uncle Sathesh's grasp, but he just shook her and made her look straight into his eyes.

Viji....do you know that your father always told me that someday his Viji will be a doctor, and do a service to society....He was so confident of your success Viji it was his dream, not only his but your whole family's dream as well.....Viji do you mean to dash their dreams by wasting your life?"

"Do you think your family will like to see you in this state, acting like a coward....Viji remember they loved you and though they are not here, they still love you and they would like to see you go on with your life bravely....you are the only one who can make their dreams come true......"

With this he let go of her and vanished into the darkness, Viji sank to the ground and cried her heart out till she could cry no more.

Seven years later.....

The sun was just setting when a red car stopped at the deserted house, a beautiful young woman got out of the car, she had a stethoscope hanging around her neck....she walked slowly towards the beach. Darkness had settled in by the time she found the familiar rock....she stared out into the sea for several minutes, then she spoke to the sea in a whisper.

"Amma, appa, thambi.....your Viji is here....I am a doctor now, I am not a coward appa....I survived, though you all are not here I know you can see me.....amma, appa...give me your blessings and love to face life....I miss you"

A gust of wind blew across her and she looked up into the sky, the full moon shone down upon her and the stars were twinkling at her and smiling.....

Yes! They too were proud of her.

Rushda Thahir, Wattala