Story Time

The saddest departure

On Saturday morning at six o'clock, Mewan rose from bed with a great effort of will. There was still half an hour for the train to arrive at the station, the train which will carry Pasindu away forever.

Mewan's best friends were Pasindu and Sandun. But on that day, Pasindu would be leaving his friends and moving far away; his father had been transferred to a school far away and the whole family was leaving the village this morning. Sandun said that he had known about it for a week, but Pasindu had forbidden him to say anything to Mewan. But at the last moment, Sandun could not contain himself and had broken the sad news to Mewan.

A great sense of desolation seized Mewan at once. The world seemed to have become blank all of a sudden.

Mewan could not think about a world without Pasindu, because whenever Mewan had a problem, Pasindu would solve it just like that. Now, what was he to do in the evening? How was he to spend the holidays? Who was he to think of as his friend? He couldn't even bear to go and see Pasindu and bid him goodbye. Suddenly, he heard some one knocking on the door.

Mewan went and opened the door... it was Sandun! "Why don't we go and see Pasindu before he leaves? Come with me," he said. Mewan thought for a little. He wanted to give some thing to Pasindu.

Pasindu was a keen reader, so Mewan decided to give him a book, but he had only one new story book with him and this had been a present from his grandmother for his twelfth birthday. Mewan decided to give this book to Pasindu.

He hurriedly wrapped it and left with Sandun to the station. He saw Pasindu waiting there with his parents. His face was filled with sadness. Mewan and Sandun walked up to them. Mewan's eyes were filled with tears because he couldn't bear Pasindu's departure.

When the train came and stopped at the station, everyone started scrambling to get in. Pasindu's mother called out to him, "Come quickly, son." Then Mewan gave his present to Pasindu; he had written the words "To my dearest friend Pasindu" on the flyleaf.

Controlling his sadness, Pasindu said, "Goodbye my friends. Don't forget me. Write to me." Then, Mewan lost control of himself and cried," Oh! Pasindu, you are going away. When will you come back?" Pasindu opened his mouth to say something, but the guard's whistle and the sound of the engine starting cut him off. He waved to his friends and got into the train.

Mewan and Sandun waited on the platform till the train disappeared. They turned back to go home with heavy hearts and misty eyes.

Story and illustration
Sent by
Dampage Duleeka
Harshani Perera,
Mahamaya Balika Vidyalaya,
Kadawatha.