Short story - Reality

by Sachini De Silva

Life isn't always the same without our loved ones, it is the ultimate truth though. Nothing in this world last forever. There should be a completion one day and my life had come to an end though. I am still alive. Sara walked along the Sandy beach...... her dull mind was deeply plunged with the reality of the life that she forgot that it was almost dark. She gazed at the Sea.

The whole atmosphere was tranquil enough for her to immerse on her deep notions, but was sometimes disturbed by the strong wind and the flowing waves of the sea. The tear filled eyes smudged her view, finally falling across her red cheeks making them glisten. Her mind raced back over her life she went through.

Recollection

The only creature Sara ever had was her beloved father. Her mother died while giving birth to her. Then onwards the struggle began. Each new dawned day was a challenge for them. Nevertheless it was the

happiest days in her life.

The small wage her father earned, was sufficient enough for them to make their living. Sara never felt the loss of her mother as her father was prefect in playing both the roles as a mother and as a father.

Sara went to school everyday and after the school, she always used to go to the ashore and assist her father in his fishing. Yes......! She was enjoying it really. Sara also did in her studies well. Her father's only dream was to give her a good education and see her in a good place. He always told her.

"Study well "puthe" that is the only worth thing a man could gain."

This always echoed in Sara's mind. She never wanted to shatter her father's dream. Since her childhood her father strived to look after her. He was a mother to her. Sara always conceived as being guilty for her mother's death, but her father always comforted her.

"It is her fate so she had to go and one day we all have to go when our time is over. And your mother's time is finished. This is what we call life "puthe". Nothing in this world last forever. The is the reality and we have to face it one day."

Sara's father never repented over his pa st. He only looked for the future. Future of his only daughter.

Exam

Eventually, Sara was reaching her A/L exam. Her father's only dream was to see her daughter as an engineer. Thus, she laid the first step. She did her exam and passed with the very best results.

To fillup her father's desires she had to depart from her father. And it was the last thing she wanted to do. She resolved herself not to go to the university, but it was the last thing her father wanted too.

"Puthe, one day we will have to depart forever and that is life. So this will be just a preparation for it. Face it. Face the reality. Don't ever try to escape from the reality" and Sara left.

Discernment

Sara learnt a lot about life, from her father. She realised the reality, that no one could survive from it. Every single person has to face it. And her father had made her ready for it. Thus, she didn't repent for being separated from her father, but she went to see her father whenever possible.

In the final year of the university, Sara couldn't go to see her father......

Five years later...

As soon as her graduation was over Sara fled to see her loving father to say him. "Father, I made your dreams come true, now I am an engineer father, yes...... I am, only because of you."

By the time she reached her home, she could see a lot of people gathered in her house. "Maybe father has invited our neighbours to celebrate my graduation. Yes...... he should be really happy and he will definitely cry in joy when he sees me. When he sees his engineer daughter." Thought Sara.

She went through the crowd avoiding their surprised looks and whispers, and she entered the drawing room...... She was stunned ...... in disbelief. She could see a coffin infront of her bearing her father's body. She didn't know whether to cry or not, cause after all this is the "reality".