Footprints in my heart
Topic: Tongue Piercing
Related Topics:
6 Years, Becka, Business Trip, Caribbean Islands, Cool Breeze, Footprints, Golden Sand, Heart Full Of Memories, Jas, Proud Heart, Pyramids, Short Story, Siberia, Step At A Time, Vastness
By: Leece
Short Story: Footprints in my heart
By Alicia Toumilovitch
< I’ll never forget you… I promise,” I whispered gently, stroking the golden sand, and dreamily looking out into the vastness of the Pyramids, that would separate our lives forever…
Those were the last words that were ever said between us. That was also the last of Jasmine. Slowly, I got up, and brushed away at the sand that was clinging onto my skirt, and slowly walked away, with a heavy, but proud, heart. I had helped Jas in her quest, in a way, and she had taught me many valuable lessons. A cool breeze played around at my hair, and I started walking away, one step at a time, leaving everything behind, but taking with a heart-full of memories... >
“I think we should go to Mauritius, or the Seychelles,” suggested Becka, who was really looking forward to the summer break.
Becka and I had known each other for 6 years, and we were close as ever. She was more boisterous than me, but we were both as crazy. It was a warm summer night, and we were sitting at café, contemplating where we should spend our summer holidays together.
We had decided to go away on a wel
l- deserved trip, as in a couple of years time, we would sadly be going our separate ways. My parents had left for Siberia, on a business trip, and I was left with my aunt, who, even though was quite anxious, was a very pleasant person.
“How about Morocco?” I suggested, though I had never been there myself, I had heard it was fascinating.
“Nah… let’s rather go to the Caribbean Islands!” Becka giggled and looked at me, reminding me of the time we had pretended to be pirates at my house, and had gotten stuck in the cupboard. I giggled, remembering, and sighed.
What many people did not know, was that Becka was afraid of enclosed spaces, as well of heights. Anything dead, freaked both of us out. We had decided, these holidays, we would face our fears in the face, and overcome them.
I snorted and sighed deeply, thinking aloud, “Hmm… How does raiding tombs and exploring Pyramids sound like to you?”
Becka’s eyes widened, and she held her breath. Nervously, I waited. Becka exhaled suddenly, letting the turbulent air hit my face, and slowly beamed,
“Yes! I think that would be awesome! What an adventure!”
Relieved, I laughed and jumped up.
“Oh yeah! Egypt it is!”
A week later, we exhilaratingly boarded the plane. As we set off, the excitement began to build up. This was it. The adventure of our life was really happening; at last.
xxx
“Becka Pierson, Sally Fredericks? Over here!”
I turned around in surprise, at having heard our names being called out in an excited voice.
We had only just arrived in Egypt, and did not know where to go from the airport.
“Yes, we are here!” I called out, uncertainly.
Becka jabbed me in the ribs. “Sally! What do you think you’re doing?” Becka hissed furiously into my ear. “We only just got here; we don’t know who that is; maybe they want to kidnap us!”
I widened my eyes, flapped my arms round and round, and pretended to be scared, “Ooh!”
Becka slapped me, and wrestled me to the ground. We giggled, until I felt someone inspecting us as though we were some wild animals. We stood up, and faced a young girl, round about our age, with two long, dark plaits hanging from each side of her face. She stared at us cautiously, then grinned and exclaimed,
“Hi! My name’s Jasmine, Jas for short. I’ll be your personal tour guide. I am an orphan, and I’m so glad to meet you, and I can’t wait to show you around,”
We stood there, and I felt a chortle creeping up my throat. Becka just looked confused, and very hysterical.
“But how do you know us? Who sent you? What do you want-“
I couldn’t hold it any longer, and burst out laughing, causing Becka and Jas to stare at me, puzzled.
“What’s so funny?” Jas scanned Becka’s face closely, and then stared at me, perplexed.
I was having great difficulty controlling my laughter, so I bit down hard on my tongue, and had to pretend that I was coughing. I caught Becka’s eye, and we locked our gaze. I stared deeply into her hazel brown eyes, with sparks of emerald green, and waited, trying to mentally tell her it was ok.
“Oh my word! No. You can’t be serious,” exclaimed Becka, all of a sudden, rolling her eyes and smiling at me.
“Yup, all thanks to my aunt!”
Jas grinned at us, and beckoned us outside.
xxx
A week later, we were inside the Pyramids. It was so exciting. We were at the top, hiding behind the statues, when we heard a shot. It was very close.
“Stay where you,” growled an angry voice.
Gradually, the area became filled with a gang of angry, dangerous, spitting men.
Jasmine and I ducked, as a security officer threw a brick at the men. But that didn’t help; they had guns. I held back, frantically searching for Jasmine, as Becka urged me on, but I refused to budge. A loud crash sent us down to the ground again.
All of a sudden, we were yanked into darkness. It was cold, and damp. It was also an enclosed space. Becka and I held onto each other, so as not to completely hyperventilate.
“It’s alright, you guys, breathe,” Jas’s reassuring voice brought us back to our senses, and we calmed down.
It stank where we hid. It was eerie; and cold. As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I looked around. I could feel something hard digging into my thigh.
“Sit still,” hissed Jasmine.
“Sally, please, I’m scared,” whined Becka.
I had enough. Quickly, I yanked the sharp object from under myself, and decided to investigate what it was. I held it up, to the tiny shaft of light, and froze. I looked away, deciding that my eyes had deceived me. But when I looked at it again, it was for real. I had yanked out the Mummy’s arm. We were in a tomb! I shrieked, and flung the bone away up high, hitting Becka right in the face in the uproar.
“What is it?” yelped Becka, who was just as scared.
A strong, cold hand abruptly grasped my mouth, as I wriggled.
“Oh Lord, please help me,” I silently begged, “The Mummy is alive!” I thought to myself.
“What do you think you’re doing? You’ll get us all killed,” Jasmine hissed angrily in my ear.
Desperately, I lifted up the lid and pulled Jasmine out behind me. The next thing I knew, a gun was aimed at me, and I thought, “This is it. I’m going to die,”
The heartless creature pulled the trigger, and I closed my eyes, dead scared. I breathed deeply- but felt no pain. I had heard the shot, but where had the bullet gone? I looked down at my feet, and gasped. Jas was huddled in a ball, clutching her bloody arm.
“Oh my word, Jas! Are you alri-“
I was cut off by another siren,
“Sally! Help me, please, girl! Sal-” Becka’s frantic cries were cut off at that point. Hysterically, I leaped up and urgently searched for my friend, only to see to my despair that it was too late. They had taken her away. Gone.
I stood there, a day later, all alone, in the desolate street of emptiness, and wondered what to do. Jasmine was being taken care of by an older woman. I had just been grievously told that the chances of Jasmine surviving were slim. Slowly, I stood up, and went to check on her.
“Jas, don’t go, please,” I softly begged through my tears, as we clung onto each other, crying. I could not believe what was happening. I had only known her for a week, but we had gotten close in that time, and had become good friends. Jasmine murmured a muffled reply,
“Sal, please, don’t leave me,”
I wished that everything could be alright. We held on to each other, and it felt safe and reassuring. It reminded me of Becka. But Becka was gone, and Jasmine was slowly dying. It was not fair. Why did all of this have to happen to me? I was stuck in an unknown land, full of unfriendly difficulties, and yet- I didn’t understand anything anymore.
xxx
Suddenly Jasmine’s grip released, and she sighed; and slowly, I understood. I understood why life was throwing such curve-balls at me; why life had chosen me to bully.
I just stood there, staring at Jas’s face, so peaceful. I closed my eyes, choking, and promised I’d never forget her. When I opened them, it was dark. I looked up, and the truth hit me, as I desperately gasped for air and choked back my tears. I stood alone in the cool evening, sobbing my heart out, for Jasmine, for Becka, for everyone. I shivered as the frozen fingers of the night noosed around my neck. I stood there for a while, just staring out into the horizon, choking back the fiery tears, swallowing the days of grief I had kept up inside me, locked up with a key of ignorance. Slowly, I curled up into a tight ball, and sobbed away into a restless sleep.
xxx
It was almost dawn. Something had woken me up, but I wasn’t sure what. Or why, or who. I stood up, and looked around. Then I remembered; and understood. I let out a shaky sigh of relief. She was free. I understood that each and every individual has a purpose here, and we each have our own quest that we need to complete. Whatever happens, happens to us for a reason. ‘Destiny’, Jas had told me it was called; we cannot control it, no matter how hard we try.
xxx
A couple of weeks later, the old woman that had taken care of Jas, told me that someone wished to see me at the campsite, nearby. I was deeply confused, and troubled, but at the same time, thankful. It was worth a try, and as I didn’t have anything to lose, I went.
I made my way down the street, and the woman nodded at me, encouragingly. I breathed in deeply, swallowing back all the pain that had crept up to my heart, like a menacing criminal preparing to stab, and pulled up the flap of the tent.
A hundred eyes turned to stare, like deathly daggers digging into me. They inspected me, and then looked away, uninterested. Cautiously, I made my way up front, and stopped. Vigilantly, I turned, as I felt someone’s eyes piercing into me, searching me, as if trying to tell me something.
“Oh no, I think I’m losing my mind,” I thought, “Someone’s trying to hypnotize me!” I laughed at my silly joke.
Spontaneously, I looked up, and stared right up at the pair of huge eyes. Something was familiar about those eyes. Hazel brown with sparks of emerald green… why were they so familiar? The girl and I held our stare, it seemed like we had been staring at each other for hours, until a great booming voice rang out, “Becka Pierson, up to the front please, Becka Pierson,”
Becka. I knew a Becka, or rather had known a Becka before. My best friend. But that was in another life. In another country. I blocked out the thought, and looked away, as tears filled my eyes, daring to spill out. I felt the girl’s eyes piercing into me, searching me, as if trying to tell me something - again. Breathing deeply, I turned and looked straight at her. Our eyes locked, and deep down, I knew. I understood. It was going to be alright. This was my Becka; she was alive.
Author:Alicia Toumilovitch, currently attending at Kingsmead College in Johannesburg, South Africa.p>
Short Story: Footprints in my heart
By Alicia Toumilovitch
< I’ll never forget you… I promise,” I whispered gently, stroking the golden sand, and dreamily looking out into the vastness of the Pyramids, that would separate our lives forever…
Those were the last words that were ever said between us. That was also the last of Jasmine. Slowly, I got up, and brushed away at the sand that was clinging onto my skirt, and slowly walked away, with a heavy, but proud, heart. I had helped Jas in her quest, in a way, and she had taught me many valuable lessons. A cool breeze played around at my hair, and I started walking away, one step at a time, leaving everything behind, but taking with a heart-full of memories... >
“I think we should go to Mauritius, or the Seychelles,” suggested Becka, who was really looking forward to the summer break.
Becka and I had known each other for 6 years, and we were close as ever. She was more boisterous than me, but we were both as crazy. It was a warm summer night, and we were sitting at café, contemplating where we should spend our summer holidays together.
We had decided to go away on a wel
“How about Morocco?” I suggested, though I had never been there myself, I had heard it was fascinating.
“Nah… let’s rather go to the Caribbean Islands!” Becka giggled and looked at me, reminding me of the time we had pretended to be pirates at my house, and had gotten stuck in the cupboard. I giggled, remembering, and sighed.
What many people did not know, was that Becka was afraid of enclosed spaces, as well of heights. Anything dead, freaked both of us out. We had decided, these holidays, we would face our fears in the face, and overcome them.
I snorted and sighed deeply, thinking aloud, “Hmm… How does raiding tombs and exploring Pyramids sound like to you?”
Becka’s eyes widened, and she held her breath. Nervously, I waited. Becka exhaled suddenly, letting the turbulent air hit my face, and slowly beamed,
“Yes! I think that would be awesome! What an adventure!”
Relieved, I laughed and jumped up.
“Oh yeah! Egypt it is!”
A week later, we exhilaratingly boarded the plane. As we set off, the excitement began to build up. This was it. The adventure of our life was really happening; at last.
xxx
“Becka Pierson, Sally Fredericks? Over here!”
I turned around in surprise, at having heard our names being called out in an excited voice.
We had only just arrived in Egypt, and did not know where to go from the airport.
“Yes, we are here!” I called out, uncertainly.
Becka jabbed me in the ribs. “Sally! What do you think you’re doing?” Becka hissed furiously into my ear. “We only just got here; we don’t know who that is; maybe they want to kidnap us!”
I widened my eyes, flapped my arms round and round, and pretended to be scared, “Ooh!”
Becka slapped me, and wrestled me to the ground. We giggled, until I felt someone inspecting us as though we were some wild animals. We stood up, and faced a young girl, round about our age, with two long, dark plaits hanging from each side of her face. She stared at us cautiously, then grinned and exclaimed,
“Hi! My name’s Jasmine, Jas for short. I’ll be your personal tour guide. I am an orphan, and I’m so glad to meet you, and I can’t wait to show you around,”
We stood there, and I felt a chortle creeping up my throat. Becka just looked confused, and very hysterical.
“But how do you know us? Who sent you? What do you want-“
I couldn’t hold it any longer, and burst out laughing, causing Becka and Jas to stare at me, puzzled.
“What’s so funny?” Jas scanned Becka’s face closely, and then stared at me, perplexed.
I was having great difficulty controlling my laughter, so I bit down hard on my tongue, and had to pretend that I was coughing. I caught Becka’s eye, and we locked our gaze. I stared deeply into her hazel brown eyes, with sparks of emerald green, and waited, trying to mentally tell her it was ok.
“Oh my word! No. You can’t be serious,” exclaimed Becka, all of a sudden, rolling her eyes and smiling at me.
“Yup, all thanks to my aunt!”
Jas grinned at us, and beckoned us outside.
xxx
A week later, we were inside the Pyramids. It was so exciting. We were at the top, hiding behind the statues, when we heard a shot. It was very close.
“Stay where you,” growled an angry voice.
Gradually, the area became filled with a gang of angry, dangerous, spitting men.
Jasmine and I ducked, as a security officer threw a brick at the men. But that didn’t help; they had guns. I held back, frantically searching for Jasmine, as Becka urged me on, but I refused to budge. A loud crash sent us down to the ground again.
All of a sudden, we were yanked into darkness. It was cold, and damp. It was also an enclosed space. Becka and I held onto each other, so as not to completely hyperventilate.
“It’s alright, you guys, breathe,” Jas’s reassuring voice brought us back to our senses, and we calmed down.
It stank where we hid. It was eerie; and cold. As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I looked around. I could feel something hard digging into my thigh.
“Sit still,” hissed Jasmine.
“Sally, please, I’m scared,” whined Becka.
I had enough. Quickly, I yanked the sharp object from under myself, and decided to investigate what it was. I held it up, to the tiny shaft of light, and froze. I looked away, deciding that my eyes had deceived me. But when I looked at it again, it was for real. I had yanked out the Mummy’s arm. We were in a tomb! I shrieked, and flung the bone away up high, hitting Becka right in the face in the uproar.
“What is it?” yelped Becka, who was just as scared.
A strong, cold hand abruptly grasped my mouth, as I wriggled.
“Oh Lord, please help me,” I silently begged, “The Mummy is alive!” I thought to myself.
“What do you think you’re doing? You’ll get us all killed,” Jasmine hissed angrily in my ear.
Desperately, I lifted up the lid and pulled Jasmine out behind me. The next thing I knew, a gun was aimed at me, and I thought, “This is it. I’m going to die,”
The heartless creature pulled the trigger, and I closed my eyes, dead scared. I breathed deeply- but felt no pain. I had heard the shot, but where had the bullet gone? I looked down at my feet, and gasped. Jas was huddled in a ball, clutching her bloody arm.
“Oh my word, Jas! Are you alri-“
I was cut off by another siren,
“Sally! Help me, please, girl! Sal-” Becka’s frantic cries were cut off at that point. Hysterically, I leaped up and urgently searched for my friend, only to see to my despair that it was too late. They had taken her away. Gone.
I stood there, a day later, all alone, in the desolate street of emptiness, and wondered what to do. Jasmine was being taken care of by an older woman. I had just been grievously told that the chances of Jasmine surviving were slim. Slowly, I stood up, and went to check on her.
“Jas, don’t go, please,” I softly begged through my tears, as we clung onto each other, crying. I could not believe what was happening. I had only known her for a week, but we had gotten close in that time, and had become good friends. Jasmine murmured a muffled reply,
“Sal, please, don’t leave me,”
I wished that everything could be alright. We held on to each other, and it felt safe and reassuring. It reminded me of Becka. But Becka was gone, and Jasmine was slowly dying. It was not fair. Why did all of this have to happen to me? I was stuck in an unknown land, full of unfriendly difficulties, and yet- I didn’t understand anything anymore.
xxx
Suddenly Jasmine’s grip released, and she sighed; and slowly, I understood. I understood why life was throwing such curve-balls at me; why life had chosen me to bully.
I just stood there, staring at Jas’s face, so peaceful. I closed my eyes, choking, and promised I’d never forget her. When I opened them, it was dark. I looked up, and the truth hit me, as I desperately gasped for air and choked back my tears. I stood alone in the cool evening, sobbing my heart out, for Jasmine, for Becka, for everyone. I shivered as the frozen fingers of the night noosed around my neck. I stood there for a while, just staring out into the horizon, choking back the fiery tears, swallowing the days of grief I had kept up inside me, locked up with a key of ignorance. Slowly, I curled up into a tight ball, and sobbed away into a restless sleep.
xxx
It was almost dawn. Something had woken me up, but I wasn’t sure what. Or why, or who. I stood up, and looked around. Then I remembered; and understood. I let out a shaky sigh of relief. She was free. I understood that each and every individual has a purpose here, and we each have our own quest that we need to complete. Whatever happens, happens to us for a reason. ‘Destiny’, Jas had told me it was called; we cannot control it, no matter how hard we try.
xxx
A couple of weeks later, the old woman that had taken care of Jas, told me that someone wished to see me at the campsite, nearby. I was deeply confused, and troubled, but at the same time, thankful. It was worth a try, and as I didn’t have anything to lose, I went.
I made my way down the street, and the woman nodded at me, encouragingly. I breathed in deeply, swallowing back all the pain that had crept up to my heart, like a menacing criminal preparing to stab, and pulled up the flap of the tent.
A hundred eyes turned to stare, like deathly daggers digging into me. They inspected me, and then looked away, uninterested. Cautiously, I made my way up front, and stopped. Vigilantly, I turned, as I felt someone’s eyes piercing into me, searching me, as if trying to tell me something.
“Oh no, I think I’m losing my mind,” I thought, “Someone’s trying to hypnotize me!” I laughed at my silly joke.
Spontaneously, I looked up, and stared right up at the pair of huge eyes. Something was familiar about those eyes. Hazel brown with sparks of emerald green… why were they so familiar? The girl and I held our stare, it seemed like we had been staring at each other for hours, until a great booming voice rang out, “Becka Pierson, up to the front please, Becka Pierson,”
Becka. I knew a Becka, or rather had known a Becka before. My best friend. But that was in another life. In another country. I blocked out the thought, and looked away, as tears filled my eyes, daring to spill out. I felt the girl’s eyes piercing into me, searching me, as if trying to tell me something - again. Breathing deeply, I turned and looked straight at her. Our eyes locked, and deep down, I knew. I understood. It was going to be alright. This was my Becka; she was alive.
Author:Alicia Toumilovitch, currently attending at Kingsmead College in Johannesburg, South Africa.p>
