Blue Moon

The morning Claude woke up, Ila wasn’t beside him. As if still trying to grasp reality, Claude rummaged through the cabinet, and quickly ran to Erick’s room.

When he saw that nothing was left. Not Erick’s toy’s or Ila’s designer shoes. Nothing, but a ring on the kitchen table.

When he got a grasp of reality, his knees became weak. He knelt down on the ground, placed his hands on the floor and cried. Cry as he may, he knows that they will never come back. That crying could not do a thing, but his tears just flowed down his face.

When all the tears where gone, and nothing but darkness was left. He came to his only companion left, Annie.

“I guess it’s just the two of us Annie.” [Silently cries] “Never ever leave me alone Annie, never, okay?” [Hugs Annie tightly] “Promise me that you will never leave me.”

(Dear God, I might have said a lot of things about this man, but I take back everything. He really does care. He lost his precious family, because of me. I know time cannot go back, so I pray that there may be something I can do for him. I’m nothing but an old wooden doll, but I don’t feel so useless anymore. He cared for me as if I was family, as if I were human, as if I were alive. He made me truly happy. I’ve never been this happy before. He gave me his everything; please help me find a way to repay his kindness. Please Lord, please.)

Days, weeks, and months passed, with the smile of Claude that was surely a facade for his loneliness, emptiness, confusion, and wonder.

Wondering, if what he had done was worth it. Wondering if he made a mistake, but the greater pain is loneliness. Slowly he has awoken himself. The sadness that he feels makes him realize the emptiness inside him.

That emptiness has slowly driven him mad. He couldn’t do anything right. He lost his job, and he barely eats.

(That’s right, I’m stupid. Annie never replies. I have no one. Ila, Erick, I miss both of you. I’m so sorry, but I just can’t leave Annie. I’m so, so sorry.) [Cries]

Even though Claude always thinks this, somewhere deep inside his heart, he can’t help but blame Annie for everything that had happened, but he just couldn’t bring upon himself to hate Annie.

Claude has done nothing but mourn. This sadness inflicts pain in an object that they said could never live, Annie.

Claude lives his days, alone, in the dark. He never smiled again. His face that was once as bright as the sun, the smile that lifted the spirits of anyone who saw it, is now gone, and will never ever return, or so as others may say.

More weeks passed, but Claude never spoke a word the only thing that you can see is emptiness. Neither his eyes nor his face ever showed any expression. He was empty. His eyes are like black holes, empty, and as if it would suck all the life in it, and one day out of his loneliness, he spoke, while having a little bit of hope.

He sat beside the wooden doll, and spoke even without a single glance.
“Annie, I can’t take it anymore. I’m so tired of my life. When will you talk to me? [Long pause] What am I saying?! Of course you’d never reply!” [Cries]

(Master, I hope you can forgive me, but this man needs me. I’m sorry master, but he is more important to me than anything in this world. To me, he is more important than you. I myself don’t know what I’m saying. I don’t know if I would regret this in the end, but I want to help him. Even if it means I would scatter to pieces, and lose everyone and everything precious to me. Forgive me, but he needs me.)

Miracles happen in our daily lives, because of humans, and the help of our God. We yearn to do something with all our might, whether it’s for us or for the people around us. The heart of a person is truly strong. Once it yearns for something it will never let go, yet the human heart is also very fragile. It needs the support of others. No one can live without the love of even a single person.

This most certainly is one of those unforgettable miracles, a miracle that everyone thought could never be. A miracle that could alter everything we believe in.

(Dear Lord the only thing I plea, is to help him please let me help him now, if not now, when, when can I help him?)

In the darkness a silhouette of a man stood still in front of Annie.

“Annie, your prayer that I have long heard. Is this what you truly want? Will you promise me not to regret anything?”

“Yes, I promise” [A moment of pause]

“I understand. I will now grant your wish, please take care of yourself my lovely daughter. Don’t forget, I’m always here for you. Call me, and I will be there for you. Forget it not.” And like smoke the figure of the man disappeared into thin air.

Who was that? A question that might not be answered. Maybe it was a dream.
A dream? Maybe so, but everything starts from dreaming, right?

(I want to help him. I want to be there for him. I want to be alive.)

[Lub- dub] . . . . . . [Lub- dub] . . . . . [Lub- dub] . . . [La-dub]. . [Lub- dub] [Lub- dub] for ever second the sound of the heart becomes faster and faster.

(I have to try!) Annie Screamed in her heart over and over again. (I HAVE TO TRY!)

[Lub- dub] [lub- dub] [lub- dub] [lub- dub] [lub- dub]

Slowly, Annie’s fingers began to move. The tips of her fingers shiver. She has to fight in order to live. Annie continues to struggle. (I will live!)

Slowly, she tries to lift her arms. Her arm shivers, and sticks to the ground as if being greatly pulled by gravity, but Annie doesn’t want to continuing living as a doll. She can’t bare seeing Claude cry. She wants to live for Claude. She wants to be there for him.

Upon thinking about what she wants to do and for who she was doing it for. Annie sheds a tear.
“C - L – O. . . . D . . . . E” [Claude stops crying and looks at Annie with shock, wonder, and this tiny bit of hope.] “Annie?” Claude calls.

“C-L-O-U-D-E” Annie says his name slowly, letter by letter. Trying to learn to move, and speak.

“Annie, you can talk. Annie, you’re alive!”

Claude shouts with joy, and amazement. His joy could not be expressed in words, so all he did was wipe away his tears, and smiled.

The smile that was thought to be gone forever was there. The bright sun in his face returned. Claude’s hopes where alive. He thought of nothing else, but the fact that Annie is alive. He didn’t question why. He didn’t question how. All he knew was, Annie is alive.

Days and nights, spent together by Annie and Claude. He got a new job, He changed for the better. People began to notice the positive change in Claude, but nobody knows why, yet no one dares to ask. Everyone is just ecstatic to see him smile again.

“Annie, what’s this thing called again?” “C - H – A - I - R” “Good! But maybe you could say it faster. Like, Chair, okay?” “Ch- air . . . Chair” “Good Annie, good. Lately you’ve been learning how to speak. Someday you’ll be able to speak like others.” “Th- ank you Claude.” [Claude smiles and then pats Annie’s head] “You’re welcome Annie, you’re welcome . . . . . . “

Annie spent her few days learning how to move her mouth properly, and days spending how to speak like normal people would. Even if there are a lot of things that she has not learned, she sure made a great improvement. Slowly, she was able to move her mouth properly, though at times she stutters, she strives to lean more.

Annie, it’s getting late. We should go to sleep.” “O - Okay, but can I sleep with you Claude?” [Claude turns all his attention to Annie with surprise, and after smiling, he then pats Annie’s head] “I’m okay with it Annie, but why do you want to sleep with me.” “I just fee - feel lonely.” [Annie then stares at the ground, trying to hide the shame she has. Claude glances at Annie and notices what she was trying to do, and just smiles at her.] “Okay” Claude replied.

As they spent the night next to each other, Claude smiles with the knowledge that Annie doesn’t need sleep. She only closed her eyes as if she was asleep, after all she’s only a doll, but Claude is very glad to know that Annie relies on him. She needed someone and she looked for Claude. How Claude feels important, because Annie is there.

After that night, it was morning. Annie sits up on the bed with eyes wondering around the room. Looking for a single sight of Claude around the room. The longer she can’t see him, the sadder her eyes get.

[Creek] The door in front her opens and a face of a familiar face showed up, it was Claude. He was in a tuxedo with his hair wet.

“Oh, Annie. You’re awake? I didn’t notice. Annie what’s wrong?” Claude questions as he sees the tears falling from Annie’s wooden face. “Annie?” Claude says with a gentle voice while holding her face up. “What’s wrong?” [Stares at Annie] “Tell me. I’ll listen.” Annie stares at his eyes, and then Claude let goes of her face. Annie then wipes her tears. “It’s noting. I just thought you left me.” Claude get’s shocked and stares at Annie. “I would never ever do that Annie. You are more important than anything in this world to me. You are my number one.” Claude says this with a bright smiling face, and then he kisses Annie’s forehead.

“I’ll go then. It’s time for work, and don’t worry. I’ll head straight home after work. So wait here for me. Okay?” “Okay” Annie replied. “Good girl.” Claude says while patting Annie’s head. “I’ll be back. Goodbye then.”

At that time, Annie wanted to ask what the word WORK meant, but she didn’t ask for she thought that it would only bother him. She didn’t want to be a nuisance.

Annie, not knowing what to do while Claude was gone, wonders around the house. She saw different types of books. She scanned through dictionaries, read novels, and stuff, but then she eventually grew tired. Something on the table in the living room catches her attention. They where DVD’s of love stories. Love stories seemed to be the favourite of Ila. So all of the DVD’s are love stories, since only Ila liked watching movies. Annie had seen Ila play these things a LOT of times already, and she remembers how to play them. So Annie decides to watch a move.

Annie spent her days as Claude was at work, watching different types of love stories. She couldn’t take her eyes off the screen. Annie listened, watched, learned, yet confused about the little things that she doesn’t know about. Things that Claude never thought her. Some things sounded familiar to her because of the conversations within the family, but she never really knew what those things meant. How she wished to know what those things where, what they meant. She always wanted to learn about the things that she didn’t know, but she couldn’t possibly ask Claude since he’s busy with WORK whatever that was, but it seemed important. So she didn’t disturb him. Yet, she wanted to learn, and that’s when Annie decided to learn by herself.

She spent her days reading, and watching to learn different types of things by herself. Claude and Annie barely got the chance to talk. They only talk if necessary, and Claude was always busy, and when he gets home he immediately sleeps or does work that he brings home with him, and every time that he got home he’d be so tired that he wouldn’t notice anything. He would be stuck in his tiring, own, little world.

It was night time and Claude has gone back from work. Claude was surprised to see Annie in front of the television, watching a movie. He had no idea that Annie knew how to play the DVD, after all, when he got home Annie was always sitting on the couch doing nothing or reading a book, but more importantly, he was surprised to see that Annie was so caught up in what she was doing that she never realized that Claude was home.

“Annie, do you like those movies?” Annie hears the voice that she certainly knew was Claude’s. Upon hearing this, she turns her head and see’s Claude. “Claude!” Annie shouted. “Welcome home!” Annie says with a bright smile. “I’m home Annie, I’m home.” Claude said, while gently patting Annie’s head. Annie decided that if she can’t ask him now she might not learn everything she wants to so she finally decides to ask him. “Claude, what does WORK mean?”

The surprised Claude stares at Annie, and then scratches the back of his head. He then says with his pointing finger up and his face in serious mode yet in a funny manner “Oh, yeah. I forgot to tell you what work means. Well, in work, you get money by doing physical or mental labour. We use our talents and abilities to gain money.” “Oh! Then, what’s that? Is it im- important?” Annie says with wide eyes staring at Claude’s eyes, anticipating a reply. “Well, we use money to buy things, like the house, food, and more. Did grandfather never tell you these things?” “Oh, n- no. It’s not like him to talk about those kind of stuff.” “True” After Claude’s remark, Annie continued. “We- well, he no people to talk to. I rarely get the chance to learn this from him. He also does not get’s visitors much. By that, I mean a long, long time.” “Um, Annie. I just noticed this but how come your so good at talking now? I mean it’s not perfect, but it’s a huge improvement.” “Oh, I learned them through those round things, [referring to the DVD’s] you and a hard things with the white stuff [referring to the books]. While you were gone, but I still don’t know much.”

“Claude is it okay for me to ask you about more stuff? Would I be a bother?” Annie said with her eyes rolling all over the place, obviously avoiding contact with Claude’s eyes. As Claude heard what Annie said, he was surprised that he could barely speak. He answered with a smile while patting Annie’s head; “Of course not. I’d be glad to teach you everything that you would like to learn.”

It was truly the most wonderful scenery that I wish would never end. To see them close to each other, reading a book in the dark night, shaded with the lamp’s light. Smiling, as if the two of them where the only two people that existed in the world, inseparable. They existed for each other, to help each other. That feeling is truly beautiful, but this is the kind of feeling that most people would call childish, yet the greatest feeling of all.

Just like the other night, they also spent the night next to each other, asleep. Yet, as the time that Annie woke up came, she was surprised to see a certain figure beside her covered with the bed sheet. “Uhmmm—“
The figure moaned as it turned towards the side as if it was trying to become comfortable.

Annie looked closer upon the figure and realized that the figure she sees is the figure of Claude. She was so surprised that she couldn’t stop wondering “Why?” She couldn’t stop staring at the face of Claude as if trying to reassure that it was truly him. She slowly touched his forehead with the tip of her wooden fingers. She could absolutely feel noting, not like the character in the movies she saw.

“Ugghh –“
Claude groaned as Annie slowly slid her fingers to reach the small portion of his hair that was scattered at the right side of his forehead. She passed, and then her eyes began to seem dark. It was the darkest thing you could find in the bright room that was being entered by the suns luminous light. She slowly took her hand off the Face of Claude.
“Ugghh –“

“Hmm. . . . Oh, Annie. You’re up? What time is it?” Claude asked but Annie did not reply. “Annie? Are You O --“ Claude ask as he was about to clear the hair that was covering her face to see if she was okay, but he couldn’t finish what he was about to say. For Annie blocks his hand before it could reach her. As if she was trying to protect herself from grave danger. Claude was surprised with Annie’s unnecessary behaviour, but then, Annie looks up to Claude as if everything was okay. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what I was doing. How cum you not at work?”

After seeing Annie’s smile, Claude thought that everything was okay and just forgets what happened. As if it never happened at all. He just smiled as he said; “Oh, I told them yesterday that I was feeling unwell and that I might be absent for today.”

Annie gave Claude a very concerned look. “Are you okay?” She asked with pure sincerity. Claude felt happy to hear this, and smiled a little, making sure that Annie wouldn’t see it.

“Oh no. You see, I lied to them. I only wanted to spend the day together with you. I wanted to celebrate, since you can speak properly now. We’re going outside. Together.” He then smiled. After Annie heard this, her face suddenly lit up.

“Really? We are?”

“Yes. We are.” Claude replied as he pats Annie’s head, gently.

The two of them together in the bedroom that was once the room of Claude and Ila. The room was bright as the sun, as the light enters the room. Claude sitting up on the bed with the half of his body being cover with the bed sheets, as Annie was beside him, sitting on the bed, atop the bed sheet. Both of them smiling at each other filled with wonderful bliss