The crackling noise of the burning wood, black smoke and burning embers rose  from the pyre and moved along the gentle wind.

One of the embers fly towards a little child who was fascinated by the scene in front of him.

‘I want mom and dad to see this too.’

The kid thought as he looked up at his grandfather who was standing beside him holding his hand.

“Grandpa where are mom and dad?” He asked, his grandfather looked at him and get down on his knees put his shaking hand on his shoulder.

“Ashwin, Mom and Dad went to a faraway place in the sky.” His grandfather couldn’t bring himself to tell the truth to his grandson, he looked at the pyre and wiped his tears, and picked up Ashwin in his hug.

“When will they come back Grandpa?” Ashwin asked in anticipation.

“Ashiwn, be quite you are a good boy right, If you dont stay quite then, Mom…and Dad will scold you….You don’t want to make them angry now…. do you?” Ashwin’s Grandmother put her hand on his head and scolded him as tears fell down her eyes. 

“Grandma don’t cry I will be a good boy please don’t cry” Ashwin got worried seeing his grandmother crying, thinking he was at fault and became quite like a good boy.

***

The pressure cooker whistles, turning the stove off and letting it cool down for a some time, i checked pulling up the whistle, with no pressure coming out I twisted lid open and with a spoon tasted the porridge.

Serving it in a bowl, i took out teh medicine from the cabinet and a glass of water, putting that all on a tray i went to grandma’s room to wake her up for breakfast. 

I knocked on her door and waited for a few seconds, no response came from her so i opened the door myself.

“Grandma I am coming in”

Getting in side I saw her sleeping soundly.

“Grandma” I gently moved her to wake her up.

Her eyes opened for a second, but she went back to sleep.

“Grandma wake up” I called her again.

She slowly opened her eyes.

“Ashwin!? Why haven’t you gone to school yet.” She said as I helped her get up.

“There’s still some time for school grandma, here, you should eat your breakfast first,” I told her as I took a spoonful of porridge.

“Sorry Ashwin that you have to take care of an old woman like me,” she said in an apologetic tone.

“How many times have I told you to not talk like that, you are my family who took care of me and raised me all this time and now It’s my turn to take care of you.”

I told her as I blew on the spoon to cool down the porridge. 

After she finished eating I gave her medicine making sure she properly take them and after that I picked up my bag preparing to leave.

“Ashwin if it is not much trouble,can you bring me this stuff on your way back” She handed me a list and some money.

I was getting late so quickly gave a glance at the list, it was a list for her medicine and some other things she need.

“Sure” I took the list and  putting it in my pocket and went to the entrance to put on my school shoes.

“Bye Mom, Dad, Grandpa,” I said my farewell to the pictures of my late family and left.

***

The bell rang marking the end of school.

“Don’t forget to do your homework class.”

“Then we will meet tomorrow.” 

“Yes, let’s go to that new café.” 

My classmates left the classroom chattering in their groups.

I packed my stuff, checked my bag,  and prepared to go leave too.

“Hey Ashwin” My friends called me.

“Yes?” I asked.

“Hey wanna swing by the new mall that opened recently” They asked.

“Sorry but my grandma asked me to buy some stuff, so I will be going to the convenience store,” I told them as I got up.

“Thats too bad, then next time.”

“Next time” And so they left the classroom.

The class was getting more or less empty with only a few students left talking, with no reason to stay anymore I exited the classroom.

[2:36]

‘Let’s see what I have to buy first.’ 

Taking the list out of my pocket I take another look at the things that need to be bought.

 ‘1,6,8,9 can be bought at the convenience store and the others are medicines. I have to go the other way for them. sigh

[2:42]

‘This, this, and these two should be all the things I need from this store’.

[2:53]

“Please come again.” The shopkeeper said as I left the store.

‘Now I need to buy the medicines.’

[2:58]

‘There’s still a minute left for the light to turn red.’

[2:59]

The lights turned red and there didn’t seem to be any vehicles comingfrom either side of the road so I started crossing the road.

[2:59:32]

“Wu” “Ouch” “Seriously” My laces came undone, tripping me and the stuff I bought is on the road.

[2:59:46]

As I was picking up my stuff, I heard the honking of a vechiael

[2:59:51]

A truck was approaching with no signs of stopping, I left what I couldn’t pick up and tried to run away.

[2:59:55]

I tripped again from my untied laces and saw the truck right ahead of me.

“Ahhhh!!”

***

The truck hit Ashwin, sending him flying, his body crashed and rolled on the ground, limbs twisted, torn flesh exposing bones, muscle twitching, whole body dyed in blood.

The passersby rushing towards his dying body.

“Someone call an ambulance.” A man shouted

Kyaaa Scream’s of young and old resounded.

People gathered forming a crowd around the dying boy.

‘It….hurtssss,’……..‘What happened,’… ‘I cant feel my body,’…. ‘Whose shadows are those,’… ‘My eyes’ …..  ‘I can’t see’….. ‘Everything is blurry’……  ‘There’s something in my mouth filling it up’….. ‘It tastes like blood’ ….. ‘Whose blood’…… ‘What happened? 

‘My whole body is….burning…..dark……cold…..I…my body….. everything is…fading..away…..am…I…dying..I…don’t….want…..to…die….Mom….Dad….I.am…scared…………….Mom………Dad’

***

Maaaaaa crying of a newborn

‘A nostalgic voice, the familiar hands full of warmth, the air full of joy and happiness brushed past my eyes, I opened, the bright light blinding my vision, the silhouette of someone special, bringing an ache in my heart, is this a dream, is this reality or a cruel play of destiny’

***

“Look dear our son opened his eyes,” Mom says with squinted eyes and a warm faint smile She looks young, younger than I remember, and dad?

“Look his eyes are like mine” Dad looks the same.

They both look so happy looking at me, but it’s hard to believe this is real. 

Is my life flashing before my eyes, before dying, I got hit by that truck, and now I am looking at my parents all happy and smiling.

“It’s a miracle that the child was born so healthy with how critical the condition of the mother was,” The doctor said wiping the sweat from his forehead taking a sign of relief.

My dad hugged the doctor “Thank you, doctor, really, really thank you.”

My mother brought me close to her face, her eyes were moist with a hint of pain like she cried before, but they still carried the warmth as she looked me in the eyes.

“You really scared me when you didn’t open your eyes.” Her kind voice carried relief as she cradled me gently.

I extended my tiny arms to rub her tears but couldn’t reach, She startled for a second but brought her face closer to my hands, they felt warm, the warmth telling me this is real.

Did I… I really got a second chance at life.