A Boy On The Island

by Rahul Pratap Singh Rajput
(Kolkatta)

I live by a lake. It's actually a very beautiful place and even after what I saw this summer, I still love going there.

I moved in to my house approximately 2 years ago and had never had any problems. I have been able to see spirits since I was small, although it never really frightened me; they always seemed peaceful, just passing through. or so I thought.

It was a hot summer day and the obvious thing to do was to go to the lake and relax. Little did I know that it would not be a relaxing day.

I was talking to my good friend Shivdeep and then I noticed a little bit of a sparkle coming from the island in the middle of the lake. I had gone to the island many times so there was no need to get all excited but this was different. I knew that I had to go over there.

Shivdeep and I rented a row boat and paddled over to the island just expecting to find the usual geese and trees but it felt different today, sad almost.

I knew that a little boy I had been acquaintances with had died in the lake 6 years ago. We have a small water fountain at our lake and he had fallen down it while no one was watching him, but other than that I never really knew too much.

When we got to the island everything was normal, but at that exact moment I saw a boy on the island. Just a normal boy, no one would have known he was dead. He seemed happy but then I saw his clothes were ripped to shreds and he was bloody with cuts. I froze. I nearly fainted at the sight of a six year old boy covered in blood and bruises his eyes looked sad but he wore a smile.

"What's wrong!?! Do you see someone??" Shivdeep asked in panicked voice.

My mouth couldn't move. I just dropped to my knees, sobbing, as I felt the beautiful life the boy would have lead. And then I felt the pain in his heart. Shivdeep was freaking out and wasn't sure what to do. I snapped back to reality and soon realized this. I stood up blinking through tears and then he disappeared. We soon left the island rowing our boat in silence and I sat thinking about the boy looking at the water. I suddenly made out a face in the water a clean fresh lively boy smiling at me.

There is a protector at the lake, there is an angel watching over all of us.