Fixing Broken Promises Read online

  We didn’t know what to say. How could we promise something like that? We didn’t speak but cried in silence. It wasn’t long until the gate closed. That day, we ran to the hospital hell bent on an answer.

  We ran into barricades as the hospital was from another world. No one was allowed in or out now. The two of us tried to get in but it was hopeless. We ran to the side road hoping to see her window. We shouted and shouted before calling her phone. And there she was by the window.

  The three of us eyed each other before me and Har shouted out.

  “YOU DIDN’T PICK YET!”

  She stood in shock before smiling.

  “I LOVE YOU BOTH BUT IF I HAD TO CHOOSE… I’D PROBABLY PICK-

  And then it was gone. The smiled on our faces fell as did our tears. Where the hospital was, was now the building behind it. That very time and space disappeared as they closed off her world.

  Me and Har stayed together until graduation, but then we drifted apart. There was one thing we had to finish though…

  “…A spirit of the wind and a human wouldn’t be able to live in my world. But promise me… the three of us will always be together”

  “How can we promise that!” Har cried

  “Well, let’s see…,” she smiled, “Did you know, there’s a fad about putting up graves for those who have gone”

  “You want a grave?” I frowned

  “I’ll put one for the both of you, it has to be on the mountain though! ‘Cause it’s in all three of our worlds… so once it’s there… you have to visit ok?... Because we promised…”

  She sobbed as the two of us held her hand. That was when we promised that the three of us would always be together.

  *****

  “Well, it’s nearly time” Har sighed

  “Yeah, I’ll miss you” I nodded

  “Come on, we only see each other once a day every year…”

  “Right… but it’s true”

  “I know… you know, I never thanked you properly”

  “About what?”

  “You know, about winning the race…”

  “Ah, that’s because I knew you would be upset if we started dating! Plus, she would want the three of us hanging out even if she dated one of us, that’s just awkward…”

  “Yeah…, what do you want on your grave?”

  “What?”

  “Come on,” Har frowned, “You’re putting one up for me, this was your idea!”

  I looked at him before laughing my head off. He shouted at me and kicked me a few times but I couldn’t help. His wristwatch went off as I stopped.

  “Well,” Har shrugged, “Last minute together… I… I wanted to say… You’re the best friend I’ve had”

  “What am I suppose to say to that?”

  “Oh shut up! You know what, I want a freaking massive grave!”

  “I’m getting it from a pet shop!”

  “Yeah? I’m just going to draw a line in the mud for yours!”

  “A line?” I laughed

  We laughed together before I realised I was laughing on my own. That day, the field of rainbows that I played in as a child, they disappeared for good. It was also the day, my best friend disappeared forever.

  *****

  Since then, it had been five years. The world changed from a brilliant majestic rainbow, to just black and white. I had put up a grave for Pond and Har on the mountain top, next to the spring, where I visit every summer. The inn wasn’t there, so I suppose it was part of Har’s world, I have to camp now.

  It wasn’t until this year I thought about the magic spring. I remembered about Pond’s words, about it letting you see into other worlds. I never saw anything while looking, but out of curiosity I put a photo of myself in. The next summer I found two photos of familiar faces. I laughed to myself as the three of us kept our promises.

  The three of us, together forever.

  ###

  About the author

  “I hoped you enjoyed this, I quite like the idea of parallel worlds but I don’t think there are many stories where these worlds are one, and are gradually separating. I wanted to write something about the people who grew up in such a world, where they would be losing something when these worlds are gone.”

  For those who are tragically obsessed, Nobo13 was born 1987 in Cambridgeshire. He spent four years doing a Physics degree but spend most of the time doodling and writing. Currently he is training to be a Science Teacher.

  Nobo13’s pen name is derived from using his surname, just look above! His more unusual hobbies are collecting headphones, staring aimlessly out the window (which consumes much of his time) and messing about with musical instruments- at the moment these are ocarinas and ukuleles.

  Please check out my website and my other works, thanks for reading!

  More from this author

  I currently have a poetry book, two short story books- that only use 50 words in each story, and a children’s sci-fi book that are available from the following links:

  Tuesday: Story of the Cosmos-

  Half a Century Alone:

  The Monsoon Season:

  The Other Half:

  The Man in the Desert:

  Lost in the Painting:

  You can also search ‘nobo13’ in the iBooks store!

  Be sure to check my website every now and then for news and updates!

  Connect with me online

  My website: https://www.wix.com/pmasterkim2002/nobo13

  My blog: https://nobo13.wordpress.com/

  My Twitter page: https://twitter.com/#!/lazynobo13

  My Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/nobo13