Bright Side

Bright Side

THE STORY

         Once upon a time, a small isolated town was busy preparing for the annual Gathering. The men wore their best suits with their best ties. The women donned their most appropriate white dress. As the sky grew dim, the men and women of the town started to crowd in front of The Forest. They believe that The Forest is overrun by an evil spirit that needed to be appeased before it takes over the town. Gatherings are usually led by The Elder. He decides the arrangements of every gathering. In Gatherings, the people chant sacred words and offer candles to The Forest.
         The children of the town rarely participate in Gatherings. Only the behaved children have the honor to participate in the Gathering. But there was one behaved child that was never able to participate at all. Her name is Madeline. Well behaved she may be, but sadly she was mute and a voice was very important in Gatherings. Being mute, she can't chant the sacred words and without the sacred words her offering is useless. And that's what Madeline was called, 'useless'. However, this year will be different for her.
         The Elder called for Madeline to join the Gathering. She was given the most beautiful white dress to wear. During the Gathering, she was asked to stay in the front of the crowd beside The Elder. The Elder put his hand on the child's head and chanted sacred words. Madeline could hear muffled sobs in the crowd. She started to get a little scared.
         The Elder pulled out a gleaming knife and stabbed the child in the heart. The blood contrasted beautifully against her white dress. Madeline's lifeless body was offered to The Forest and the evil spirit took her soul and left the town alone forever.

THE REAL WORLD

         "Madeline and The Forest", a sick children's story based on a true story. Madeline was a real girl, but she wasn’t' sacrificed, she committed suicide in The Forest. It happened 10 years ago. She wasn't mute and she was an orphan who's been passed from foster home to foster home until she ended up in this shitty little town. Also, she didn't have a name. The townspeople just called her 'The Girl'. It’s not that she was never given a name, she just had too many. Madeline, Beatrice, Carla, Audrey until she ended with no name at all.
         The Forest is real too. Like The Girl, it doesn't have a name either. The Mayor wanted to name it after The Girl but, like I told you, she didn't have name. So we just call it 'The Forest'. It’s as old as the town. It’s quite close to town, just past the narrow field. The Forest sits there haunting the memories of the townspeople.
         Ever since The Girl committed suicide in The Forest it’s been the suicide site of the town. Every year the suicide rate increases, making the town more fucked up by the year. Most of them, the suicide victims were kids from school.
         Kevin from Literature class shot himself in The Forest with his grandfather's Revolver. He was a bully but the teachers told us that it was 'problems at home' that makes him act like an asshole. One day, he just disappeared. He was absent for days but they didn't suspect anything because it was normal for him to disappear for a day or two. But when a week passed they formed search parties to look for Kevin. His body was found rotting under a pine tree.
         There was also Amanda who was nice to everybody. She wasn't the prettiest around but she was definitely not ugly. She was... Plain. She was found overdosed with pills in The Forest three days after she was expelled. She tried to strangle That One Popular Girl (TOPG) who filled Amanda's lunchbox with dog shit. She was hospitalized for a week.
         Then there was Paul, the baker's son. He dropped out of school when he was a senior in high school. He's 21 now, 5 years older than me. He talks to me when I stop by the bakery to pick up some bread for Mom. He often reminisces about his 'glory days' and other stuff about basketball (sports was never my strong point). Paul was the captain of the basketball team when he was a senior. I asked him once why he dropped out because his high school life sounded perfect. He only fell silent, and that was my cue to leave. They found Paul hanging from a noose tied on a sturdy branch. I overheard some old ladies do what they do best: gossiping. They were talking about Paul. Apparently Paul didn't get to graduate because he failed some subjects and he missed his chance at becoming a basketball scholar. He gave up and he was stuck to work in his dad's bakery.
         Many more followed, all with interesting backgrounds. Poverty, early pregnancy, neglect, depression, I could go on. All the Annies, Clarks, Janes, Davids and Sarahs took their own life away. Because of this, the school holds countless talks about suicide or how to deal with stress. The school also drowns us with recreational activities to keep us distracted. Paper folding, painting, and creative writing, but it's useless, 3 out 10 students still commit suicide. The kids that they suspect is suicidal are required to see The Counselor at least once a week. One of those kids is me.
         My name is Oliver, I'm 16 and I, like any other kid who hasn't committed suicide, attend the local high school. I don't know why I bother, though. I skip every single subject except for Literature because we don't really do anything during that period. I go up to the roof and take a nap. Sometimes I smoke pot up there. I am required to see The Counselor once a week because they suspect that I might take my life sometime in the future. I am drawn to The Forest. It's the only place in town where there aren't any coughing old people or cranky old women smoking cigarettes. Isn't it strange that no one has committed suicide outside of The Forest? My Mom told me that when I was young, she would find me staring at The Forest, just staring at it. So, that's one reason they advised me to see The Counselor.
         The Counselor is a corpulent dude with balding silver hair and a beard to match. Kind of like a fat bald Jesus. His office had a lot of stuffed birds and everything just smelled of orange-scented fresheners that made me sick. He wore thick glasses and ugly sweaters that reminded me of my Dad.

         "How are you?" The Counselor asked, sitting his fat ass on his leather chair, making these unbearable squeaking noises.
         "Fine," I answered, trying to sound polite.
         "Oliver, I'm going to ask you a question that you may not answer, ok?"
         I looked at this idiot trying to figure out how stupid he can be. Isn't that his job, to pester me with his damn questions?
         "Do you know why your brother," he paused, "you know..."
         He drew an imaginary horizontal line across his neck with his finger. I felt like killing him.
         "No, I don't," I hissed.
         But I did. I remember everything perfectly. It happened on Tuesday, last week.
         There was a brief silence.
         "I'm sorry..." he said, finally.
         Fuck you.
         There was silence again...
         "But," he said slowly, "can you tell me why you did it?"

LAST WEEK, TUESDAY

         It was an unusually sunny Tuesday when I felt like attending 3rd period Literature. Our teacher, Mr. Literature (I don't know his name), walked in the room to begin class.
         "Suicide," he chimed, "can someone tell me what it means?"
         Mr. Literature is notorious for his speeches against suicide. He was about 27 years old, 6"3 with dark hair neatly combed to one side parting on the left.
         "Well?" he said, breaking the silence in the room.
         Maxine slowly raised her hand to answer. Maxine is the school slut. Ever since she had her braces removed and got eye contacts, she's been "all over" every boy she considers a "somebody".
         "Um, sir," she said with this annoying voice that sounds like she's asking a question, “it's like when a person, like, hangs himself."
         Mr. Literature had a slightly incredulous look on his face, trying to figure out what to say.
         "Well, yes. But, generally, it’s when a person takes his or her own life on purpose."
         We didn't need him to tell us that. Everybody, even the children, know what it means. Everyone had at least on family member who committed suicide. No one was really paying attention to him. I got bored and took out my cellphone to play Tetris.
         "Class, I want you to know that you should never give up even in the most hopeless situations. There's always a bright side to everything. Just don't give up and you'll see."
         In the middle of my game, Mr. Literature called out my name which startled me.
         "Oliver," he said as I scrambled to hide my phone, "The Principal wants to see you. Don't worry you're not in trouble."
         The last line eased my tension. But if I'm not in trouble why would the Principal want to see me? I haven't been smoking pot lately. I've been enduring sessions with The Counselor once a week. Still recollecting, I casually made my way to The Principal's office. I remember staring the big red door with the gold plaque that read 'PRINCIPAL' in bold letters until everything came crashing down. It's been 7 days, 4 hours and 19 minutes and I couldn't stop grinning.

7 DAYS, 4 HOURS AND 19 MINUTES

         The house smelled of disinfectant. White flowers were in every corner of the house. Candles were lit even though it's the day. I was at home even though it was a weekday.
         I was wearing a black suit with a black tie and black polished shoes. Everyone else were also in black, the only difference is that I was smiling and they were crying. I even told jokes to the crying people which left Mom no choice but to banish me to my room.
         Back at The Principal's office, the world stopped. I still don't believe it. In my mind he was still alive. I refuse to believe it.

THE PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE

         I entered the big red door and saw The Principal sitting on his leather chair behind his wooden desk that had a lot of bobble heads on it. I sat across him on a metal chair with an uncomfortable cushion (or was it just me?).

         "Son," he started.
         I hate it when people don't call me by my name.
         "Sir?" I said a little intimidated.
         "We've received some dreadful news," he paused for a while.
         What, did my goldfish die?
         "You're brother, Alex," he said staring straight at me.
         I froze when I heard my brother's name.
         "Is dead..."

         Time stopped when I heard those two words. I saw his lips moving but I couldn't hear the words. I somehow convinced myself that it was all a practical joke that's why I couldn't stop grinning. This brings us back to his funeral.
         
7 DAYS, 4 HOURS AND 19 MINUTES: HIS FUNERAL

         I didn't attend the ceremony because, in my mind, that wasn't Alex's funeral. A small portion of my mind knows he's dead but I just couldn't understand why he had to commit suicide.
         My brother, Alex, was a 'cool' person. He told me once that he saved The Mayor from a building in flames. He also told me about his girlfriend and how he became MVP in every single basketball game. I seriously thought he'll end up as the president or something one day. Until I read his letter. I found it under my pillow after Mom banished me to my room.

         Dear Oliver,
                   Remember when I told you about how I saved The Mayor from a burning building, and also about my 'girlfriend'? And how I've consistently been MVP of every basketball game? Yeah, well, it's all a lie. I've never saved anyone from a burning building, if anything, I started the fire. I don't have a girlfriend and I'm not even part of the basketball team. I just bring them towels. It's time you knew, I'm sorry. But you need to get your head out of the clouds. Dad left us because he found a better family with a wife who doesn't get drunk all the time and children who actually achieve things in life. Stop being so naive and accept the truth.
         When Dad left, I promised myself that I would work hard to be the prefect brother and I tried. I really did. But I can't pretend anymore. See you later, Oli.

Love,
Alex

         "He spelled 'prefect' instead of 'perfect'..." was all I said after reading the note.
         'There's always a bright side to everything', huh? I wasn't smiling anymore.
         I took off my tie and my coat and I lay down on my bed...
         I saw my Dad at the funeral. He was with a small blonde haired woman who looked half his age. And I saw my mom holding a bottle of Whiskey; she looked haggard. Everything looked so 'real' after I read my brother's letter. There was no way to describe it.

         As I looked up at the ceiling, reaching up to the light bulb, I heard someone call my name. It wasn't my Mom or anyone else but it sounded so familiar.

         "Oliver..."

THE BRIGHT SIDE

         I blacked out and when I woke up it was pitch black. I was still in my room. Mom must've closed the lights. I looked out the window and saw The Forest illuminated by the moon. I knew what I had to do.
         I grabbed my hoodie and took a candle form the altar. I went out into the pitch black sky. As I walked across the field the candle illuminated beautifully against the night sky. I was nearing The Forest with every step. I stopped in front of The Forest and I stared at it like how I would stare at it when I was a kid. I saw countless nooses hanging from branches and it made me sick. I thought of everyone that has been called by The Forest in their most vulnerable state. I just stared at The Forest for a few more minutes.

         "Oliver..."

         I reacted quickly, the light left me instantly.

         "..."
Brighter and brighter, The Forest started blazing orange and red. The trees were crashing down. I saw my brother beside me watching the fire, so was Kevin, Amanda and Paul. Brighter and brighter, all the Annies, Clarks, Janes, Davids and Sarahs were behind me, watching. Brighter and brighter, The Girl from 10 years ago was on my left and she held my hand. It was a truly beautiful moment, and then it glowed brighter and brighter ‘til it was white.
         Beautiful moments don’t’ last very long but it’s still good to know that beautiful moments exist. When the sun started to rise my brother and the rest faded away with the night sky. Everything else happened so fast. The police came and so did the firemen who crowded the area where The Forest used to be. The police took me in for questioning and I told them everything. But they didn't believe me so they dumped me on someone who claims to 'understand' me. This brings us back to The Counselor.

THE COUNSELOR

         "Let me repeat my question," he said, a little irritated, "can you tell me why you set The Forest on fire?"
         There was silence. He just looked at me with eyes that can burn a hole.
         "What do you want to know?" I asked, smiling at him.
         "Well," he said a little surprised, “first, tell me why you did it."
         "Mr. Counselor dude," I said standing up.
         I had a smile on my face as I started to walk around calmly. I walked to the shelf that had small vases of flowers on it. I picked one up and smelled the flowers as I stared one stuffed owl.
         "First, let me say that I’m not insane," I told him.
         The Counselor just nodded.
         I started to walk around again, still holding the small vase of flowers.
         "Excuse me, sir, but do you hold any sentimental value to this vase?"
         "No, not at all, it was just a-”
         “Then you don’t mind if I do this,” I interrupted.
         On impulse, I smashed the vase on his head and I lunged at him to strangle him.
         Don't worry I didn't kill him. I could've killed him if security didn't rush in and stop me. He was actually lucky there weren’t any sharp objects in the room. But I promise I only meant to hospitalize him, not kill him. The only witnesses were his precious stuffed birds. And the security cameras.
         What happened next was a funny story. I wasn't expelled or sent to prison; instead I was admitted to a "special" hospital because of the "symptoms" I've exhibited. It wasn't a big deal; I just burned down The Forest and assaulted The Counselor (a broken arm and internal bleeding). My Mom married another man who calls me 'buddy'. God, he's annoying. And Mr. Literature was caught making out with Maxine in an empty classroom. She accused him of molesting her. He was fired, she didn't care. No one was committing suicide anymore. It was funny, The Forest just burned down and no one was killing themselves. Probably cause the sun's been shining more now that The Forest isn't blocking it anymore. And I think I finally found my true passion in life: Arson.
         I escaped the "special" hospital when the nurse accidentally left matches in my room. Now I have the whole world to see. Mr. Literature was right; there is a bright side to everything. I'll stop by my Dad's and I'll show him the bright side. Heck, I’ll make the whole world see. But I’ll need a bit of fire to make that happen.

F.I.N.