Story Contest 2017 #1 - Outstanding Stories » Three Words

“Three Words” is one of the outstanding stories of the first biannual International Short Story Contest 2017 written by Beuka Gesika, Romania.

Three Words

I was falling in a black hole and the next moment I was screaming in my bed.

- Are you ok? Did you have a nightmare? Come and have breakfast dear.

It was my granny, she took care of me. I got dressed and found grandpa still in his bed.

- Good morning!

- Hey! Who are you? What’s your name? Why are you in my house!? Get out!

- Calm down, Harry! He is our grandson, Sam!

I had run into the yard. I was crying because I had never imagined a life with my grandparents. To live with an amnesic grandfather, would be terrible. Two weeks have passed since my parents had died. I couldn’t sleep, eat, smile, nothing. Life was boring.

One night I went out with Charles and Mike. They had cigarettes and I didn’t refuse. I needed something to make me happy. I could smoke with my friends and that was all that mattered.

On the 13th of March, on my birthday my grandma gave me a present, an envelope full of money. I always wanted a lot of money.

- Sam! Can you give us your money to buy some drugs?

- Of course, Charles! You know that I have always wanted to celebrate my birthday doing something new.

Like this I began to have a life without thinking. One day, my friend and I decided to run away from our village Tulsa to Spring Field by train.

- Come! Hurry up, Sam! The train is leaving!

- No! I can’t!

- What!? Why?

I said: I can’t go by the train! My mother and my father…

- Are dead! What’s the problem, man?

- They died in a train crash! I don’t want to die like them!

That morning my grandmother said that I had received a letter. I ran and stopped just in front of my house. I was curious to know who had written to me.

- Grandma, where is the letter?

- It is in your room. And I think that it is very special because the man who gave it to me said it is a document from the accident.

- A document? For me?

I tore the cover and I saw a small piece of paper. “Why would this small piece of paper be so important?” I thought. So I lifted the paper: “Believe, hope and love! From your Dad”, I read.

- Sam? Are you fine? I heard what you read…

- Please, leave me alone!

I stayed alone in my room for two days! It was strange, but true! That was important to me. So I decided to change my life, but I didn’t know how.

- Who are you? What’s your name? Why are you in my house!? Get out!

- Good morning, grandfather!

- Rose? Is he my grandchild?

- Yes, Harry!

- Grandpa, is it good to believe, to hope and to love?

- Oh, just try to believe, to hope and to love and you’ll see that your life will change!

- Thank you! Goodbye! I have to go to school!

I went to school every day and learnt hard. At the final revision I was the first from my class. I was so happy and so proud of myself. Years have passed and the graduation was approaching and I had to think about university. I applied to the Academy of Couture Art. In the break, a beautiful girl came to me.

- Hey! The headmaster wants to see you in his office!

- Hey! By the way, what’s your name?

- I’m Beth!

- Sam! Nice to meet you! I hope to meet you again!

I don’t know why, but I was very happy. The headmaster announced that I had been accepted. My grandma was so happy. On the way to Los Angeles I thought about my life. “My life has become full” I thought to myself. I had arrived at the airport when I saw a familiar face. It was Beth.

- Hello! Do you recognize me?

- You scared me! What are you doing here?

- I’ve been accepted at the Academy of Couture Art.

- Academy of Couture Art? Me too. What a coincidence!

- Do you want to go somewhere for lunch?

- Sure! Thank you! I’m hungry.

I finished my studies and I became a designer at a big company with my fiancée Beth. I was an orphan boy who went astray but succeeded. Success made me happier knowing that an important person was always there for me and knowing that without faith, hope and love I couldn’t manage anything.