Sacrifice

Sacrifice.
What is the significance of this term?

Often in movies and stories, we hear of people sacrificing for the greater good. We hear of folk lore where the sacrifice of one soul, brings sheer happiness to the people. Often when people hear of such tales, they tremble in tears, overwhelmed by the rush of emotions.

Hence I ask, why do such people exaggerate such a simple action? Those heard and seen are simply stories written by sentimental people, people who do not acknowledge reality.
In the real world, who would stand for the greater good if it means of death and pain. In a way, sacrifice means giving and neglecting one’s own needs.

Today, we live in such a competitive world, who would give and not take anything in return? Who would mind what was befalling on others if it is no gain to him?

These authors of sacrificial stories are cowards who do not acknowledge reality, who dwells in lies, so that they would be comfortable.

Sacrificial thoughts, I believe, only belong to retarded and mentally impaired people yet ironically, who’d knew that I became one of them.

The story goes . . .
I was a divorcee at the age of 32 with a son at the age of 6. My wife left me, saying that I am a self-centered irresponsible man with no commitments, After signing the final papers, she left and I’d never saw her again.

With her exit out of my life, I thought that it was the end of the naggings and annoyance but I was wrong. She left me a little gift, a product of monstrosity, she leaves her son and went on with her life yet she claims that I am irresponsible?
But the fact pains me not, what would a man like me with such enormous amount of money not do?
Days past by, weeks and months. Life was great if I were to exclude the little leech under my roof. I had to pay for his expenses and needs, something I wouldn’t do if the child services weren’t on my neck.

Now my son, Ents, 7 year old in age had been moaning and crying at night. His crying had disturbed my rest and work. Believe me, if I could separate with him as I did to my wife, I will.
Having no choice, I took him to the doctor. The doctor concluded that Ent has not been eating well and perhaps he had been missing meals.

How was that possible? He has been eating luxurious food, my food. How? I ask and wondered and realized that I had never managed his breakfast as it would be provided in his school.
Curious and eager to continue on with my own life. One day, without his knowledge, I followed him to school.

He had never ate in the cafeteria, instead, he keeps his food in his bag pack. So I was curious and I had spied on him from afar.

On Ent’s way home from school, I caught him turning in into a narrow alley and he takes out the food that he’d kept and fed it to a few stray dogs there and he’d do that everyday.

One night, silently, I went into the alley with a cage and lured every stray dogs into it. Then swiftly, I went to the nearby river and drowned them one by one.

Several days after that, there was no more crying and moaning in the night. I was glad and proud of what I had done.

Now, something else bothered me. The laughing, cheerful Ent that I have always ignored and yell at had changed. He had become quiet and withdrawn and often crying silently in the corner.
I realize the change and often when I see him, there would be a nervous beat in my heart and a tickle behind my eyes. What was this that I was feeling? What was this guilt and urge that I had? Why had I the urge to undo what I have done? I did not understand. My strength and mind grows weary as I thought of what I had done and what I had not.

I had the urge to befriend Ent but how? We had never talked, only the little words that I had yelled to quiet him down. I began to regret of what I have done those moments.

It was the rainy season, I drove him to school and we talked a bit. Weeks went by and I realized that Ent would rather suffer in pain than to see others suffer. That was what he did with the dogs in the alley.

I asked him why he did so, his reply was simple yet it felt like a thousand daggers on my soul.
He said “mummy did so”. Had I befell so much pain on my fellow wife? perhaps I did but I fail to recall the moments.

One rainy day, I was driving Ent to school. As I turned at one of the junctions, my vehicle glided across the road and landed on the oncoming traffic.

The experience was horrifying, cars after cars ran into us. We were like bowling pins, standing and waiting helplessly to be hit.

After all the sounds and lights, everything came to a stop. We were conscious but barely alive. I didn’t know whether we were upside down or inside out. All I remember was the heavy weight above crashing down and a small exit only enough for one person. If one were to escape, the other one would have to remain inside to hold the weight and only one would live.
Somehow, someway, in mere conscious, I reach to Ent and pushed him as he crawled out of the mess. I was about to die, almost certain of death. Instead of sadness and mourning, I had this awkward feeling of euphoria slamming against my heart. And I realized that I have sacrificed my life, so that my son would live to see the world.

In that awkward moment of pain, my body trembled and I smile hysterically. Then there was nothing but the darkness and coldness that engulfed me.

Somehow, by miracle’s decision, I had survived.

I opened my eyes and found two familiar faces at sight. It was Ent and his mother, my ex-wife.
I was alive, far more alive than ever before. The only price in that accident and my sacrifice was that I could walk no more but every moment was worthy as I’ve understand the significance of “sacrifice” and “love” perhaps.

Spm trials 2008
Question: Sacrifice.
Word Count: 1101.
Time: 70minutes