Original Work # 4
(Short Story)
‘UNDERNEATH’
By Jeff Harold Uy
It was a long busy day. Minds were preoccupied by office works, which seemingly
made the clock hold its affairs in every tick of its hand. No greetings nor a
foretaste of smile drizzled on McKinley street, only harried faces. People
considered the world as if it was a big screen projecting all the works needed
to be accomplished, every single day.
Onetime, at the Alabaster Company,
one of the renowned business companies in Illinois, a young noble salesman named
Simon presented his transactions before the primary investors. He worked there
for almost 3 years, and he was able to make a living. As expected, the board
liked his presentation and scheduled for another business meeting for further concession.
Simon was awfully excited to tell the
good news to her mother. That was already late-night when he was able to tread
the ground of his beloved home.
“Oh, son. Where have you been? The
dinner would have been splendid if you came early. But I prepared you a warm
vegetable soup,” his mother said.
“Mom, I have something to tell you. The
Alabaster Company may indorse me to be the branch head in Springfield! Isn’t
that great?” Simon asked.
“How long would it take you there? How
many days would I not be able to see you again? Don’t leave me again that long,
Simon my son,” she replied.
“Don’t worry Mom. I’ll always have you
in my video calls and mails. I may not be back that sooner, at least I could
earn enough wage,” Simon insisted.
“If that what makes you happy, you
have my support son,” his mother unhappily replied.
It was a very tiring day for Simon.
He finalized his presentation for the business meeting tomorrow. And before he
got the opportunity to lay his head, he received a call from a close friend.
“Hi Simon! This is Rachelle.”
“Rachelle, it’s nice to hear your
voice again. What’s the news?”
“I would like to invite you on our
book launch tomorrow. It’d be great if you come. And yeah, just share a word as
a sort of an inspiration to all the buyers. Hope to see you! Have to go for
now. Thank you!”
“But, Rachelle, Rachelle. Sill there?
Nah, why did she ended the call instantly? Still to do a lot of things. Better
to take some rest now.”
The sun rose for the new day. In full
excitement, he left home without even saying any word to his mother. He got his
car and began driving to Alabaster Company. But before he was able to present his
final business report, someone called him on the phone. And this time, it
wasn’t Rachelle, but his neighbor.
“Simon, your mother. We brought her
to the hospital.”
“What?! W-w-hy? What happened to
her?”
“She has been sick for almost a week.
And early this morning, we visited to give her some tulip flowers from our
garden. But as we entered the house, we found her lying on the ground. You need
to be here immediately, Simon!”
Simon left the investors and the
convention. He went to the hospital right away and checked his mom. The doctor
told him that they still had to wait for the results. Then, Simon received a
text message. It was Rachelle, telling him that the book launch had started
already and a cluster of buyers were there waiting for him. Subsequently, he
got a mail from his boss. He said that Simon had failed for his report, that he
no longer would be able to retain his position of being a branch manager. Everything
went lost. All his hopes and dreams became a fleeting shadow in just a blink of
an eye. But what’s disheartening dwelt in knowing that his mother’s health was
at stake.
Simon didn’t know what to do. It
seemed that the silver lining was nowhere to be found and that he carried all
the heavy burdens of the world. His mind was concealed in gloominess and he had
no one to lean on to.
While waiting for the doctor, Simon
looked through the gauzy glass window. His weary mind would desire to look for
a pasture where he could find solace. And just few meters away, there was this
seacoast that makes the splendid picture all-inclusive. Unpredictably, the
dazzling crystals of the sea captured his attention. So, he went there and
started taking his steps, leaving footprints on the sand. He grasped the fresh
air offered by the shore and felt the calming atmosphere of the place.
He took steps onward, fondling the
gentle cool waves through his feet. He thought,
“Where would this journey of life
lead me? I am worn out with nowhere else to go. If I won’t find the stillness
on this ground, I’ll look for it beneath the waters.”
He began immersing himself into the
other side of the world, hoping to find a reason to breathe. He swam deeper than he had ever gone before.
All was quiet and wintry below. The little bitty fishes swam around him, and
the waters unravel him melodies. It was a serene, slow-motion world. There was
freedom from surface worries and tensions. He wanted to stay longer into that
haven… but he couldn’t and shouldn’t. He hardly could breathe since he had
stayed for minutes below. He heard the calling, the calling that he had to go back
to the place where he left his hope. It wasn’t his home, and it must not be the
end of himself but start of a new beginning.
The
air grabbed him out of the deep waters. He reached for life and began going
back. As he laid his head on the shore, he looked up and saw the heavens. Then,
he said,
“Life is beautiful. And I’ve never
realized that God is all I need until God is all I have. I should go back and
face them… with Him at my side.”
He knelt down and began uttering a
sincere prayer. Then, he went to the hospital though he seemed to be wet. Simon
waited for the doctor, and finally he got the results.
“There’s no reason for you to worry.
Your mother is okay now. She just needs to have enough rest. And you can see
her now. By the way, here are the prescriptions,” the doctor said.
“Thank God! That’s a good news
doctor! Oh, I would love to hear her voice again!” Simon replied.
So he entered the room, and talked to
her mother. He apologized and promised to remain on her side no matter what. A
tear fell from her mother’s eyes and they hugged each other. After some
moments, a lady entered the room with fruits and vegies. It was Rachelle.
“I heard about the news and I feel
sorry about your mom.”
“I apologize for not attending the
book launch and for se – “
“No, no, don’t apologize. Your mom
needs you the most. And I admire how you have responded to all these things.”
“Well, God has rescued me from my drowning.
And even though these trials took my job and the opportunities out there, I
know that He’s still in control.”
“Your job? I never heard anything
about it, but you’re really tough Simon. You’re an inspiration.”
The miracle of Simon’s faith didn’t
end there. That night, he received a mail from his boss. He heard about the
emergency and understood Simon’s situation. Another chance was given to him,
and the rescheduling of the presentation became possible. Simon did better at
the second time and impressed the investors. He was promoted; and as he
promised, he remained in Illinois for his mother. Simon also had the
opportunity to accept Rachelle’s invitation for the second book launching.
There, he spoke before the crowd and testified about his own story. And to
their surprise, he presented to them his new published book inspired by his
testimony, entitled - “Underneath”.
All the challenges Simon encountered
in his life were actually blessings in disguise. He reaped the fruit of his
faith. He thought that he was drowning in a sea of frustrations and
problems. But the truth was that Simon,
in his voyage, was drenching in God’s favor and grace. Hope was still visible,
victory was even possible and His voice was even so audible… underneath.
WOOW!!
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