"It's a days work" the manager roared. " no food, no wage until you guys finish the work before evening ". Young samsel was sick, he was extremely tired from last day's work. " I have to" he said to himself. "If i don't I'll have to see my angel face the same things that happened to me, no I'll die rather than let it happen". "Angel".. That was the name he used to call his little sister. He believed that the only reason for him to live was his angel. She was the reason he crossed the sea, to educate her. Samsel's father died when his mother was pregnant with his younger sister.His mother who was a daily wager couldn't afford more than the daily food for their family.When all hell broke loose, her birth gave him a sense of hope and courage. That's why he named her angel, his ray of hope.
The day was tiring. He retired to his cabin. The dust and the hard toil made him fall ill."High fever"the doctor yelled at him for not caring about his health ." You are still a child, remember that, don't go down there again until you are alright and well". "I have to...." he told himself after the doctor left. " I'll leave for work at dawn", he said himself and fell to the bed.
The night got colder and colder. There was a knock on the door. Samsel rubbed his eyes thinking who will be that at this time of the night. Cursing his day he opened the door. He was shocked to see his little sister on his door step. "Impossible " he screamed. "What are you blabbering about brother, don't you know it's cold outside, or are you determined not to take care of yourself?". Samsel nodded in amusement. He pinched himself to see if it was a dream, it was real after all. Samsel sat on his cot, unable to cope up with the situation."Here you go, brother" she gave him a flask of hot soup. "This will help you get well soon, my stupid brother" she giggled. He told nothing. He was both happy and terrified. "You should head home brother, mother's waiting for you.. It's been a long time,she's sad she can't see you"
" I can't, i have work"
"Just let her see you once, then you can come back, please, just this once"
"I'll... I'll try..." He was too afraid to talk.
"Tomorrow "
"Nooo, my boss will kill me"
"Please, please, please"
"I.. I'll try"
" you should go"
"Ok. I'll go"
"Angel promise?"
"Promise..Angel Promise"
"Yeeeeey" she screamed. " of all the things in the world, i love my brother more" she hugged him and screamed.
"Are you scared to hug me brother?"
"No... Why would i be"
"Fraidy brother" she giggled.
"I have to go now brother, take care of yourself, i love you" she kissed him..
She looked at him one more time and said "of all the things on the world i love my stupid brother more" she smiled at him and went.
He suddenly came back to his senses. He slamed the door open and ran outside calling out her name. There was no one. His brain couldn't process the incident. He thought he had hallucinated and went back to bed.
He dreamt of his sister throwing a tantrum at him "why didn't u hug me back my stupid brother, weren't u happy to see your angel?"
He suddenly woke up. It was dawn.. He was surprised to see that his fever was gone.He suddenly remembered about his promise to his sister. "It's been an year since i have visited my angel and my mother, anyways I'll leave, my heart is yearning to see them". After begging his boss for hours he was allowed to take a leave for 60 days. He was happy.The sea route will take about a month still he can spend another month with his family.He was thinking about his sister all the time," i was hallucinating, ofcourse, she's right I'm an idiot"he thought to himself and laughed. The ship reached it's destination. He bought a pair of dress for his mother and his angel and some sweets. "She'll look the prettiest in this" he thought happily.He took a cart to his home. He could've walked. But he was so eager to hug his little angel!.. He recognised his house from afar. He paid the cart rider and ran to his home screaming his sister's name.. "Angellllllll, look what your stupid brother has brought you"
His mother stepped out. She recognized her son and ran to him. She hugged him tightly and cried. Samsel hugged his mother.
"Mom, I'm back.. Don't cry now.. Where's angel. Is she at school?"
" i tried calling you sam,but.. but i couldn't reach you"
"Mom what are you saying i am here now, where's angel?"
"She fell sick..."
" Mom.., is my angel okay, is she bedridden, let me see her"
"She.. She left us sam"she wailed over his shoulders hugging him
He felt as if he was struck by lightning.He fell to the ground. He screamed hugging his mother. He cursed every god he ever prayed to. His mother aided him to walk, she made him lay down in a bed. He cried all day. All the hope of his life has ended. He went to the prayer room and screamed at the idols."why her, why my sweet sister, you could've taken me, why my angel ". He screamed all night, his mother stood and cried helplessly.
Next day he was shocked to find out from his mother that the day he saw his sister in his room was actually the day she died of sickness. Her voices started echoing in his head..
"Why didn't u hug me brother, weren't u happy to see me"
"Of all the things in the world, i love my stupid brother more"
His head was filled with her giggles. "Yes" he screamed. "I was happy to see you my little one, it's just as you say..I'm.. I'm an idiot, I'm an idiot"
" I didn't hug you back, i didn't ask you if you were okay, i didn't try to contact you this whole year, i didn't make sure you were okay, it's all my fault"
He went out to his angel's grave. He lied down and hugged it's headstone."forgive me young one"he screamed till he slept of tiredness. He slept hugging his sister.His mother watched her son helplessly.
The night was getting colder.
"Angel..." He murmured in his sleep.
"What are you blabbering about my stupid brother,don't you know it's cold outside, or are you determined not to take care of yourself?"he heard his sister's voice. He suddenly felt the headstone getting warmer.
"Of all the things in the world i love my stupid brother more" she giggled.
"I'll never leave you again little one"he hugged the headstone in his sleep and murmured..