{"id":1304,"date":"2021-06-19T17:22:58","date_gmt":"2021-06-19T17:22:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gpaeburgas.org\/Fullbright\/?p=1304"},"modified":"2021-06-20T09:52:46","modified_gmt":"2021-06-20T09:52:46","slug":"short-story-blooming-spring","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gpaeburgas.org\/Fullbright\/2021\/06\/19\/short-story-blooming-spring\/","title":{"rendered":"Blooming Spring"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Siyana Stefkova Zhelezarova (VIIIb)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A lovely story that grabbed our hearts! It earned its publishing at the May’2021 short story competition titled ‘Awakening’<\/a>!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I saw the same figure, standing under exactly the same tree that I seemed to remember very well\u2026 But how? Where did such a memory pop up from? I had never been to that place before. And the silhouette\u2026 Who could that be? He was looking right through me, as if diving into my naked, innocent eyes, while slowly coming closer and closer. Finally, with a soft smile, he spoke. Bloom. Open your eyes.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The alarm went off, forcing me to slightly open my eyes and quickly squeeze them shut again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I wanted to remember what my dream was about. I started to rub my pale hand against my forehead as I was thinking\u2026 and thinking\u2026 Nothing came to mind, but a blurry, undefinable picture. My sleepy soul couldn\u2019t bear to put up with this any longer. It had been happening every single day, for an uncertain amount of time in my life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I looked out the window as I huffed. The sun was brighter and happier than before. The flowers in my garden had a sip of breeze spread their beautiful scent in the air. I turned on the lights in the living room and saw my parents had left for work already \u2013 perhaps a few hours ago. I saw they had made tea for me and I poured myself a cup. While I was preparing my breakfast, I turned the tiny TV on and I saw a place. With vast meadows. They looked so calm and relaxing. I found them to be somehow similar to something I had seen\u2026 But where? All I could think of was the blooming spring, knocking on my window. No, I mean literally knocking \u2013 I could hear it! I looked out the window and saw Natsuki \u2013 my only close friend who was also my neighbor and my classmate. His face always reminded me that the world is full of warmness and happiness. He looked eager to tell me something.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHey! Guess what I have got!\u201d he smiled brightly and thrusted two pieces of paper into of my face, making me flinch.
\u201cIf you step back a little bit, maybe I will be able to see.\u201d I rumbled, pushing his hand away. \u201cTickets for a festival?\u201d
\u201cYeah! Everyone from our town will be there! You have to come with me, since you are my dearest friend!\u201d He was bouncing up and down, his hands clutching the windowpane.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I sighed and opened the door, and looked g straight into his eyes. \u201cLook, I haven\u2019t been feeling like myself lately. I don\u2019t know what has gotten into me and I don\u2019t want to ruin your day.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He grabbed my shoulders and looked at me, his eyes glowing with pure honesty: \u201cYou are the one that makes my day! And that is why you need to have some fun.\u201d
I looked at him, uncertain how to reply. His statement had made me very happy.
\u201cPlease!\u201d he continued. \u201cYou know you are my special friend, please come with me!\u201d
He kept begging me to go with him, until I gave up.
\u201cAll right then, I\u2019ll think about it. Now, let\u2019s go to school,\u201d I scoffed. Then I grabbed my bag, quickly swallowed the sandwich I had prepared, and closed the door behind us.
\u201cSee! I knew you\u2019d come!\u201d he smiled proudly and ran out in front of me. My lips curved into a smile as I rolled my eyes, shaking my head and walking behind him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Five hours later, we were on our way to the festival.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cClasses were fun, don\u2019t you think, Yumi?\u201d Natsuki said, putting his backpack over his right shoulder as he came closer to me.
\u201cGuess so\u2026 Wasn\u2019t really paying attention.\u201d I looked down, playing with a rock between my feet.
\u201cYes, it was obvious. That\u2019s why I asked. You kept looking out the window, dreaming about something\u2026 At least tell me what it was,\u201d he pouted, seeming upset and causing another shake of my head, this time with a \u2018tut-tut-tut\u2019 sound escaping my lips. \u201cThe teacher even thought you were sleeping with your eyes open. I am beginning to worry about you.\u201d
\u201cIs that so?\u201d I yawned the question, covering my mouth with my hand. \u201cIt\u2019s just the dream I\u2019ve told you about. So what time is the festival?\u201d
\u201cIt\u2019s right away, actually! We have to hurry and leave our bags.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We rushed forward, as if running for our lives. In no time, we were there. The meadows looked so magnificent \u2013 they somehow kept drawing my eyes to them. With all the colorful decorations, it was like nothing I had ever seen in my entire life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We went down the stone stairs and stopped in front of the guard.
\u201cTickets, please,\u201d he murmured.
Natsuki nodded happily and put a hand into his pocket, but\u2026 They were gone! He fumbled a little longer. Nothing. Not even in the back pockets. Nor in his jacket. He looked at me, his face terrified, pale and scared.
\u201cI\u2019ve lost our tickets, sir! I can swear I bought them yesterday! Don\u2019t you remember me?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cJust give up!\u201d I grabbed his shoulder and looked down, dragging him after me.
\u201cBut\u2026 no! The festival\u2026 \u201c, he started. I roughly interrupted him:
\u201cSee that high cliff? We can watch everything from up there. Let\u2019s go.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He started crying when I dragged him up the hill, leaving him under the cherry blossom tree. I was breathing heavily.
\u201cHow come we ended up like this?\u201d he inhaled heavily. \u201cHow come did we not notice?\u201d
\u201cIt\u2019s okay. We can even see the sunset and the shooting stars from here. And I would\u2019ve got bored at the festival and come here anyways, so \u2013 no worries.\u201d
I touched the tree, trying to lean on it, so that I could sit down, but all of a sudden my memories flew back into my mind\u2026 Every single one. With that boy. Bloom\u2026 Bloom\u2026 Bloom\u2026 Bloom\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYumi\u2026 Yumi\u2026 YUMI!\u201d I heard Natsuki\u2019s voice as he was violently shaking my body, and I immediately opened my eyes.
\u201cThank god, you are awake!\u201d He said with relief. He made me look up to see a shiny shooting star, and he added, \u201cLet\u2019s go down and sneak into the festival.\u201d
\u201cWait! It\u2019s not safe down there Natsuki. Don\u2019t go!\u201d I tried to stop him, but he had already started running across the grass. I sighed softly, looking down at the festival and all the people\u2026 Happy kids playing around and shouting, grown-ups enjoying the treats and the lights\u2026 Then I looked up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I saw a star. It was getting bigger, and bigger\u2026 Until I realized it was a meteor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWatch out people!\u201d I screamed loudly at the crowd in the meadows, but nobody heard my cries. I felt tears running down my face. Natsuki\u2026<\/em> I thought. Then I heard the crash and everything disappeared into darkness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I woke up, looking over the area around my body. I didn\u2019t have any bruises. What had happened to me? What about the other people? My body was too weak to get up and check. Nevertheless, I tried to get up, but someone\u2019s hand stopped me. I looked around and it was the boy. The same boy. From my dream.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I stepped back and looked at him, scared by what was happening in front of my eyes: \u201cWho are you and what are you doing here?!\u201d I looked at him petrified. I noticed some rosy petals falling from the tree above us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYumi, you are finally free.\u201d He turned his head back to his piece of paper, looking at me with the corner of his eye. He was drawing something.
\u201cErr\u2026 Excuse me? How do you know my name? I have never met you before.\u201d
I stood up and looked at the site of the spring festival. It was a meadow covered in white flowers.
\u201cI am Bloom<\/em><\/strong>, your guardian angel. It might sound unreal to you, and it really is, in a way. I wanted to save you from what had just happened, and I managed. I\u2019m glad I did that.\u201d
\u201cWait. You\u2026 wanted it?\u201d
\u201cI have known you since we were little. Once you got into an accident and that was when we were allowed to meet.\u201d
\u201cI have seen you before, though\u2026 I remember you\u2026\u201d
\u201cFrom your dreams? Yes, this is another way to see a person and warn them. I have been waiting for you, Yumi.\u201d
\u201cYou are my savior?\u201d I smiled as he put the drawing into my pocket, looking at me. His face was so soft and beautiful, just like an angel. His eyes reminded me of somebody dear to me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBloom\u2026 What about Natsuki? Where is he? Is he okay?\u201d I then asked.
He smiled a wider smile, when he heard me pronounce his name. \u201cYou will understand soon enough\u2026 He might be somebody you have never imagined him to be.\u201d
\u201cI have so many questions to ask\u2026\u201c
I felt him move closer and closer\u2026 He held my chin as he whispered into my ear the same words. \u201cBloom. Open your eyes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I woke up. I saw the ceiling of the hospital\u2019s room. It was daytime. I looked at the calendar so I could tell the date. It was the year 2036!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This can\u2019t be true… I remember it was 2021\u2026 What happened? Why am I here?<\/em> My thoughts kept racing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhere is Bloom?\u201d I looked around the hospital room. It was an ordinary one: white walls, doctor\u2019s equipment and systems. I looked to my right and saw him on the bed next to mine, still asleep.
\u201cBloom!\u201d I tried to reach out to him but I was stuck in bed with the blood pipe attached to my wrist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat happened?\u201d I sat up as I saw the nurse go in. She looked at us both in shock, nearly dropping the papers sorted in her hand. She picked up the phone on the wall and she smiled excitedly. \u201cDoctor Amori? Patients 1005 and 1006. Yes, let me check. Yumi Kamoto and Natsuki Hiroshima. Yes, doctor, I will check up on them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No\u2026 That was not Natsuki Hirishima\u2026 Not my Natsuki. There had to be a mistake…<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo, it\u2019s you who has saved me?\u201d I whispered.
I held his hand softly and looked at him. He had changed a lot. Tremendously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat has happened to us?\u201d I turned my head to the nurse and she sat on my bed, gently making herself comfortable.
\u201cYou have both been in a comma. For 15 years. And actually, you were among the very few survivors of the Meteor Crash back in 2021.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat season is it?\u201d I tried to look out the window beside me, feeling the breeze and the flower scent all over again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s springtime \u2013 blooming spring!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

April, 2021<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Siyana Stefkova Zhelezarova (VIIIb) A lovely story that grabbed our hearts! It earned its publishing at the May’2021 short story competition titled ‘Awakening’! I saw the same figure, standing under exactly the same tree that I seemed to remember very well\u2026 But how? Where did such a memory pop up from? I had never…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1230,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[101,170,1],"tags":[118,172,14,62,83],"yoast_head":"\nBlooming Spring - School newspaper<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The frigile tenderness and beauty of springtime - in a wonderful story about freindship, emotions, and more! 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