The Other Side Of The Hill

Chapter-2

Richard Eshiro. June met him on her way to her home from school last year during the winter. He was sitting on a bench in the public garden. June parked her bicycle on a tree beside the bench. She couldn't ride it for she had fallen off at a bump and had sprained her ankle. She limped and sat herself beside Richard. She was whining in pain. Richard didn't turn to her all the while. They sat there for 15-20 minutes. No questions, no comments. As she tried to get up on her feet, she limped a few steps and fell on the ground. It was only then Richard approached her. And gave her his hand to pull her up. She stood up, still weak on her left limp.

"It still hurts, doesn't it?"

She let out a whining yes. He was still support her with his hand. She felt it quite strange with his all of a sudden act.

"Here let me help you." He guided her to sit down on the bench. He took her ankle on his palm and for a few seconds she could feel a warmness all over the affected area, and within no time her ankle was all fine. She stared in dismay.

"How did you do that? Are you some super hero? Is it a special power that you have?"

He let out a laugh.

"No."

"I am really very thankful to you but I still can't make out how you did it".

"If I tell you, you might not believe me. Might get scared as well."

He didn't say anything more and made his way out of there. June tried to stop him but it seemed he almost flew away. His pace was that of a blink of an eye. June returned home then.

The other day when June was passing by the same place, she located Richard, sitting all by himself. The garden was full of visitors but no one seemed to notice him. Suddenly she saw a cricket ball flying straight towards Richard. She gasped and tried to call Richard, but all in vain, she didn't even know his name. As the ball approached, it wet smoothly in and out of Richard, not obstructed a little bit. June stood in silence, shocked about what she just witnessed. She thought it was some illusion and the ball had passed just near him. It confusion might have been due to the falling climbers infront of her.

That wasn't the end of their encounter. During the break of spring, June's family friend had passed away. Her family was at the graveyard, standing by while people did the rituals before burying the dead. After all was done, she stood under a tree in a corner while others consoled the weeping family. She was staring at the newly mounted stone at the burial site. She could see blur figure through the corner of her eye. She turned to the direction and saw a familiar figure standing in front of a stone. She walked towards the person and to her surprise, it was the same boy from the garden, Richard.
"Hey!" She called out to him.

"Oh, it's you. What are you doing here? And how's your ankle, by the way?" He asked.

"It's fine. I am here for a family friend. He passed away."

"I am sorry to hear that."

"Yeah. I am curious, why are 'you' here?"

"I come here often."

"Someone close?" June asked gesturing at the stone.

"Very."

There was a pause after that when Richard finally spoke, " I am Richard by the way. Didn't get to introduce myself earlier."

"Yeah, Richard. Nice name. I am June."

Before they could continue any more conversation, June's mother called to her and she didn't hesitate to bid farewell.

June stopped by the grave one day to look at her deceased great grandfather's stone. While making her way to it, she reached the stone Richard was standing by. She took a quick casual glance at the name of the person and it read 'Richard Eshiro'. She froze at the spot. She checked if it was the same place and she could very well figure out the tree opposite to it where she was standing that day.
Days went by and one day as she was passing by the garden, she saw Richard sitting all alone by himself on the same bench were he always sat. June made her way towards him and when he caught her sight, he stood up.
"How are you? Haven't seen you too often."
Richard asked her smiling.

"The vacations just got over the previous day. I started school again. So I haven't really gone out of house for few days".

They sat themselves are were catching up quite fine. June asked," How old are you?" To which Richard replied, "About that, it is complicated." June stopped short, "What should that suppose to mean?"
"I was supposed to turn 20 this year."

"So is the world gonna end this year that you won't turn 20?" June asked with a raised eyebrow, jokingly.

"I won't age any more."

June was stunned. Her calculations and predictions might come true.

"Is it what I think it is?"

"I suppose yes."

June was dumbfounded.

"It was my stone that you saw me standing by. Please don't be scared. I won't hurt. You couldn't tell when you first saw me that I wasn't alive, could you?"

"No." That's all she could say and he went on. "I am lonely. I need company. I saw you the other day and you seemed really nice. Not everyone can see me. I decided who can and who should. I know it is weird but...can we be friends?"

June was comfortable with him. It meant nothing to her now that he had said so much and she didn't hesitate to take his hands and say 'Yes'. This led to their journey and becoming the best of friends, more like family then  friend.