One Step Closer {A Book of Short Stories}

Fire Within Me

"Fire Within Me"

A.R.W

September, 1943

New York

"What if one day things are different?" William asks his best friend, Ena, as he watches the stone bounce off of the simmering pond water. "What do you mean, Will?"

"What if one day you and I could be best friends without being ridiculed and judged and abused?"

"What a day that would be."

William was a white boy, as white as snow, and he came from a very religious family that would never give the slightest thought as to letting him be friends with some black girl like Ena. Ena was dark, yet she was still beautiful and pure; one of the most passionate girls-better yet people- William's ever met.

"I'm serious," Will grasped a smaller stone in his knuckles, chucked his arm back and swung it in front of him, the stone flying across the pond while leaving circular ripples in its path. "I know that someday we'll be the best of friends, and no one can tell us off."

William's voice was passionate and desperate, longing for a more climatic day out with Ena. "As much as I would adore that, the people won't ever agree. Plus there will always be those few people yelping at us for being friends." Ena replies, shrugging her shoulders as she fiddled with the branch of pine between her frail fingers. "But why does it have to be like this?"

"It doesn't, Will, but a majority of the people want it to be. I'm glad you're not included in that majority." Ena shares a brief smile with herself, and plucks the straws of pine off of the shattering branch. "Never would I think of it," he assures her, "just because my family is like that, doesn't mean I am."

"I know. I just wish that things were different. That we didn't have to sneak around and make stupid excuses all the time." A sigh slipped her lips, and she tossed the bare branch to the soil beneath her feet. "Same here. But what if there is?"

Abruptly, a sudden, absurd feeling bubbled up in the pit of Ena's rumbling stomach. She felt a sense of power, a burst of confidence racing through her bloodstream. "What if I spoke out against it?" She pushed herself up with her small arms and casually strolled over to William. "Keep talking," William twirled another firm stone in his grasp.

"What if I spoke out for equality? Black lives matter, right?" she glanced to Will, who nodded his head in agreement. "Every one of them."

"So what if I made people realize that?"

"I like where this is going. Do you think it would get us arrested?" a mischievous smirk spread across his lips.

"Probably."

"I'm in."

-

The duo stood in a darkened alley, their eyes failing to adjust to the sudden lack of light. A swift breeze whipped Ena's hair in her face, and she brushed it back. She glanced over to William, who was already gazing at her. She gave him a slight nod, and he returned the gesture. They laced their fingers together, inhaled sharply, exhaled in unison, and took their first steps of their new lives.

It took about three minutes for someone to point out the pair's intertwined fingers. The man who noticed let out an immensely loud gasp, drawing attention to him. He pointed a shaky finger at the duo, disgust painted on his expression. "A black and a white? Holding hands? Like in a relationship?" A woman shrieked. A baby's cry fainted drowned the silence erupting through the streets. People had stopped mid-step and pivoted around to absorb the scene before them.

"How disgusting!" a middle-aged man exclaimed, storming towards them. He yanked their hands apart roughly, shoving them apart to different sides. He stood tensely between them. "Boy, what do you think you're doing with this worthless black girl?!" the man wailed, his eyes burning raged craters in his son's pleading eyes.

"Dad, hear us out," William says calmly, not wanting to cause a ruckus. "NO!" his dad interjects sternly, "we're going home, young man, and you're grounded for a year!" Will's dad tightly grips his son's wrist and attempts to drag him home, yet Will yanked his hand back. "No, dad," he said bluntly, "I'm staying here with Ena, who's my best friend."

Gasps roared through the crowd. "Now, young man, if you don't listen to me you're not my son." William's dad mumbled through gritted teeth. "I'd rather that than not be friends with Ena," William admitted, earning a slap from his dad. Will's cheek stung as a bright pink hand mark shaded onto his face. William lightly touched his cheek as anger boiled through his blood.

"Listen here, sir," Ena snapped, angrily glaring at the man for injuring her best friend. Ena walked by his side and examined him. "I'm alright," William whispered. Ena nodded. "If you can't accept our friendship then you don't deserve a son as amazing as Will. How would you feel if you couldn't be best friends with your best friend, huh? You'd feel personally awful and alone, wouldn't you?! Imagine being in my shoes. Would you want to be treated like a pile of absolute crap on the street?! Imagine a world where it was you, and not me." William's dad couldn't reply, his face blank and astonished.

"I may be only fifteen, but I do know that the way society treats different races isn't alright. And I want to change that. I know most of you won't listen to me, but for the ones that do, just know that I will leave my mark on this world. I have the sky above me, the earth below me, and fire within me." With those words, Ena grasps Will's hand tightly and the two stroll of confidently.

"You really do live up to the meaning of your name, Ena," William smiled. And for once, his smile was hopeful for a brighter future.

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