The Lost Ball

The Lost Ball

Image Credit – Taryn Elliott on Pexels.com

The eyes followed the ball as it ran ahead after his light kick.  The squeaky shoes ran towards it again; to kick once more.

The ball hangs in the air for a moment before falling back on the ground, bringing a massive smile on his face, lending voice to his silent laughter.

Encouraged, he kicks it even harder, the ball travels farther as he follows it again, tiptoeing not willing to touch his heels on the hard ground.

Turning around once, he is assured by the cheering smile of his mother.  The feet touch the ball again but it leaps inside thick thorny bushes ahead this time.

His feet suddenly halt, eyes turn for help, but she doesn’t make eye contact, busy with other mothers standing around her, she forgot him as his ball struggled in the thorny bushes.

He took a step forward, reaching for the ball, before retreating to run towards her, but then stop in the middle.  The steps waver, indecisive on where they should go.

His confusion attracts an older kid; getting closer, she looks him in the eye to enquire about the reason.

His little finger points towards the bushes.  Her eye follows them, running over, she retrieves the ball, ignoring the scratches on her forearms, she puts it at her feet again.

The mother suddenly catches her lost attention towards the child as she watches him animatedly talking with another kid. 

She runs towards him.

Her tattered clothing sows’ seeds of suspicion in the mother’s mind as she picks her child up.

Scared, the girl turns around, her eyes and face still radiating in the afterglow of their brief conversation.

The mother walks him back, his eyes though remain fixated on her disappearing figure.

And just before the last turn, she turns around to catch him erupt in joyous laughter, before finally vanishing in the dark alley.

The mother, though, still remains unaware of what’s made the child so happy!

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