This short story is dedicated to my loved ones who misunderstood me all along.
5 views 0 purchase
Course
LITERATURE
Institution
Bicol University
"Cold agony" is a short story about a girl named Lucy who endured emotional abuse in her childhood, leaving a lasting impact on her heart. Despite the pain, she gained strength and fought for her rights not only as a woman but as a girl seeking authentic love. This piece is dedicated to the author'...
I t was midnight, in the middle of June, the rain pours heavily on a roof of an ordinary house.
There were few people playing card games in the azotea. When you walk in front of the
door there is a booklet of donation for guests. As you step inside the living room, the lights
were so bright outshining the other parts of the house which is very dull and dim. The silence
perceives deafness. All you can see is a white coffin with yellow chick over it saying, “Chirp!
Chirp!” There were bouquets of flowers beside it. And candles that melt rapidly as the hours
pass by. There was a young teenage girl sitting on a chair beside the coffin. She was crying
helplessly. A woman beside her holds her hand and said, “Put yourself together.”
Lucy, a sixteen years old young lady, suffer this unpredictable pain. Her eyelids can’t
close to glimpse a while of sleep. She did not even try to eat a piece of bread or even drink
a glass of water. After the internment of his father, she always locks herself in her room. She
sits into a brown wooden chair beside her window and stare into space for the whole day.
Her mother doesn’t know what to do about her precious child. All she murmurs into
oneself, “It was my fault”.
“Knock! Knock! Knock! Somebody thwack the door. Her mother, Anah hurriedly
ran down the stairs and opened the door. She twisted the knob and pulls it. She smiles to
the young lady in front of her. It was Lucy’s young lad named Faith. There were best friends
since they were four years old. Anah was relieved on the presence of this girl. And she
asked, “What did you came for?”
Faith retorted, “I just want to say hi to Lucy. It was quite a while when we last chat
so I decided to visit her”. Anah cannot say a word to the aggressive reply of the child. She
overlooked, she bit her lips and said, Lucy is not good her father died a few weeks ago. Faith
shocked to what she had heard.
“I didn’t know. Sorry Aunt Anah if I’ve been so wreckless.” “Condolence.”
“I should have known”
Anah replied eloquently, but you can help her and promised me you will take care of Lucy.
“Really? You will trust me to do that?” Faith smiled.
Faith waved goodbye to Lucy’s mother and promised her she will take care of Lucy.
On the next morning, Anah hastily prepared a good breakfast for Lucy. She wakes
her up. And iron her school uniform. As agreed, Faith will be coming to fetch Lucy for
school.
On the dining table, Lucy asked with the slow voice, “Ma, why is it so early?” Anah
retorted, “You need to go back to school.”
“But... she murmurs I hate school.”
“Faith will be here to fetch you.”
“Faith?”she thinks.
“Don’t say you just want to have a bedsore by lying down all day.”
“Of course not, but I feel so tired.”
“No! no! Go with her. And that is an order.”
1
, In the middle of the intense conversation, no one noticed Faith sneak in the dining
room. Not until, she said, good morning to them with a radiant voice. She said, “Aunt Anah,
“I’m sorry if I didn’t knock. You’re door is open so I just went in, she smiled with grace”
Anah retorted that it’s okay, anyway you are always welcome in our home.
Lucy has a blank reaction to the arrival of her friend while Faith was in a bliss when
she saw her. Anah broke the ice, “So you can go now to school. You will be late if you don’t
hurry.”
Faith leads the way and told Lucy, “Let’s go, Lucy!” Lucy’s feet are like cold stones.
Thus, Faith grabs her wrist and drags her outside the house. Lucy is as light as paper, numb
and empty. Faith tries to cheer her up with her funny stories but all were just waste of time.
Lucy is a like dead human walking in the pathway heading to school. But Faith did not lose
hope. She blocked Lucy’s way and held her hands. She told her, “Lucy if there is anything
bothering you, please tell me.” Faith saw her gloomy eyes which is an evidence of a poignant
heart. She cannot even look to those eyes so queer helpless.
In front of the green gate, high spiritedly Faith dragged Lucy inside. As they walk
along the pavement of each room, Lucy, at the back of her mind, saw students whispering to
one another. She feels like floating, watching an old movie in the theater. The word that
echoes to her ears gives her a headache. She can’t stand the stare of prejudice engraved to
their naïve minds. She doesn’t even like the sarcasm of her old friends. She said, “Faith, I
want to go home.”
Click. . . her keys dropped. Faith reacts, “Huh?” Are you sure? Don’t worry I’m
here.” she touched her hand with comfort.
During class, Lucy is full of discomfort. The voice was stolen by an angel. Everybody
was alarmed to Lucy’s change of behavior. She is different from the Lucy they expected.
She was brilliant in class and has outstanding grades. She acted as a leader but now it fades.
No one knows her now. She felt alone in the room full of gay.
All she can do in paper are doodles which represent emptiness. The teachers
become concerned to her condition. All they can say, “Poor young girl, they sighed” They
recommend Lucy to rest for a while, for a few days so that she can cope up and unwind.
As the sun goes down, it is time to go home. Lucy and Faith were chaperoned by one
of their teachers. The teacher named Adela wants to talk to Lucy’s mother, Anah.
At Lucy’s house, the teacher knock and Anah open it. Anah was surprised because
she saw Adela wearing a teacher uniform who wants to talk to her. Faith said goodbye to her
friend and head home. Lucy sat at the balcony and started to bite the tip of her nails.
Anah scolded her, “Lucy! Go to your room. Now!”
She feels exhausted. Lucy ran into her room. Adela who is behind her said, uhum. .
. uhum. . .Anah can I talk to you in private?” Anah who is coldly sweating retorted, “Off
course, Ma’am. You can.”
They sat on the sofa in the living room area. The teacher brought up the condition
of Lucy. Her anguish is not normal. She needs medical consultations, Anah.
Anah replied, “She is not insane why I should bring her to a doctor.”
Adela responded, “Yes, I know. She doesn’t need a medical doctor but a
psychiatrist.”
“She has symptoms of depression if you let this worse, she’ll be at the edge of a cliff.”
“Remember Anah you cannot afford to lose her. Make a way to cure her.”
“I know. It’s my entire fault, said Anah.”
2
, Adela said goodbye to Anah. She stares as far as her friend loses sight of her. She
felt sorrow and agreed to everything that she said. It was not too late. She walks slowly at
the front door of the house. As she steps inside, she glances on every part of the house and
sighed. She reminisced the time they were a happy family. She remembered how loud and
jolly the place used to be. She wanders of the memories of Lucy’s birth up to the special
moments in their lives. It was a perfect picture that everyone would envy. Right until, it was
ruined by an abrupt incident.
Blag. . .blag. . .she was disturbed by that sound. It came from Lucy’s room. Her
heart pounds anxiously, “Are you okay, Lucy?”
She cuddles Lucy on her arms and said, “Thank God you’re safe.”
“What are you doing?” She looks into her hands. There are stains of blood.
Lucy answered with a shaky voice, “Ma, I can’t help it.” “I don’t know what to do.”
“I scratched my tummy and it seemed it is bleeding.”
“Don’t worry we will find someone who will cure you, Anah said.” She caressed the
face of her child and embraced her tight. The poor girl cried in the arms of her dear mother.
It was near twelve o’ clock, Lucy was fast asleep. She snuggles like a baby on her
blanket. Anah stood up near on the edge of the bed. She tries to fix Lucy’s blanket. When
she turns on her left, she noticed a piece of crumpled paper over the study table. On her
curiosity, she opened it and read it. This was the content:
I had a nightmare, every time I fall asleep. I wake up in a colony of fog. There
was a shadow of a man. But I cannot see his face. I noticed I am naked. And
suddenly, I fall into a deep hole. It was endless and dark. I tried to scream as
loud as I could. When, my flesh touched the ground, I saw that man fell on by
a kitchen knife in his stomach. The blood flows in his hands and his blue pants.
He was extending his right hand and seemingly asking for help. When, his hand
is quite near to me I suddenly woke up sweating. And, from there I can hardly
sleep. I am afraid of dreaming. I feel haunted of a mysterious man in my
dreams.
Tears run down her cheeks as she read the last words from the small note.
The room was dark, creep of silence, you can hear the clock ticking every second.
Then, footsteps will be heard getting nearer and bolder. The door opens with an irritating
sound. A glimpse of sunlight was realized in the room full of coldness. Anah excitedly said,
“Rise and shine, my dear!” Lucy retorted, “Ma, I am not in the mood to get up.” Anah sat
beside the bed and replied, “We are going to the hospital. So we need to hurry.” She grasps
the blanket and throws it on the corner of the bed. “Come on get up!”
Lucy sluggishly stood up beside the bed and walked slowly down the stairs. Anah is
keenly observing her child and she cannot help to pity her. She seems so hypocrite in front
of Lucy. But deep inside, she was uplifting her thoughts that she need to be strong for her
only child. No time for misty tears and regrets. She needs hope and prayers as an arm for
unexpected shortcomings.
3
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller ojilynkeyvaldez. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $8.49. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
