Cat Walk Wish

Cat Walk Wish Wishes are created for good things. Wishes are not meant to overcome envy. That's the lesson I learned when I was in high school. A kind of experience that no one would ever forget brought me to that conclusion. ENVY is one of the seven deadly sins. I can say it is the most deadly of all. Comparing is the symptom of envy, and envy itself is the disease. I studied in a private school. It was a good and ideal academy every child would like to be in. Teachers were great. They were patient in dealing with their students, and diligent in feeding the knowledge they would like to share with children. The buildings were also great. The ambiance is very pleasing. The field was full of green grass, and you often see students enjoying companionship and playing games to utilize time. I was always staring this attractive view from the window on the fourth floor of the main building. Well, like other schools in the whole world, folklore, and urban legends exist to complete the ingredients of being an unforgettable alma mater. I remember that stairway in the old garden at the back of the main building of my school which we called "cat walk" - that thirty series of steps with an antique look at first glance. It was said that whoever climbs up that stairs with eyes closed counting from one to thirty and you got the thirty-first step, your wish will be granted after saying this chant four times: “Cat O Cat. I know you are here. Please grant me the wish I always wanted to get." I didn't actually believe in that lore. Only dumb people would accept it as true. ---------- I had a close friend - a very close best friend. He's not only a best friend to me, but a brother in every crime and joy we share. We sometimes skip classes and go wherever our feet will bring us. Because of our closeness, we also got into one club - the basketball team of our school. He is the best basketball player of all. Our coach praised him always while I’m often panned. I love basketball, very much, more than my friend actually. He was just forced by his father to join the club because it was his father's dream to be in the national team but wasn't fulfilled. One day, he got these tickets for the finals of basketball competition in the country. We're still at the practice that time, and he wanted to go and watch the finale. I resist, but he insisted. I had no choice but to watch it with him, so we went there and leave the practice. Yes, we enjoyed, but then, I was blamed by our coach for tempting him to go there and skip the practice. He told me that the inter-school basketball competition was very near. He was furious and enraged. I felt discriminated, very small and ashamed. My eyes wanted to cry. It wasn't my fault, it was his. But why didn't he blame and feel angry at him as well? It was unfair! We're always weighed unequally. We're always being compared - he is best while I'm worst. I don't like the way how he treat us. My friend interrupted our coach from yelling at me, and told him he was actually the one who brought me there. That's the only time our coach stopped. He wasn't angry at him - and that made me more outraged. ---------- On the next day, we're in the practice game with one of our competitors. Our coach picked my friend first to join the game while he intended not to pick me. He's praising him again. He was treating him very well and gave him advices. The whole game, I was sitting on the bench just watching. He still ignored me. When the game was over, when we're in the locker room, our coach still didn't stop praising him. He expected him to be the MVP in the coming competition. I wanted to be an MVP as well, but I'm always number two - only next to him. I went out of the locker room with my bag and with my anger and jealousy. I became useless on that day. I hate being like that. Starting that day, I never talked to my friend anymore. I often avoided being in touch or meeting him anywhere. Whenever we meet, and when he attempted to approach me, I ignored him. My heart was filled. I wanted to curse him. Ever since we're still kids, it’s always him that they like. I was always set aside. I started to hate him. For three days, he's always following me, making me smile and doing everything to please me. But all what he did is not effective. Hatred and envy filled my heart. The inter-school competition passed. Like what happened last time, I felt useless. I wanted to show what I got. I wanted them to see my skills, but nothing happened. All their attention was nailed to him. In the finale, my friend was awarded MVP, and our school was the champion. My envy grew larger and larger with my hatred. One time, I was alone in the locker at our school. I didn't know what happened to me. I just broke my glass. My intense hostility controlled my whole body. My eyes brought darkness on my soul. As if I wanted to hurt someone. No! I wanted to kill someone. ---------- It was morning; our coach announced a try-out for those who are interested to join the university basketball team of a famous college in the country. I wanted to join but like what I expected. "You don't need a hard practice. Definitely you will be the one they will pick." Our coach told my friend. Not only had our coach anticipated that way, but also our other team mates. I just gave a bad stare to him. ---------- I was alone at the back of our school - in the old garden. I was sitting in the deserted bench there. It was gloomy - the sun wasn't shining. It seemed the weather is about to rain. The breeze was so cool. I wanted to be alone that time so I decided to go there. I was thinking all the resentments. I wish I am the one they will pick in the coming try-out. Minutes later, I heard somewhat like a voice calling me. I stood up and look everywhere, but no one was there. I sat down again, then I heard someone again. I wasn't scared in spite of the frightening scenery the place look like. I just ignored it. Then, I heard another sound again. This time, it was a sound of a cat - a meowing. I looked at the cat walk just near to me, but there's none. I remembered the urban legend about the wish granted after encountering the thirty first-step. At first, I doubted to do it. But minutes later, I found myself in front of the stairway. I sighed. My inner daemon was telling me not to do it because it wasn't true, but one side of me induced me to try it. Besides, if I try to, nothing will happen. Then I started counting. One. Two. Three. Four. Then a breeze blew in my cheeks. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. I stopped. I doubted again what I'm doing. I wanted to stop, but there was this curiosity that shapes my want. Then I continued again. Now, I closed my eyes, with hopes of my wish be granted by the cat walk. Nine. Ten. Eleven. Twelve. Thirteen. Fourteen. Fifteen. Sixteen. Seventeen. I felt a cold thing as if someone was embracing me. I shivered. But still I continued. Eighteen. Nineteen. Twenty. I sighed, then continued again. Twenty-one. Twenty-two. Twenty-three. Twenty-four. Twenty-five. Twenty-six. Twenty-seven. Twenty-eight. Twenty-nine. I stopped. Thinking there's no thirty first-step. But what will happen if I continued? Thirty. I stopped again. I wished the thirty-first step is true. Then I attempt to step once again, expecting nothing is in there. Thirty-one. I felt dizzy and scared. It was unexpected. The thirty-first step is true! I told myself, I wrongly counted the series. But I didn't know why I chanted the spell. "Cat O Cat. I know you are here. Please grant me the wish I always wanted to get." A strong breeze blew. "Cat O Cat. I know you are here. Please grant me the wish I always wanted to get." This time it wasn't a breeze, I can say a furious wind. "Cat O Cat. I know you are here. Please grant me the wish I always wanted to get." "Cat O Cat. I know you are here. Please grant me the wish I always wanted to get." The last chant I said, the wind stopped. The leaves stopped swaying and making a hush sound. I was scared to open my eyes, but I need to. I opened it gently. But nothing happened. Everything was normal. I looked back to see if the stairs changed. I guffawed. What a dumb thing! I said to myself. Then I went back the campus. ---------- It was afternoon; my friend met me at the stairs. He was looking at me, he said. "Where have you been?" He said. "I've been looking you everywhere." Then he sighed. "I noticed you've always been so cold to me. Did I done something wrong?" He told me. I just went upstairs without answering his question. "Hey! Wait!" He exclaimed. "Just tell what it is, so I can change it." I continued walking. Then he grabbed my arms suddenly to stop me. There were people watching us there - his fans. I forcibly get my arms off at his hold, then I ran. He followed me, but he slipped and fell down the stairs. He was deeply injured, but what I did was nothing. I just continued to walk. I didn't feel thankful at what happened. I still felt sad and worried. I was about to go back, but everyone was there - a mob was formed. I didn't know why I felt guilty. I can't explain what was happening to me. The next day, I found out his right leg was greatly injured, thus he's not capable of going to the try-out. The try-out was held on that same day. I didn't feel happiness or any excitement. But when I was performing in the try-out and won, I forgot that my friend was ill. I realized that the catwalk is true. ---------- To be Continued.