The Snap of a Dry Branch Beneath His Foot Went Unheard by Johnny; In a Split Second, His World Spun Like a Colourful Kaleidoscope, Burst into a Million Shining Stars, and Then Reformed in a Sharp, Burning Pain Just Above His Left Elbow — “Ow…” Johnny Clutched His Injured Arm, Howling in Pain. — “Johnny!” His friend Sally darted to his side, dropping to her knees. “Does it hurt?” — “No, it’s lovely!” he grimaced and whimpered sarcastically. Sally reached out and gingerly touched Johnny’s shoulder. — “Just leave it!” he suddenly snapped, eyes flashing. “It hurts! Don’t touch me!” The frustration hurt twice over. First, the likely broken arm meant weeks in a cast—and endless jokes from friends. Second, climbing the tree was his own idea: he’d wanted to impress Sally with his skill and daring. If the first reason for his resentment was bearable, the second infuriated him. Now, not only had he embarrassed himself in front of her, but she was trying to pity him! No way… Standing abruptly, holding his limp arm close, Johnny set off for the hospital. — “Don’t worry, Johnny, it’ll be okay!” Sally hurried beside him, trying anything to console her friend. “It’ll be alright, Johnny! It’ll all be fine!” — “Just leave me alone,” he stopped, glaring at her, then spat on the ground. “How will it be fine? I broke my arm, can’t you see? Go home, you’re driving me mad!” He strode away, leaving Sally standing with wide grey-green eyes, whispering the same words over and over: — “It’ll be okay, Johnny… It’ll be okay…” *** Mr. John Victor, if we don’t see that money transfer in the next twenty-four hours, we’ll be very disappointed. Oh, and by the way, there’s a weather warning for black ice on the roads tomorrow, so drive safe. You know, accidents happen… nobody’s immune to a bit of bad luck. All the best. The line went dead, leaving silence. John flung his phone aside, grabbed fistfuls of his own hair, and leaned back in his chair. — “Where am I supposed to get that? That payment wasn’t due until next month…” Sighing, he picked up the phone again, dialled, and held it to his ear. — “Mrs. Olga Vass, can we send our partners in the holding company payment for the equipment today?” — “But… Mr. Victor…” — “Can we or can’t we?” — “Yes, but it’ll mess up the rest of this month’s payments…” — “To hell with them! We’ll deal with it later. Wire the money to the holding company today.” — “Okay, but after this—” John hung up before she finished and slammed his fist into the chair’s armrest. — “Bloody leeches…” Something soft and unexpected brushed his shoulder and he jumped in his seat. — “Sasha, I told you not to bother me when I’m working, didn’t I?” His wife Alexandra leaned in, kissed his ear, and stroked his hair. — “Johnny, please don’t get upset, alright? Everything will work out.” — “I’m sick of hearing ‘everything will be okay!’ Haven’t you had enough? What if I’m killed tomorrow, will it all be fine then?” John shot to his feet and pushed Sasha away. — “What were you doing, making soup? Then go do it! Don’t get on my nerves—it’s bad enough already!” She sighed and walked to the door. At the threshold, she paused, then whispered three words, just as always. *** “You know, I’m lying here remembering our whole life…” The old man blinked, his cloudy eyes turning to his aged wife. Her once-beautiful face was lined with wrinkles, her shoulders stooped, her posture no longer proud. Never letting go of his hand, she gently adjusted the drip in his arm, then smiled silently. — “Every time I got into trouble, when I was at death’s door, when the worst happened—always, you’d come and say the same phrase. You can’t imagine how it used to drive me mad—your naïve little mantra. I wanted to strangle you for saying it all the time,” he tried to smile, then was racked by a fit of coughing. When he caught his breath, he continued, “I broke bones, got death threats, lost everything, fell so far hardly anyone climbs out, and all my life, you kept saying, ‘Everything will be fine.’ And not once did you lie to me. How did you know?” — “I didn’t know a thing, Johnny,” the old woman sighed. “You think I was saying it for you? That was for myself, to calm my own nerves. You’re my whole life, silly. When you were in trouble, when things went wrong, my soul turned inside out. I cried rivers, I spent so many nights awake… I just kept telling myself, ‘Let the sky fall, as long as he’s alive, everything will be okay.’” For a moment, the old man closed his eyes, then squeezed her hand. — “Is that it? And I was even angry at you for it. Forgive me, Sasha. I never knew. All my life and I never really thought about you… the fool I am.” The old woman brushed a tear from her wrinkled cheek and bent low over her husband’s face. — “Johnny, don’t you worry…” She paused, looked deep into his eyes, and slowly rested her head on his quiet chest, gently caressing his cooling hand. — “Everything WAS okay, Johnny, everything WAS okay…”

The snap of a dry twig beneath his foot went unnoticed by Jack. Suddenly, his world spun like a kaleidoscope of colours and then exploded into a million bright stars, which all gathered themselves in his left arm just above the elbow.

Ow Jack clutched his injured arm and let out a low howl of pain.

Jack! His friend, Emily, rushed to him and dropped to her knees, barely catching herself. Does it hurt?

No, of course notfeels wonderful! he hissed, grimacing as he tried to joke through the pain.

Emily reached out and gently touched his shoulder.

Dont touch me! he barked unexpectedly, his eyes flashing. It hurts! Leave me alone!

The embarrassment stung twice as much as the pain. First, it was clear hed broken his arm and hed be stuck in plaster for a month, enduring the endless jokes of his mates. But worse, the fault was his own; hed climbed the tree to show off his strength and agility to Emily. Ruining his arm was bad enough, but showing himself up in front of her made it much worse. And now she even pitied him! No, thank you. Clutching his limp arm, Jack swung to his feet and set off determinedly towards hospital.

Dont worry, Jackreally, itll all be fine! Emily trotted along beside him, doing her best to reassure him. Everythings going to be alright, Jack!

Oh, leave it out, he snapped, stopping to spit angrily on the pavement. He fixed her with a cold glare. Alright? Are you thick? Ive broken my arm! Just go home, will you? Youre getting on my nerves.

Without another word, Jack stomped away, leaving Emily to stand blinking her wide grey-green eyes, murmuring quietly after him:

Its going to be alright, Jack Its going to be alright

***

Mr. John Smith, unless we see those funds transferred within the next twenty-four hours, well be most disappointed. By the way, theyre forecasting black ice on the roads tomorrow, so do drive carefully. Accidents can happen to anyone, you know. Have a good evening.

The voice clicked off, leaving silence in its wake. John flung his phone onto the desk and, running his fingers through his hair, slumped back in his chair.

Where on earth am I supposed to get that kind of money? he muttered. That payment wasnt scheduled till next month

With a heavy sigh, he picked up his phone, dialled, and put it to his ear.

Mrs. Oliver, can we transfer payment for the equipment to our partners at the group today?

But Mr. Smith

Can we or cant we?

Yes, but then the schedule for the rest of our payments

To hell with the schedule! Well sort it out later. Put the money through to the group today.

Alright, but its going to cause more problems down

John slammed the call off before she could finish, thumping the armrest with his fist.

Bloody leeches

Suddenly, something soft touched his shoulder, making him jump in the chair.

Sasha, how many times have I asked you not to come in when Im working? Have I not?

His wife Alexandra pressed her lips to his ear and ran a gentle hand through his hair.

John, dont worry, will you? Everythings going to be alright.

Oh, pack it in with your everythings going to be alright. Im sick of hearing it. You do realise I could be dead tomorrow? Then will it still be alright for you?

John leapt from the chair and, grabbing her hands, pulled her away.

Why dont you go back to the kitchen? If you were making stew, finish making stew. Just stop winding me up. Things are hard enough as it is, even without you!

Alexandra sighed quietly and moved to leave. At the door, she paused, glanced back, and whispered those same three words.

***

You know Im lying here now, just thinking back on our whole life

The old man cracked his eyes open and peered at his wife, now aged and frail. Her once beautiful face was webbed by fine wrinkles, her shoulders bent beneath the years. Never letting go of his hand, she gently adjusted the IV drip at his wrist and smiled back at him in silence.

Every scrape I ever got into, every time I was close to the end, every awful thing I faced You always turned up and said the same thing. Youve no idea how much it got on my nerves. Sometimes I wanted to shake some sense into youhow gullible, how repetitive you were The old man tried to smile, but it turned into a fit of coughing. When he caught his breath, he carried on, I broke arms and legs, was threatened a dozen times, lost everything, fell in holes most people never climb out of, and your answer never changed: Its going to be alright. And whats strangeyou never once lied. How did you always know?

I didnt know a thing, Jack, she sighed. You think I was saying it for you? It was for me. Ive loved you like a fool my entire life, you know. You are my life. Whenever you were in trouble, my heart would feel torn to pieces. Ive cried rivers, spent sleepless nights And all I ever did was tell myself: Let the sky fall if it must, but as long as hes alive, everythings going to be alright.

The old man gently squeezed her hand, struggling to speak.

So thats how it is And I still got cross with you. Forgive me, Ellie. I just never knew Ive lived a whole life and barely thought about you. What a fool Ive been.

Quietly wiping away a tear, Ellie leant closer to her husbands face.

Jack, darling, dont you worry

She paused, gazing deep into his eyes before laying her head on his still chest, softly stroking his cooling hand.

It WAS alright, Jack It WAS alright

The lesson lingers, gentle as her words: sometimes reassurances are not promises for the future, but lifelines we extend to ourselves and others when the world turns upside down. In the end, loves faitheven if blindis enough to carry us through.