SHATTERED INNOCENCE

In a quiet suburban neighborhood, nestled amidst picturesque landscapes, there lived a small family consisting of Mr. Wilson, his beloved wife, and their precious little boy, Joe. Their humble abode was adorned with love and warmth, as they showered Joe with affection and imparted valuable life lessons.

As Joe grew older, his parents would lovingly pray for him every night, shielding him with their hopes and dreams. However, they were aware that time was not on their side. They yearned to witness the milestones of his life, to see him grow into a fine young man, with a family of his own to cherish. Their days seemed to slip away too quickly.

One day, when Joe turned ten, he approached his mother with a glimmer of anticipation in his eyes. He had observed his friends receiving extravagant toys as birthday gifts, leading him to muster the courage to express his own heartfelt desire.

"Mama," Joe gazed at his mother's wrinkling face, his eyes blinking and his lips forming a gentle pout—a characteristic expression he reserved for moments when he longed for something. 

His mother turned to look at him, her eyebrows rising in curiosity.

"Yes?" she responded, her voice tinged with a hint of weariness, for she had been about to rest.

"Can I have a bicycle for my birthday today?" Joe asked, his voice filled with anticipation.

Her eyebrows shot up in surprise, and a fleeting moment of contemplation passed before she responded, "Joe, at the moment, you may not possess the physical strength required to ride a bicycle."

Disappointment washed over Joe's face as he recalled similar instances in the past. "Mama, no! That's what you said when I was eight years old and wanted to eat ice cream. You told me I was too short. Now, you're saying I'm not strong enough. All my friends receive fantastic gifts on their birthdays, but you keep saying that I am not this or that... It's as if we are... insignificant." Joe muttered the final sentence and walked away, his emotions momentarily overwhelming him.

Deep down, Joe's mother knew that their financial circumstances didn't allow for indulgence in extravagant gifts like a bicycle. Her heart ached as she pondered over the disparity between Joe's desires and their meager means.

Later that evening, as Joe's father returned from a long day's work on the farm, he was briefed about what had transpired. Concerned for his son's melancholy, he beckoned Joe to his side.

"Joe, my boy," Mr. Wilson called gently, his voice carrying both love and understanding.

Joe turned to face his father, his eyes reflecting a mixture of curiosity and sadness.

"How was your day at school?" Mr. Wilson inquired. Despite their financial limitations, they had managed to send Joe to the nearest community school.

"Fine, Papa," Joe responded, though his usual cheerfulness seemed slightly dampened.

"Your mother told me about your birthday wish," Mr. Wilson stated, his voice filled with compassion. Observing Joe's head tilting to the left, Mr. Wilson sought to capture his attention once more.

"You know what?" Mr. Wilson asked, gently raising Joe's eyes to meet his own.

Joe remained silent, his mind flooded with memories of broken promises and unfulfilled dreams.

"You want a bicycle, right?" Mr. Wilson continued, his voice filled with a touch of vulnerability. He desperately wanted to bring a smile to his son's face, despite the challenging circumstances they found themselves in.

Joe remained silent, unsure of how to respond to his father's inquiry, fearing yet another unfulfilled promise.

"Tonight, Joe, you're going to talk to Heavenly Father..." Mr. Wilson pointed upwards.

"And by tomorrow, your bicycle will be here. Alright?"

A smile delicately danced upon Joe's lips as he nodded slowly, hopeful yet guarded.

"Is it a deal?" Mr. Wilson asked, extending an invisible pact of unwavering love and determination.

"Yes, Papa," Joe responded, his voice resonating with newfound optimism and trust.

Mr. Wilson smiled, despite the uncertainty that enveloped him.

Though unsure of where or how he would acquire a bicycle for Joe, he couldn't bear to extinguish the flicker of hope in his son's eyes. After all, Joe had proven himself to be diligent, both at home and in school.

That night, as darkness settled and it was time for Joe to drift into the realm of dreams, he knelt beside his small bed and poured his heart out to God, just as his father had instructed. Mr. Wilson and his wife observed him silently, the weight of his prayers almost tangible in the room.

Mrs. Wilson recalled the words she had overheard Joe mutter earlier that day, and her thoughts turned introspective. Was it right for them to have been content with their meager existence? Or should they have striven for more and withstood the circumstances that had constrained them?

Lost in her thoughts, Mrs. Wilson didn't notice the tears streaming down her face until her husband gently drew her attention.

"Dear... you are crying?" Mr. Wilson inquired, his voice filled with tender concern.

Startled, she quickly wiped away the tears, shaking her head as though to divert his attention.

Mr. Wilson enveloped his wife in a warm embrace, offering solace and reassurance. "He's going to be great." he whispered softly, his voice filled with unwavering faith and hope.

Reluctantly separating from their embrace, they settled into bed, but sleep eluded Mama Joe. She gazed up at her son feeling the need to stay awake. Mr. Wilson, exhausted both physically and emotionally, soon succumbed to the embrace of slumber.

Early the next morning, Mama Joe awoke sensing something amiss in the air.

"Oh my God."

"Joe!" A cry escaped her lips, jolting Mr. Wilson from his sleep. Mama Joe sprang from the bed, hastily lighting a lamp.

"Joe! Where's Joe!" she called out desperately, her voice carrying a blend of fear and anguish.

Confusion gripped Mr. Wilson as he jumped out of bed, his mind clouded with worry.

"Where's Joe? Where's our son?" Mama Joe frantically ransacked the room. Mr. Wilson ran to check outside.

The anguish in their voices reverberated drew concerned neighbors from their homes.

"Joe!" Mr. Wilson cried out.

"Joe!" Their neighbors, now drawn emerged from their dwellings, joining the frantic search.

"Have you seen Joe? Have you seen our son, Joe?" Mama Joe banged each neighbor's door, her voice trembling with a mix of despair and desperate hope.

"Joe!"

"Joe!"

The entire neighborhood united in the search, with every heart pulsating in unison, their voices echoing through the air.

"Joe!!!"

It was a mystery how he suddenly went missing.

Days later, after the local police had investigated the issue and put in the best of their effort to search for him, they couldn't tell if he was kidnapped. There was no real clue for them to lay hands on as to understanding what happened.

Mama Joe had been crying for days and had refused to receive console. Mr Wilson was no better, he didn't stop thinking about how sudden and mysterious the disappearance was.

"Why did I allow this to happen? Why did I allow this to happen?" Mama Joe's wail could be heard from inside the house.

Her neighbors and well-wishers were with her trying to console her.

Papa Joe couldn't hold it anymore. Tears started rolling down his face.

Some friends of his, were there also to speak words of hope to him.

"I could have watched him. I could have stayed and watched him, but I did not. Oh! Joe, I'm so sorry." Mama Joe's cries made even the sympathizers almost start crying.

"Is it bicycle you want?" Joe's Father finally spoke up. "Oh, I will give you bicycle." He burst out into weeping.

His friends shook his body and kept trying to comfort him.

One by one, the sympathizers began to retreat, returning to the solitude of their own lives, until Papa and Mama Joe were left alone in their shared despair.

Each passing day, they clung to the thread of hope that Joe was still alive, their hearts whispering prayers as if he were still nestled in their loving embrace. They wept until exhaustion consumed them, embracing sleep for only fleeting moments.

Mama Joe's health soon began to wane, her body succumbing to the burden of grief she carried within. She refused medication and withdrew from the world, her tears serving as the only testament to the love she bore for her missing son. Blaming herself for his disappearance, she saw no reason to endure such insufferable agony any longer.

Fear gripped Mr. Wilson's heart as he witnessed Mama Joe's health wither away, her life slipping through his fingers like grains of sand. He tried desperately to convince her that the blame did not lie solely upon her shoulders. He bore the weight of responsibility, yet Mama Joe struggled to absolve herself completely.

Mama Joe decided to give life a chance and received the treatment she needed. Yet, just as she began to show signs of recovery, fate cast its final cruel blow, snatching Mama Joe away from him, leaving Papa Joe in unbearable grief.