Moonie
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Hello! I had a random urge to write a short story. It's a purely invented fiction that I wanted to share! My native language is French so I use a translation tool a lot to write in English. Forgive the many mistakes!
1970, Los Angeles.
It was at night. Michael was sitting on his dresser and looking out his bedroom window. The full moon perfectly lit the streets and the landscape in his view. Everyone was asleep and silence reigned in the house. Not too far from his home, there was a playground. A park with outdoor games, swings, slides and a basketball court. On this court, a silhouette was playing. Intrigued, the young 12-year-old child opened the blinds to better observe the individual who seemed alone. A smile appeared on Michael's face as he saw, what seemed to him to be a child too, playing basketball. He enjoyed watching the kid having fun. Having fun. Something that Michael was not often allowed to do. Between school, practices, concerts and musical creation, Michael did not have much time to have fun. The desire to join this child was invading him more and more. He also wanted to have this right. The right to be a child.
Michael slowly got off the furniture so as not to make any noise. Tiptoeing, he headed towards his bedroom door. On the back of it, a brown jacket was hanging on a hook. Michael took it and carefully opened the door to his bedroom so as not to make it creak. He closed it the same way. In the neighboring rooms, his brothers were sleeping. It was their room. He must not wake them up but especially not wake their father who was sleeping in a room further away with their mother. Michael tiptoed and went down a large wooden staircase in the same way. Once on the ground floor, the young boy walked towards the front door. The door was designed with a large, blurred window so as not to see inside the house. Only the piercing light of the moon penetrated the place. Michael grabbed his shoes and put them on barefoot. He didn't bother to put on socks or change his pants. His blue pajamas were going to follow him outside. He had only one goal in mind: to go and have fun with another child. Hand on the handle, he turned it carefully. No noise should be made. When the door opened, Michael sighed with relief. "Mission accomplished!" he said to himself mentally. He left his large home and closed the door carefully. Freed, he quickly put on his brown jacket and walked down the cement steps in front of his front door. There was no longer any risk of waking anyone up. The streets were empty. It was past midnight on Tuesday. Michael walked proudly towards the park. "I hope he's still here." he said to himself. With a smile on his face, he quickened his pace. The field wasn't too far away. A few more minutes of brisk walking. Alone on the sidewalk, Michael took the opportunity to think about what he would like to play. A bunch of scenarios ran through his head: they could swing, slide, or play hide and seek! A gentle, pleasant breeze tickled his face, bringing him back to reality. When he got a little closer, he saw the same figure he saw through his window still at the basketball court. A child about his age and height. It was dark but a large street lamp lit up the court. Michael smiled broadly and stood still for a moment to observe the individual. The child had his back to him. Dressed in a white tank top, jeans, and a white bandana that covered the entire top of his head. The child hit the ball against the ground a few times before running and throwing it towards the basket. The orange ball headed straight for the ring and fell into the net before smashing the ground again. Michael clapped his hands together in applause.
"Good one!" he yelled.
The child turned around to Michael with a start, making a noise of fear. Michael immediately brought his hands to his mouth, realizing that he had just caught him by surprise.
"Sorry! I didn't mean to scare you." he said with a chuckle.
The child placed his left hand against his chest and exhaled deeply. He seemed relieved to see that it was another child and not an adult who was watching him play. His forehead was beaded with sweat. His hazel eyes were almond-shaped and his skin color chocolate. The two children must have been the same age. Enthusiastic, Michael continued the conversation.
"What are you doing all alone here?"
His listener did not answer. He looked at him perplexed. Michael slowly advanced towards him. He wondered if he would recognize him because Michael was well known. He is still the lead singer of The Jackson 5. His iconic afro made him very recognizable. As he moved closer and closer, Michael could see the child's fine features even better. He widened his eyes. In front of him, it was not a boy but a girl. "A girl who plays basketball? So cool!" he said to himself.
"What's going on? Did a cat eat your tongue?" he joked to lighten the mood.
At this comment, the girl smiled a little and let out a small laugh. Realizing that he had managed to relax her, Michael walked over to the ball that was still trailing behind the girl. He leaned down and took it in his hands. The ball was sandy and had lost its bright color. This object had lived! Michael turned back to the girl to look her in the eyes, still with a big smile.
"Do you want to play?" he asked her.
The girl took a moment to think and shrugged.
"What are you doing up at this hour?" she finally said.
"Ah! You can talk!" he laughed. "I thought you were mute for a moment."
She laughed again and took a determined step toward Michael. She took the ball from his hands and backed up slightly, challenging him with her gaze.
"My name is Maya." she introduced herself.
"Michael." he replied, smiling.
Maya dribbled the ball again and threw it toward the ring. Once again, she scored in it.
"You're good!" Michael exclaimed. "Do you play often?"
She grabbed the ball and spun it between her hands.
"I do sometimes." she replied. "My brother likes it. He showed me some tricks. Look!"
She carefully placed the ball on her right index finger and spun it quickly while balancing the ball. After a few seconds, it fell to the ground. Michael laughed again at this talent.
''That's cool! I can do that too. Look!'' he said.
Suddenly, Michael jumped up and spun his body around for a few turns before stopping perfectly in front of Maya. She laughed in turn and brought her right hand to her mouth to hide her smile.
''Not too dizzy?'' she asked.
''No, I'm fine!'' he replied.
The two children laughed together for a moment then Maya cleared her throat as she looked at her ball in her hands. After a short silence, she looked up at her interlocutor.
''It's late and I really have to go but it was cool to meet you.'' she said.
Michael tried to keep his smile even though he was disappointed with her announcement. He looked down at his feet for a brief moment and looked back up at her.
"Yeah, it was fun." he confirmed. "Shall we do it again?"
She took a moment to think and answered him.
"Tomorrow, I'll come shoot some hoops. I could show you how to balance the ball on your finger!" she offered.
"Great! See you tomorrow!"
The girl giggled again before starting to run in an unknown direction. Michael watched her figure disappear into the distance. Suddenly, a fear took hold of him. What if his parents had noticed his absence? Michael started running towards his house. He was having so much fun that he forgot about his temporary escape.
The sound of his shoes hitting the ground was the only sound that could be heard in the neighborhood. He hurried and prayed that no one was awake. Once he was near his home, he started walking. He didn't want his running to wake anyone. He climbed the cement steps to his front door. He slowly turned the doorknob and ventured inside the house. Not a sound. Michael closed the door behind him and took off his shoes in the greatest silence. He tiptoed again towards the stairs leading to the bedrooms. He climbed quietly and, once upstairs, walked to his room. He opened the door subtly and slipped inside the room. Once the door was closed, he let out a deep sigh. He was safe and no one noticed his absence. He took off his jacket and hung it behind his door before slipping under the sheets of his bed. In the comfort of his bed, Michael thought again about that moment outside. He stared at his ceiling and thought of Maya. He couldn't wait to play with her tomorrow. He couldn't wait to have fun with another kid his age. Fun. Something Michael would like to do more often.
In the studio, Michael and his brothers were practicing a song.
''... Oh baby, I was blind to let you go
But now since I see you in his arms
Yes, I do now, ha!
Oh baby, I need one more chance, ha!
I'd show you that I love you, ah, ah, ah
I want you ba-''
The brothers stopped in sync with the last words of the song. Joseph, who was sitting in a chair across from them, stood up and strode imposingly toward his sons. Michael froze as he watched him advance. The silence was endless and threatening. All the brothers remained silent in front of their father.
''Good.'' he finally said to break the silence.
The pressure eased. Michael began to breathe again.
"Michael, you missed a step on the second chorus." he said seriously. "You must not make any mistakes at the concert."
"I will correct my mistake, Joseph." he replied.
The father watched his young prodigy son in silence for what seemed like an eternity. He finally pulled away, looking at the time on the clock on the wall.
"That's enough for today." he announced.
All the boys began to put away their equipment. Tito and Jermaine hung up their guitars while Michael, Marlon, and Jackie put away their chairs, microphones, and their microphone stands. It was 9:00 p.m. Tired from their day's work, the brothers left the studio with heavy eyelids. Each was fighting the fatigue. Tito began to sniff a scent then turned to Michael and smiled at him.
"Do you know what it smells like?" he asked.
Michael took a moment to stop and smell the scent. When he recognized it, a big smile spread across his lips.
"My favorite pie!" he exclaimed.
Without waiting, the young boy hurried to the stairs to climb them. Their personal studio was in the basement of the house. Arriving on the ground floor, Michael ran to the kitchen where his mother was finishing their meal.
"Michael!" she said. "I cooked you-"
"Sweet Potato Pie!" he cut her off.
The two accomplices laughed together.
Midnight. Michael climbed onto his furniture to look out his window. Once again, the moon was lighting up the neighborhood nicely. He saw a familiar silhouette at the park. A smile crept up on his face and Michael got off his furniture to get ready for his night out. He couldn't wait to meet Maya again.
He arrived at the park running and out of breath. Maya heard him coming and she turned to him. A smile appeared on her face and she waved her left arm in the air to greet him. He stopped in front of her and tried to catch his breath.
"Are you practicing for a marathon or something?" she said.
"Very funny!" he replied sarcastically.
Maya snickered then threw the ball at him.
"Catch!"
Michael wasn't ready but his good reflexes saved him from a ball in the face. He looked at the ball for a moment and noticed that it was less rigid than the day before. A little more deflated. He didn't pay much attention to it and looked up at Maya with that great desire to play.
''Hey! You almost threw it in my face!''
''I wanted to test your reflexes.''
Michael stuck his tongue out at her and then dribbled the ball a little. Obviously, he was really less gifted than Maya at handling the ball but she looked at him without judging.
''Can you score a point?'' she challenged him.
''Watch and learn.'' he replied.
Michael dribbled the ball awkwardly before positioning himself in front of the basket. He crouched his knees to give himself a boost and threw it but the ball went straight next to the net. Maya held back a laugh.
''Hey! Don't laugh!'' he told her, pretending to be offended.
Maya ran to get the ball and joined Michael.
"No, no, I'm not making fun of you." she said, holding back a laugh.
Michael wasn't touchy. On the contrary, he liked to tease and be teased. Maya made him laugh. Maya sat down next to him and took a more serious tone.
"Watch and observe how you position yourself to throw the ball directly into the ring."
Michael straightened up and took mental notes. Maya followed up with tricks her brother taught her to be so good at basketball. Even though Michael listened attentively, putting into practice the theory she was teaching him was something else!
The young boy positioned himself towards the net and rushed again. The ball hit the ring but fell to the ground without crossing the net. Maya held back her laughter again and went to find her ball.
"That's enough for tonight." she announced. "It's late, I'm tired and I have to go home."
Michael's face was automatically disappoint as he played with his new friend.
"You didn't show me how to balance the ball on my finger." He said, hoping she would stay a little longer.
She slapped herself on the forehead when she realized she had forgotten.
"You're right, oops! Tomorrow then!"
The two children laughed together and waved goodbye. Maya ran in the opposite direction of Michael. The young boy started walking towards his house. He was happy. He had had fun.
The next evening after work, the brothers put away the equipment. Joseph was no longer in the studio and Michael approached his brother Jackie. He tapped his arm and his big brother turned to him.
"Jackie, would you like to go buy something with me?" Michael asked.
Puzzled, his brother looked at him questioningly.
"A ball?" Jackie asked in exasperation.
In a sports store, the two brothers were walking through the aisles. Michael didn't know much about sports but his older brother did.
''I'd like you to advise me on the best basketball!''
Jackie let out a small laugh and raised his eyebrows. He turned to a row of orange balls and took one of a well-known brand before handing it to his little brother.
''And since when have you been interested in basketball, tell me?'' he asked.
Michael shrugged as he took the ball. He didn't want to talk about his nighttime excursions. He especially didn't want their father to know.
''And why not?'' replied the young singer.
Jackie wasn't convinced. He could see that his brother was hiding something from him.
''Michael-''
''I'll take it, this one's good!'' he cut him off.
Michael didn't want to continue the conversation. All he wanted was for his brother to advise him on the best basketball in the store. Jackie decided to respect his brother's limits and the two returned to their home.
Once night fell, Michael got ready to go out. Ball in hand, he was ready for his surprise. He headed to the park. For the third night in a row, Maya was there. As he approached, Michael hid the ball behind his back. He noticed that Maya's ball wasn't bouncing as well as it had the previous days. In fact, it was deflating more and more. It was well worn and damaged!
''Maya!''
The young girl turned to her friend and a big smile appeared on her face. She started running towards the young boy to find him.
''Michael, you came!''
''Of course!'' he said. ''I have a surprise for you...''
The girl arched an eyebrow and Michael pulled the new ball out from behind his back. Maya opened her mouth wide and brought her hands to the latter.
''Wow! It's... it's-''
''It's for you.'' he said softly.
The girl's gaze rose to meet the eyes of her friend who was still holding the ball out to her.
''For... me?''
He nodded to confirm his answer. After a while of silence, Maya smiled again and took it to examine it thoroughly.
''It's great! But... why?'' she asked.
Michael shrugged before answering her.
"I noticed that yours was... let's say... on its last legs. So I wanted to get you a new one!"
At his words, Maya looked down at her feet, still holding the ball in her hands. She seemed sad, all of a sudden. Michael frowned, searching for an answer. Maya looked up and feigned a smile and a laugh.
"That's really sweet. Thank you very much. I appreciate it."
Michael could sense that she was not in her element but decided not to question her. He wanted this moment to be positive.
"Shall we play?" she asked.
He smiled honestly and the two began to play together. Maya even showed him how to balance the ball on her finger! Michael, however, had difficulty balancing the ball. Maya laughed at him and they laughed together. They eventually called it a night because she was tired.
The next day, Michael went back to the basketball court hoping to see Maya again. He arrived running and all happy. However, Maya wasn't there. "She must be hiding!" he said to himself. He started to walk around the park laughing in search of his friend. He looked everywhere! He said her name and tried to startle her by suddenly arriving at a place that could potentially be a hiding place but, each time, nothing was waiting for him. After a while, his laughter disappeared and his smile too. Maya didn't seem to be there. Michael stayed there for several more minutes waiting for his friend. Nothing. No one. After an hour, he turned back to his home, disappointed not to have had fun with her.
The next night, same scenario. Maya wasn't there. Michael was starting to wonder. ''Why isn't she here?''
The following nights repeated themselves: Michael arrived at the park alone and left the same way. Where did his friend go? Sadness began to invade him.
Another night, Michael showed up at the park in a gloomy way. He no longer had any expectations. He had been arriving at the park for several days and leaving with disappointment. This time, he saw a silhouette on the basketball court in the distance. A big smile appeared on his face and he started running at full speed. As he got closer and closer, he realized that this silhouette was not that of Maya. He slowed down and remained on his guard. At the sound of his running, the individual who was sitting next to the basket got up and walked towards the boy. Frightened, Michael started to backtrack, hoping that the person had not seen him.
"Hey, wait! Michael, is that it?" the stranger called out to him.
The boy stopped dead in his tracks and slowly turned around to face the man who was walking towards him. He had a black hoodie with jeans. His eyes were the same almond shape as Maya's and his skin tone too. He was much older than her. A teenager or a young adult? Michael couldn't tell. The man walked towards Michael.
"I'm Maya's brother." he said.
His heart stopped suddenly. What was he doing here? Where is Maya? Michael was asking himself a lot of questions that had no answers. He frowned and gathered his courage to walk towards the stranger in front of him.
"His brother? Where is Maya?"
The man took a moment of silence to gather his courage. He bit his lower lip before answering.
''Maya told me about you. She told me you were coming to join her here.''
''Where is she?'' Michael panicked.
''Maya is... in the hospital.''
The Earth stopped spinning. Michael could no longer hear any sound from the world. Only this sentence resonated in his head. In the hospital? What do you mean, the hospital? Frozen, he didn't know what to say. Eyes wide, he stared at Maya's brother.
''She wanted me to tell you.'' he continued. ''So you'd stop coming here to wait for her.''
Still speechless, Michael didn't know how to digest the news. A stomach ache took hold of his body. Nothing was right. He thought he was having a nightmare.
"Wh-Why?" he finally asked.
He was afraid to ask the question because he was afraid of the answer. Maya's brother took a moment to refocus. He didn't want to be emotional. He finally spoke.
"She's... sick."
"What's wrong with her?" he hurried to ask.
The tension was so great that Michael felt like hours were passing right now. His physical discomfort was torturing him.
"Maya... has cancer." he announced.
Total silence. Michael stared at the man in front of him. No sound came out of his mouth. He could only hear the beating of his heart resonating throughout his entire body. He felt dizzy.
"No..." he whispered.
Maya's brother looked up at the sky to control his tears. Michael frowned, trying to control his own as well. It was too much for him, he couldn't hold them back. Tears began to slide down his cheeks.
"Why..." he whispered again.
Seeing the child's emotion, Maya's brother let his guard down and let the emotions take over too. He sniffed and wiped his nose with his sleeve.
"She doesn't have much time left..." he said. "Maya is fighting leukemia."
"Can I... see her?" he asked between sobs.
His brother bit his lip again before answering. Then, after a sigh, he said to him:
"I don't know if-"
"I beg you."
The two looked into each other's eyes intensely. He saw Michael's honesty. He saw how important Maya was to him. A dilemma was in place. Maya has little energy but he sees how important she was to him. He finally answered.
"I won't promise you anything but... I'll talk to her." He said. "I'll get back to you with an answer tomorrow."
Michael sighed in relief. If only he could see her one last time. He wiped his nose before asking him a question.
"What's your name?"
"... Dan. Nice to meet you."
Michael nodded. The two parted ways. When he got home, Michael collapsed in his bed and cried into his pillow. He was so happy to have made friends with someone. He was so happy to be able to escape and have fun. He didn't understand why this was happening. He found it unfair.
The next night, Michael arrived at the basketball court empty-handed. Dan was already there. The two greeted each other briefly. The atmosphere was heavy. Sadness reigned.
''Hello.'' Dan told him.
''Hello...''
After a short silence, Dan continued the conversation.
''Maya agreed to see you.''
A slight smile appeared on Michael's face. That same smile disappeared immediately.
''I'll come see her tomorrow.''
Michael looked at his feet. The two were not comfortable in this situation. Dan took a sheet of paper out of his hoodie pocket and handed it to Michael. Michael grabbed it while observing it.
''This is the information for the hospital. The address and room number.''
Michael nodded.
''Thank you...''
He carefully buried the folded sheet in his jacket pocket. Tomorrow, he would see Maya again. For the last time.
In front of the hospital, Michael took a deep breath. Anxiety and anguish were at their highest level. He finally walked through the door and headed to the reception. A lady worked there. He introduced himself and asked for directions to A-202's room. A room located in the palliative care section.
In front of the door, Michael took his courage in both hands and knocked on the door. A weak voice that he recognized answered, "Come in." He opened the door and quickly looked around the white room. He stepped forward and their eyes met. Maya's tired face lit up at the sight of Michael. She wasn't wearing her usual bandana, revealing her bald head. Michael tried to hold back his tears but couldn't. He collapsed on his friend's bed, who gently placed her left hand on his big, voluminous hair.
"Don't cry..." she whispered.
"H-How?" he asked, sobbing.
She shrugged her shoulders. Large dark circles were drawn under her eyes. Maya was very exhausted.
"Michael..." she began. "Thank you for being my friend."
He raised his head to her.
"You have a big heart." she continued. "You will accomplish great things in life. Keep spreading your kindness, Michael. It is this same kindness that will heal the whole world."
She smiled at him with the little energy she possessed.
"Promise me to stay as you are."
Tears were streaming down Michael's cheeks. He was not ready to say goodbye to her. She looked at him with tenderness and sincerity. They liked each other very much. They hadn't known each other for long, but they felt like they'd been best friends forever.
"I promise..." he finally said.
She laughed lightly.
"Thanks for the ball."
They held hands.
In the studio, the band was practicing. Michael was at the microphone and clearly wasn't dancing and singing like he usually did.
"A B C, It's easy as
1 2 3, as simple as
do re mi, A B C, 1 2 3
baby you and me girl"
Joseph, irritated by his child prodigy's poor performance, stood up furiously and walked quickly towards Michael. All the brothers froze in place, while Michael didn't move. He was like a lifeless body.
"What are you doing, Michael?" he said angrily. "Do you think you can improve if you don't take the performance seriously?"
Michael didn't answer and looked at the ground. His father's words didn't scare him. Not like usual. The sadness was overwhelming him so much that he couldn't concentrate or have the energy to be scared.
"I'm talking to you!" he shouted as he took Michael's arm.
At this gesture, Michael looked up at his father with tears in his eyes. Confused, Joseph let go of his arm and took a step back.
"Why are you crying?"
The young singer clenched his fists and burst into tears.
"It's... Maya..." he said sobbing.
''Who?''
''Maya... My friend Maya... She's... she's...''
He couldn't get the last word out. Jackie's eyes widened and he understood the situation. He put himself between his father and his brother to try to control the situation.
''Joseph... I mean, Dad. Listen to what Michael has to say.''
At that moment, with the support of his brothers, Michael finally confessed everything: his nighttime excursions, his new friendship with Maya, buying the basketball with Jackie, the bad news brought by his brother and his visit to the hospital. Michael explained to them that Maya had died and that the funeral was in the days that followed. A great weight had just been lifted from his shoulders. He had the support he needed.
At the funeral, Michael watched Maya's coffin in silence. There was a picture of her next to the several bouquets of flowers. She had long and beautiful black hair on the picture. Many people were crying, including Dan. Michael approached the coffin before leaving the place. He wanted to greet his friend one last time, before leaving. Dan approached.
''Thank you Michael.'' he said. ''Thank you for being her friend.''
The young boy nodded, visibly very affected by the loss of Maya.
''The basketball you gave her is still in her room.''
Michael turned to look at Dan.
''She loved it very much.''
The man smiled and winked at him. He gave Michael a little pat on the back.
Years later, Michael is now a very successful man. His album Thriller is now the best-selling in the world. Michael still thinks about Maya, at times. He keeps his promise. Between two albums, he visits hospitals to see sick children. He makes many donations in the hope of saving them. He does not want to see any more children die. He hopes that, from up there, Maya is proud of him. He even thinks about founding an organization to collect donations for underprivileged people. He also wants to open an amusement park and a zoo for children. He would have liked Maya to still be alive to see his successes and his projects.
Perched on a tree, he writes a new song which will be called Heal the World.
***
1970, Los Angeles.
It was at night. Michael was sitting on his dresser and looking out his bedroom window. The full moon perfectly lit the streets and the landscape in his view. Everyone was asleep and silence reigned in the house. Not too far from his home, there was a playground. A park with outdoor games, swings, slides and a basketball court. On this court, a silhouette was playing. Intrigued, the young 12-year-old child opened the blinds to better observe the individual who seemed alone. A smile appeared on Michael's face as he saw, what seemed to him to be a child too, playing basketball. He enjoyed watching the kid having fun. Having fun. Something that Michael was not often allowed to do. Between school, practices, concerts and musical creation, Michael did not have much time to have fun. The desire to join this child was invading him more and more. He also wanted to have this right. The right to be a child.
Michael slowly got off the furniture so as not to make any noise. Tiptoeing, he headed towards his bedroom door. On the back of it, a brown jacket was hanging on a hook. Michael took it and carefully opened the door to his bedroom so as not to make it creak. He closed it the same way. In the neighboring rooms, his brothers were sleeping. It was their room. He must not wake them up but especially not wake their father who was sleeping in a room further away with their mother. Michael tiptoed and went down a large wooden staircase in the same way. Once on the ground floor, the young boy walked towards the front door. The door was designed with a large, blurred window so as not to see inside the house. Only the piercing light of the moon penetrated the place. Michael grabbed his shoes and put them on barefoot. He didn't bother to put on socks or change his pants. His blue pajamas were going to follow him outside. He had only one goal in mind: to go and have fun with another child. Hand on the handle, he turned it carefully. No noise should be made. When the door opened, Michael sighed with relief. "Mission accomplished!" he said to himself mentally. He left his large home and closed the door carefully. Freed, he quickly put on his brown jacket and walked down the cement steps in front of his front door. There was no longer any risk of waking anyone up. The streets were empty. It was past midnight on Tuesday. Michael walked proudly towards the park. "I hope he's still here." he said to himself. With a smile on his face, he quickened his pace. The field wasn't too far away. A few more minutes of brisk walking. Alone on the sidewalk, Michael took the opportunity to think about what he would like to play. A bunch of scenarios ran through his head: they could swing, slide, or play hide and seek! A gentle, pleasant breeze tickled his face, bringing him back to reality. When he got a little closer, he saw the same figure he saw through his window still at the basketball court. A child about his age and height. It was dark but a large street lamp lit up the court. Michael smiled broadly and stood still for a moment to observe the individual. The child had his back to him. Dressed in a white tank top, jeans, and a white bandana that covered the entire top of his head. The child hit the ball against the ground a few times before running and throwing it towards the basket. The orange ball headed straight for the ring and fell into the net before smashing the ground again. Michael clapped his hands together in applause.
"Good one!" he yelled.
The child turned around to Michael with a start, making a noise of fear. Michael immediately brought his hands to his mouth, realizing that he had just caught him by surprise.
"Sorry! I didn't mean to scare you." he said with a chuckle.
The child placed his left hand against his chest and exhaled deeply. He seemed relieved to see that it was another child and not an adult who was watching him play. His forehead was beaded with sweat. His hazel eyes were almond-shaped and his skin color chocolate. The two children must have been the same age. Enthusiastic, Michael continued the conversation.
"What are you doing all alone here?"
His listener did not answer. He looked at him perplexed. Michael slowly advanced towards him. He wondered if he would recognize him because Michael was well known. He is still the lead singer of The Jackson 5. His iconic afro made him very recognizable. As he moved closer and closer, Michael could see the child's fine features even better. He widened his eyes. In front of him, it was not a boy but a girl. "A girl who plays basketball? So cool!" he said to himself.
"What's going on? Did a cat eat your tongue?" he joked to lighten the mood.
At this comment, the girl smiled a little and let out a small laugh. Realizing that he had managed to relax her, Michael walked over to the ball that was still trailing behind the girl. He leaned down and took it in his hands. The ball was sandy and had lost its bright color. This object had lived! Michael turned back to the girl to look her in the eyes, still with a big smile.
"Do you want to play?" he asked her.
The girl took a moment to think and shrugged.
"What are you doing up at this hour?" she finally said.
"Ah! You can talk!" he laughed. "I thought you were mute for a moment."
She laughed again and took a determined step toward Michael. She took the ball from his hands and backed up slightly, challenging him with her gaze.
"My name is Maya." she introduced herself.
"Michael." he replied, smiling.
Maya dribbled the ball again and threw it toward the ring. Once again, she scored in it.
"You're good!" Michael exclaimed. "Do you play often?"
She grabbed the ball and spun it between her hands.
"I do sometimes." she replied. "My brother likes it. He showed me some tricks. Look!"
She carefully placed the ball on her right index finger and spun it quickly while balancing the ball. After a few seconds, it fell to the ground. Michael laughed again at this talent.
''That's cool! I can do that too. Look!'' he said.
Suddenly, Michael jumped up and spun his body around for a few turns before stopping perfectly in front of Maya. She laughed in turn and brought her right hand to her mouth to hide her smile.
''Not too dizzy?'' she asked.
''No, I'm fine!'' he replied.
The two children laughed together for a moment then Maya cleared her throat as she looked at her ball in her hands. After a short silence, she looked up at her interlocutor.
''It's late and I really have to go but it was cool to meet you.'' she said.
Michael tried to keep his smile even though he was disappointed with her announcement. He looked down at his feet for a brief moment and looked back up at her.
"Yeah, it was fun." he confirmed. "Shall we do it again?"
She took a moment to think and answered him.
"Tomorrow, I'll come shoot some hoops. I could show you how to balance the ball on your finger!" she offered.
"Great! See you tomorrow!"
The girl giggled again before starting to run in an unknown direction. Michael watched her figure disappear into the distance. Suddenly, a fear took hold of him. What if his parents had noticed his absence? Michael started running towards his house. He was having so much fun that he forgot about his temporary escape.
The sound of his shoes hitting the ground was the only sound that could be heard in the neighborhood. He hurried and prayed that no one was awake. Once he was near his home, he started walking. He didn't want his running to wake anyone. He climbed the cement steps to his front door. He slowly turned the doorknob and ventured inside the house. Not a sound. Michael closed the door behind him and took off his shoes in the greatest silence. He tiptoed again towards the stairs leading to the bedrooms. He climbed quietly and, once upstairs, walked to his room. He opened the door subtly and slipped inside the room. Once the door was closed, he let out a deep sigh. He was safe and no one noticed his absence. He took off his jacket and hung it behind his door before slipping under the sheets of his bed. In the comfort of his bed, Michael thought again about that moment outside. He stared at his ceiling and thought of Maya. He couldn't wait to play with her tomorrow. He couldn't wait to have fun with another kid his age. Fun. Something Michael would like to do more often.
***
In the studio, Michael and his brothers were practicing a song.
''... Oh baby, I was blind to let you go
But now since I see you in his arms
Yes, I do now, ha!
Oh baby, I need one more chance, ha!
I'd show you that I love you, ah, ah, ah
I want you ba-''
The brothers stopped in sync with the last words of the song. Joseph, who was sitting in a chair across from them, stood up and strode imposingly toward his sons. Michael froze as he watched him advance. The silence was endless and threatening. All the brothers remained silent in front of their father.
''Good.'' he finally said to break the silence.
The pressure eased. Michael began to breathe again.
"Michael, you missed a step on the second chorus." he said seriously. "You must not make any mistakes at the concert."
"I will correct my mistake, Joseph." he replied.
The father watched his young prodigy son in silence for what seemed like an eternity. He finally pulled away, looking at the time on the clock on the wall.
"That's enough for today." he announced.
All the boys began to put away their equipment. Tito and Jermaine hung up their guitars while Michael, Marlon, and Jackie put away their chairs, microphones, and their microphone stands. It was 9:00 p.m. Tired from their day's work, the brothers left the studio with heavy eyelids. Each was fighting the fatigue. Tito began to sniff a scent then turned to Michael and smiled at him.
"Do you know what it smells like?" he asked.
Michael took a moment to stop and smell the scent. When he recognized it, a big smile spread across his lips.
"My favorite pie!" he exclaimed.
Without waiting, the young boy hurried to the stairs to climb them. Their personal studio was in the basement of the house. Arriving on the ground floor, Michael ran to the kitchen where his mother was finishing their meal.
"Michael!" she said. "I cooked you-"
"Sweet Potato Pie!" he cut her off.
The two accomplices laughed together.
***
Midnight. Michael climbed onto his furniture to look out his window. Once again, the moon was lighting up the neighborhood nicely. He saw a familiar silhouette at the park. A smile crept up on his face and Michael got off his furniture to get ready for his night out. He couldn't wait to meet Maya again.
He arrived at the park running and out of breath. Maya heard him coming and she turned to him. A smile appeared on her face and she waved her left arm in the air to greet him. He stopped in front of her and tried to catch his breath.
"Are you practicing for a marathon or something?" she said.
"Very funny!" he replied sarcastically.
Maya snickered then threw the ball at him.
"Catch!"
Michael wasn't ready but his good reflexes saved him from a ball in the face. He looked at the ball for a moment and noticed that it was less rigid than the day before. A little more deflated. He didn't pay much attention to it and looked up at Maya with that great desire to play.
''Hey! You almost threw it in my face!''
''I wanted to test your reflexes.''
Michael stuck his tongue out at her and then dribbled the ball a little. Obviously, he was really less gifted than Maya at handling the ball but she looked at him without judging.
''Can you score a point?'' she challenged him.
''Watch and learn.'' he replied.
Michael dribbled the ball awkwardly before positioning himself in front of the basket. He crouched his knees to give himself a boost and threw it but the ball went straight next to the net. Maya held back a laugh.
''Hey! Don't laugh!'' he told her, pretending to be offended.
Maya ran to get the ball and joined Michael.
"No, no, I'm not making fun of you." she said, holding back a laugh.
Michael wasn't touchy. On the contrary, he liked to tease and be teased. Maya made him laugh. Maya sat down next to him and took a more serious tone.
"Watch and observe how you position yourself to throw the ball directly into the ring."
Michael straightened up and took mental notes. Maya followed up with tricks her brother taught her to be so good at basketball. Even though Michael listened attentively, putting into practice the theory she was teaching him was something else!
The young boy positioned himself towards the net and rushed again. The ball hit the ring but fell to the ground without crossing the net. Maya held back her laughter again and went to find her ball.
"That's enough for tonight." she announced. "It's late, I'm tired and I have to go home."
Michael's face was automatically disappoint as he played with his new friend.
"You didn't show me how to balance the ball on my finger." He said, hoping she would stay a little longer.
She slapped herself on the forehead when she realized she had forgotten.
"You're right, oops! Tomorrow then!"
The two children laughed together and waved goodbye. Maya ran in the opposite direction of Michael. The young boy started walking towards his house. He was happy. He had had fun.
***
The next evening after work, the brothers put away the equipment. Joseph was no longer in the studio and Michael approached his brother Jackie. He tapped his arm and his big brother turned to him.
"Jackie, would you like to go buy something with me?" Michael asked.
Puzzled, his brother looked at him questioningly.
***
"A ball?" Jackie asked in exasperation.
In a sports store, the two brothers were walking through the aisles. Michael didn't know much about sports but his older brother did.
''I'd like you to advise me on the best basketball!''
Jackie let out a small laugh and raised his eyebrows. He turned to a row of orange balls and took one of a well-known brand before handing it to his little brother.
''And since when have you been interested in basketball, tell me?'' he asked.
Michael shrugged as he took the ball. He didn't want to talk about his nighttime excursions. He especially didn't want their father to know.
''And why not?'' replied the young singer.
Jackie wasn't convinced. He could see that his brother was hiding something from him.
''Michael-''
''I'll take it, this one's good!'' he cut him off.
Michael didn't want to continue the conversation. All he wanted was for his brother to advise him on the best basketball in the store. Jackie decided to respect his brother's limits and the two returned to their home.
***
Once night fell, Michael got ready to go out. Ball in hand, he was ready for his surprise. He headed to the park. For the third night in a row, Maya was there. As he approached, Michael hid the ball behind his back. He noticed that Maya's ball wasn't bouncing as well as it had the previous days. In fact, it was deflating more and more. It was well worn and damaged!
''Maya!''
The young girl turned to her friend and a big smile appeared on her face. She started running towards the young boy to find him.
''Michael, you came!''
''Of course!'' he said. ''I have a surprise for you...''
The girl arched an eyebrow and Michael pulled the new ball out from behind his back. Maya opened her mouth wide and brought her hands to the latter.
''Wow! It's... it's-''
''It's for you.'' he said softly.
The girl's gaze rose to meet the eyes of her friend who was still holding the ball out to her.
''For... me?''
He nodded to confirm his answer. After a while of silence, Maya smiled again and took it to examine it thoroughly.
''It's great! But... why?'' she asked.
Michael shrugged before answering her.
"I noticed that yours was... let's say... on its last legs. So I wanted to get you a new one!"
At his words, Maya looked down at her feet, still holding the ball in her hands. She seemed sad, all of a sudden. Michael frowned, searching for an answer. Maya looked up and feigned a smile and a laugh.
"That's really sweet. Thank you very much. I appreciate it."
Michael could sense that she was not in her element but decided not to question her. He wanted this moment to be positive.
"Shall we play?" she asked.
He smiled honestly and the two began to play together. Maya even showed him how to balance the ball on her finger! Michael, however, had difficulty balancing the ball. Maya laughed at him and they laughed together. They eventually called it a night because she was tired.
***
The next day, Michael went back to the basketball court hoping to see Maya again. He arrived running and all happy. However, Maya wasn't there. "She must be hiding!" he said to himself. He started to walk around the park laughing in search of his friend. He looked everywhere! He said her name and tried to startle her by suddenly arriving at a place that could potentially be a hiding place but, each time, nothing was waiting for him. After a while, his laughter disappeared and his smile too. Maya didn't seem to be there. Michael stayed there for several more minutes waiting for his friend. Nothing. No one. After an hour, he turned back to his home, disappointed not to have had fun with her.
***
The next night, same scenario. Maya wasn't there. Michael was starting to wonder. ''Why isn't she here?''
***
The following nights repeated themselves: Michael arrived at the park alone and left the same way. Where did his friend go? Sadness began to invade him.
***
Another night, Michael showed up at the park in a gloomy way. He no longer had any expectations. He had been arriving at the park for several days and leaving with disappointment. This time, he saw a silhouette on the basketball court in the distance. A big smile appeared on his face and he started running at full speed. As he got closer and closer, he realized that this silhouette was not that of Maya. He slowed down and remained on his guard. At the sound of his running, the individual who was sitting next to the basket got up and walked towards the boy. Frightened, Michael started to backtrack, hoping that the person had not seen him.
"Hey, wait! Michael, is that it?" the stranger called out to him.
The boy stopped dead in his tracks and slowly turned around to face the man who was walking towards him. He had a black hoodie with jeans. His eyes were the same almond shape as Maya's and his skin tone too. He was much older than her. A teenager or a young adult? Michael couldn't tell. The man walked towards Michael.
"I'm Maya's brother." he said.
His heart stopped suddenly. What was he doing here? Where is Maya? Michael was asking himself a lot of questions that had no answers. He frowned and gathered his courage to walk towards the stranger in front of him.
"His brother? Where is Maya?"
The man took a moment of silence to gather his courage. He bit his lower lip before answering.
''Maya told me about you. She told me you were coming to join her here.''
''Where is she?'' Michael panicked.
''Maya is... in the hospital.''
The Earth stopped spinning. Michael could no longer hear any sound from the world. Only this sentence resonated in his head. In the hospital? What do you mean, the hospital? Frozen, he didn't know what to say. Eyes wide, he stared at Maya's brother.
''She wanted me to tell you.'' he continued. ''So you'd stop coming here to wait for her.''
Still speechless, Michael didn't know how to digest the news. A stomach ache took hold of his body. Nothing was right. He thought he was having a nightmare.
"Wh-Why?" he finally asked.
He was afraid to ask the question because he was afraid of the answer. Maya's brother took a moment to refocus. He didn't want to be emotional. He finally spoke.
"She's... sick."
"What's wrong with her?" he hurried to ask.
The tension was so great that Michael felt like hours were passing right now. His physical discomfort was torturing him.
"Maya... has cancer." he announced.
Total silence. Michael stared at the man in front of him. No sound came out of his mouth. He could only hear the beating of his heart resonating throughout his entire body. He felt dizzy.
"No..." he whispered.
Maya's brother looked up at the sky to control his tears. Michael frowned, trying to control his own as well. It was too much for him, he couldn't hold them back. Tears began to slide down his cheeks.
"Why..." he whispered again.
Seeing the child's emotion, Maya's brother let his guard down and let the emotions take over too. He sniffed and wiped his nose with his sleeve.
"She doesn't have much time left..." he said. "Maya is fighting leukemia."
"Can I... see her?" he asked between sobs.
His brother bit his lip again before answering. Then, after a sigh, he said to him:
"I don't know if-"
"I beg you."
The two looked into each other's eyes intensely. He saw Michael's honesty. He saw how important Maya was to him. A dilemma was in place. Maya has little energy but he sees how important she was to him. He finally answered.
"I won't promise you anything but... I'll talk to her." He said. "I'll get back to you with an answer tomorrow."
Michael sighed in relief. If only he could see her one last time. He wiped his nose before asking him a question.
"What's your name?"
"... Dan. Nice to meet you."
Michael nodded. The two parted ways. When he got home, Michael collapsed in his bed and cried into his pillow. He was so happy to have made friends with someone. He was so happy to be able to escape and have fun. He didn't understand why this was happening. He found it unfair.
***
The next night, Michael arrived at the basketball court empty-handed. Dan was already there. The two greeted each other briefly. The atmosphere was heavy. Sadness reigned.
''Hello.'' Dan told him.
''Hello...''
After a short silence, Dan continued the conversation.
''Maya agreed to see you.''
A slight smile appeared on Michael's face. That same smile disappeared immediately.
''I'll come see her tomorrow.''
Michael looked at his feet. The two were not comfortable in this situation. Dan took a sheet of paper out of his hoodie pocket and handed it to Michael. Michael grabbed it while observing it.
''This is the information for the hospital. The address and room number.''
Michael nodded.
''Thank you...''
He carefully buried the folded sheet in his jacket pocket. Tomorrow, he would see Maya again. For the last time.
***
In front of the hospital, Michael took a deep breath. Anxiety and anguish were at their highest level. He finally walked through the door and headed to the reception. A lady worked there. He introduced himself and asked for directions to A-202's room. A room located in the palliative care section.
In front of the door, Michael took his courage in both hands and knocked on the door. A weak voice that he recognized answered, "Come in." He opened the door and quickly looked around the white room. He stepped forward and their eyes met. Maya's tired face lit up at the sight of Michael. She wasn't wearing her usual bandana, revealing her bald head. Michael tried to hold back his tears but couldn't. He collapsed on his friend's bed, who gently placed her left hand on his big, voluminous hair.
"Don't cry..." she whispered.
"H-How?" he asked, sobbing.
She shrugged her shoulders. Large dark circles were drawn under her eyes. Maya was very exhausted.
"Michael..." she began. "Thank you for being my friend."
He raised his head to her.
"You have a big heart." she continued. "You will accomplish great things in life. Keep spreading your kindness, Michael. It is this same kindness that will heal the whole world."
She smiled at him with the little energy she possessed.
"Promise me to stay as you are."
Tears were streaming down Michael's cheeks. He was not ready to say goodbye to her. She looked at him with tenderness and sincerity. They liked each other very much. They hadn't known each other for long, but they felt like they'd been best friends forever.
"I promise..." he finally said.
She laughed lightly.
"Thanks for the ball."
They held hands.
***
In the studio, the band was practicing. Michael was at the microphone and clearly wasn't dancing and singing like he usually did.
"A B C, It's easy as
1 2 3, as simple as
do re mi, A B C, 1 2 3
baby you and me girl"
Joseph, irritated by his child prodigy's poor performance, stood up furiously and walked quickly towards Michael. All the brothers froze in place, while Michael didn't move. He was like a lifeless body.
"What are you doing, Michael?" he said angrily. "Do you think you can improve if you don't take the performance seriously?"
Michael didn't answer and looked at the ground. His father's words didn't scare him. Not like usual. The sadness was overwhelming him so much that he couldn't concentrate or have the energy to be scared.
"I'm talking to you!" he shouted as he took Michael's arm.
At this gesture, Michael looked up at his father with tears in his eyes. Confused, Joseph let go of his arm and took a step back.
"Why are you crying?"
The young singer clenched his fists and burst into tears.
"It's... Maya..." he said sobbing.
''Who?''
''Maya... My friend Maya... She's... she's...''
He couldn't get the last word out. Jackie's eyes widened and he understood the situation. He put himself between his father and his brother to try to control the situation.
''Joseph... I mean, Dad. Listen to what Michael has to say.''
At that moment, with the support of his brothers, Michael finally confessed everything: his nighttime excursions, his new friendship with Maya, buying the basketball with Jackie, the bad news brought by his brother and his visit to the hospital. Michael explained to them that Maya had died and that the funeral was in the days that followed. A great weight had just been lifted from his shoulders. He had the support he needed.
***
At the funeral, Michael watched Maya's coffin in silence. There was a picture of her next to the several bouquets of flowers. She had long and beautiful black hair on the picture. Many people were crying, including Dan. Michael approached the coffin before leaving the place. He wanted to greet his friend one last time, before leaving. Dan approached.
''Thank you Michael.'' he said. ''Thank you for being her friend.''
The young boy nodded, visibly very affected by the loss of Maya.
''The basketball you gave her is still in her room.''
Michael turned to look at Dan.
''She loved it very much.''
The man smiled and winked at him. He gave Michael a little pat on the back.
***
Years later, Michael is now a very successful man. His album Thriller is now the best-selling in the world. Michael still thinks about Maya, at times. He keeps his promise. Between two albums, he visits hospitals to see sick children. He makes many donations in the hope of saving them. He does not want to see any more children die. He hopes that, from up there, Maya is proud of him. He even thinks about founding an organization to collect donations for underprivileged people. He also wants to open an amusement park and a zoo for children. He would have liked Maya to still be alive to see his successes and his projects.
Perched on a tree, he writes a new song which will be called Heal the World.
The End
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