The Birthday Gift
“Okay, Ona. Let’s hurry and get to shade at the walls.” When they reached, Octavia ripped off her mask and collapsed, gasping for air like a fish out of water. “Ona! Are you okay? Do you need your pump?” He panicked, reaching into his backpack for her precious inhaler. Breathlessly she shook her head, sucking in the life-giving, yet so dangerous air, lungs working double-time. But at least on this desolate hill, far from anyone, the only thing to worry about was the air pollution. Bell was getting more and more worried. So many things could go wrong. Someone would catch Octavia as an under-8 minor who was out. Their parents would be fined RM1000 for letting an at-risk person out of the house — even though they had snuck out. And if she got sick, they would have to rush her to the ICU again; their parents could not afford it. But this was all Octavia had wanted for her birthday: to go out of the house and see “the small jungle and the scary lake” that he showed her pictures of so often. He tried quelling his racing mind as they walked past the crumbling cement walls and rusted chained gates. Drooping sadly from the gate by one end was a faded sign: Closed Temporarily For Repairs. When they reached a large rain tree that overlooked the stadium, Bell boosted her up into the lower branches. Octavia’s eyes shone with delight at yet another part of the adventure. She knew his stories so well, he didn’t even have to tell her where to climb.
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