"Mama, I want to ride Mary go round", cried Anna after becoming impatient at the fair in the small village of Kingham in Oxfordshire, England.
"No my baby... you're too young for that, why not check out that toy store there and buy you a new toy", said Anna's mother.
"Okay, momma, then I want a new doll", said little Anna.
"Okay, let me buy a new doll for my little princess", replied Anna's mother.
The two went to the toy store, where a lot of children were standing looking at the toys. The shopkeeper was warning the children not to touch the toys as they could break some of them.
Anna's mother took her in her arms and said, "Now take a good look at the dolls, I will buy you whatever you want".
Anna took a good look at the dolls in the toy store and saw in the corner a doll with a bell hanging around her neck. She was as cute as an angel with blue eyes... Anna said excitedly "Mama that there's a doll with blue eyes and a bell that I want".
The shopkeeper gave the doll to Anna and Anna's mother paid the price. Anna was very happy to get that doll. At least now she found someone she could talk to, she didn't care because the new friend she found she wouldn't talk back, still she was very happy... He kissed his mother to show his gratitude "Thank you, mama", said little Anna. Gratitude is a beautiful way of enriching our lives. It refers to the feeling and attitude of appreciation and thankfulness for the good which we receive in life. It has been proven scientifically that when we express our gratefulness to other people, we feel happier and calmer. Thus, it allows goodness to enter our lives. For instance, when a stranger holds the door for you or greets you, it makes you feel happy. Little Anna was overjoyed with her new toy that her mother bought for her from the fair...
The fair was full of people for entertainment and business activities. There were many hawkers running sweets and toy shops... Many hawkers were selling wooden hand made frame flutes, whistles and many light weight toys. Some hawkers were selling artefacts, jewellery, crafts etc. It was great fun for the kids as there were many fun hawkers and swings.
Anna was having a lot of fun with her mother, but soon they got a little tired so Anna's mother said "let's sit there on that bench and eat something sweet".
"Okay mama but I'll have an ice cream", said little Anna.
They sat on the bench and took an ice cream and popcorn from the shop next to the bench.
Anna was enjoying her ice cream. Soon she saw a clown watching her... He has some balloons in his hand and he is slowly coming towards her, with a wicked smile and dirty teeth on his face. .. He was giving a balloon to every child who came to him. Anna thought, "I'll go and get a balloon, what if that clown comes to me without any balloons in his hand, all the balloons will have run out to reach me"... Joker looking at Ana was standing and smiling, he was slowly coming towards Anna and her mother. Anna looked at her mother. She was engrossed in eating popcorn as well as the people having fun at the fair... Anna got up from the bench and started walking towards the clown. The Joker saw that Anna was approaching him so he shook his hand and called her to gesture to him using his fingers. Anna's mother was unaware of this. She was busy watching the people who were enjoying. For the first time in her life she was so careless... Anna went to the strange clown who gave her a balloon filled with hydrogen gas or something the wicked looking clown knew but said "little anna enjoying the fair, here's your favorite red balloon".
"How do you know my name, Mr.," asked little Anna, looking at the clown with a strange look.
The Joker had a wicked smile on his face and touched Ana's cheek and said "I know a lot about you dear Ana, not only that, I know everything about every kid who comes to this fair".
Anna was very scared. Her mother also soon realized that Anna was not on the bench next to her, but just the doll she had bought for Emma... She took the doll in her hand and looked in every direction. He saw that many children were walking around with different colored balloons in their hands... She was horrified when she realized she couldn't see Anna anywhere, saying "Ana, Anna... where are you" by name but there was no sign of her. She ran to inquire whether they had got Emma announced in the name of the missing persons at the fair... but still to no avail. Now she was sure that her daughter Anna had disappeared or had been taken away from her... She became an easy prey for a man with bad intentions. She was blaming herself for being such a careless mother. She was crying like crazy, she lost her daughter in a way that no one could have imagined. She kept asking "Why only my Anna, tell me why only my daughter" but there was no answer to this question.
A mother lost her daughter and a daughter lost her mother... an unbearable pain for a lifetime. A pain that scares every parent. Pain, suffering, poverty, disease, anguish, and many other forms of negativity are aspects of our lives that are as necessary as they are unfortunate. If we couldn't feel pain, we wouldn't know how to appreciate all of the ways we have been blessed. In an absence of suffering we could never know what bliss is. No parent in this world even likes to think that their kids disappear just like Anna.
THE END...
©ivanmaximusedwin2@gmail.com