What is a 'Promise'

What is a ‘Promise’?


    A little girl walked the streets of France while she had a tight grasp on her mother’s hand. Her large eyes lit up when a dove, as white as snow and as pure as heaven, swooped down low and glided right in front of her. The child was mesmerised by the bird’s swift and fluid movements. She broke away from her mother and ran to the edge of a busy road, reaching out her hands to try and catch the dove before it flew too high. Its wings were spread wide and as the child leaned forward further, the dove began to aim for the clouds. The child blinked and her attention switched from the winged animal to a figure sat upon a red roof of a tall house. As her arms fell down, her body began to collapse, but she did not take her eyes away from the person. Her mother was quick to catch her daughter. The child’s hand was back in the palm of her mother’s and she received a thorough lecture on how she was not to run away nor get too close to roads. The child stared at the pavement with her cheeks puffed out and a pout on her chubby lips. As they began to walk hand in hand once more the child glanced up at the person seated up high.

    Francis observed the world from his rooftop. The wind combed through his chin-length locks of golden hair as he smiled at a young girl who had glanced up at him. When she nearly fell into the road, Francis launched himself forward and almost tripped over a roof tile. He had steadied himself and the child had been saved by her mother. He let out a breath of relief as he settled back down and stared up into the calm, blue sky. A strange sensation, that was not unfamiliar to him, began to stir in the pit of his stomach.

    The little girl had reminded him of what his fiancée had once said. She had discussed with Francis that she wanted to start a family, or more specifically that she wanted a little girl after they were wedded. When she had said that, she was still on her feet and could dance with him. A frown curved Francis’ lips and he closed his eyes. She believed she would still have that baby girl even when she spent most of her time in a creaky wheelchair. Francis felt his heart sink as he pictured her smile in his mind.

    That smile on her face was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. Even when she had lost her hair because of the therapy, that toothy grin brightened her face and she remained picture perfect. While other people commented on how she had become pale and sickly thin, Francis could see the passion she had for life and living and that was enough to put the colour in her cheeks. There had certainly been nights where she had curled up and fell into the darkness of depression and fear and it was those nights that hurt Francis the most.

    When she was sad, Francis could not help but let the tears roll down his cheeks. When he did not see her smile or hear the chirpy song of her voice, he would be reminded that she would die. She was a magnificent fighter and told Francis that if she could do it, then so could he. That had been enough to make him wipe away the tears.

    Francis stood up. He spread his arms out with his eyes still tightly shut and felt the breeze rush against him. “Jeanne” he whispered as he repeated their last words to each other in his head.

“Promise me you will continue to live…”

“I promise, Jeanne.”

    “I promise…” he uttered out loud. “I promised I would keep living for you, Jeanne.” A large smile was on Francis’ lips as the embrace of Jeanne and the Lord took him in. The cold air became warm and the impact of the hard street became the gentle kiss Jeanne placed upon his forehead.

    Francis opened his eyes and looked up at his fiancée, Jeanne. She shook her head from side to side and began to sob uncontrollably. “You broke your promise, Francis.”

    He raised his hand and put a finger upon the dream’s lips. “No, living isn’t living at all without you. I couldn’t possibly do it without you by my side, as you mon cher, reminded me day after day what it is to be alive.”

    The sight of Francis’ mangled and withered corpse spread across the pavement in front of his house startled a lot of people. His neighbours had suspected he would do such a thing after Jeanne’s death, but the sound of his bones cracking against the street had been something they could have lived without having heard. The corpse was taken care of quickly and efficiently. Some who had seen him fall said that Francis still had a smile on his face, even after the impact, others just chose not to speak about the incident.