“Devil’s Darning Needle” Limited Edition

Years ago, I received a phone call from someone close to me. He told me he heard that I missed him. When he said that, I told him no, I didn’t, knowing full well I did. He asked me if I wanted him to come back up so I could see him. I said I didn’t care, but he still told me he would come up the next day and see me and stay for a week. The next morning, after I got home from school, I went upstairs to let my mom know I was home, only to see her in tears. I asked her what was wrong, and she told me that he had died of a drug overdose. My heart dropped. I ran and ran until I collapsed outside. As I lay on the ground, I heard my mom yelling my name, but I didn’t respond. I just looked up at the stars and said, “Why?!” I felt everything leave my body. I felt I had nothing left. The only thing that made me get up and go back to the house was my mom’s voice and knowing that I had to stay strong and comfort her. She lost someone she had known her whole life, so I knew I couldn’t be selfish. So I stayed strong, but in doing so, I have never fully recovered from that loss.

The next day, I was sitting in my car, and a dragonfly flew by and stopped inches away from my face. It just looked at me as it flapped its wings for what seemed to be an eternity. It felt like the dragonfly was trying to tell me something, and I felt that I could hear it. It was telling me everything would be okay and that it would watch over me.

As a kid growing up, we are told to man up and not let people see us cry. It’s a sign of weakness. Hold your head up and be strong. But let me tell you, it’s the complete opposite. It takes a strong individual to express their feelings. So never be afraid to do so. Always express how you feel, because you never know when you will have a chance to again.

This piece is called “Devil’s Darning Needle”.