Everyone, meet Lucy. She just moved into the neighborhood, East Vale neighborhood. One week there and everybody hated her. She wanted to make friends, she loves to make friends and she loves to help people but as those soft hands reach and friendly smile of hers, they just ran away.
Everyone was freaked out by her. Lucy was too happy, not a sorrow in her life. Her family was family, even her pet turtle was happy. The whole neighborhood believed that something was wrong in that family, nobody could be as happy as they could, it was just impossible but they couldn't find a single thing that was wrong. Lucy always played at her backyard and she always had tea parties with her dolls.
Her dolls were her only friends. Whenever Lucy sees the postman or ice cream man she would run to them with so much joy and she would run to them laughing even though nothing funny was going on, she just had so much happiness in her. With that, it would brighten up anyone's day except for her neighbors. Their neighbor, Anna, would peep out her window, spying on Lucy, hoping she could spot something wrong.
Every weekend, Lucy's parents would bring Lucy out to somewhere fun. Like, museums that Lucy had always wanted to go to or fireworks every night, Soon, not only the neighborhood was freaked out by Lucy but envious of her too. This went on for another week or two. Soon, the neighborhood was back to normal. Quite and dull. Anna heard the sound of the ice cream truck and thought to herself, "What a drag, I got to hear this tune for another 20 minutes all thanks to that Lucy. Why must she talk to everyone she see!" But she was wrong. Within a minute the sound fades away. She did her usual routine, she peeped out of her window but Lucy wasn't there. Now this got her curious. Then she decided to be the nicest neighbor they've ever had. Lucy's door bell rang. Her parents answered and at the door was Anna with a smile on her face as wide as Cheshire the cat a basket fill with goodies just for them and said, "Welcome! Sorry I didn't get chance to welcome you before I was just oh so busy" Lucy's parents smiled back with their awkwardly swollen. Anna as freaked out as always asked, "Is Lucy home? I would like to pass her a yummy chocolate bar" Lucy's parents were taken a back, no idea how to answer Anna. Lucy's mum walked back into the house.
Lucy's dad stepped out of the house, closing the door behind him and said, "Lucy passed away". Anna's jaw dropped, "How?! When did it happened?!" Lucy's dad replied, "Well she had cancer and the doctor told us she only had a month to live" Anna was filled with shame for swearing at that little girl in her heart, "I'm so sorry to hear that" Lucy's dad smiled at Anna, "It's okay, I wouldn't be that upset, Lucy has lived the past few weeks like it was the last day of her life. In fact, moving here was part of her bucket list. I'm just glad she managed to finish it. If you don't mind I need to get back in now, I've got some work to do". And as Lucy's dad shut the door, Anna walked back to house step by step, thinking how cruel was the world.
Thinking how mean she was, thinking how envious she was because she couldn't have a happy childhood like Lucy and not appreciating for fortunate she already was. She could have made Lucy's childhood so much better. Now all that was left is a neighborhood filled with regrets and even more dull than they've could imagine.
Friesinburger