A Poem Like You

Rhyme

24th December, 1994 ~ Christmas Eve

"Do you have some more food?"

At Angel's plea Kiaan thought about what best could he bring out at this hour.

"Would you like some peanut butter, jam and bread?"

"Is that your favourite?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Well I have never had one before, so if you say it's your favourite, I'll have the same."

Kiaan for some reason found this quite strange. He had to ask, "Why do you trust my taste? It could taste horrible and you might not even like it."

The boy in front of him was not deterred and instead counter asked, "Does it taste bad?"

"Nope."

"There you go. For some reason you don't seem to be a person who would harm others and I can be very good judge of people around me. My instincts says I should trust you."

This time Kiaan was absolutely astonished by Angel's answer, "For a kid my age, you sure do talk like an adult."

"Become my friend and you'll learn more about me."

"Oh! What's the first thing I'd learn about you?" Kiaan had to challenge him, but Angel was far quicker and smarter in replying, "That you should never keep me waiting. Now where is my peanut butter, jam and bread?"

Laughing at the boy's impatience, Kiaan quietly snuck back into his house, so as to not disturb his parents and lucky for him, they seemed to be minding their own business. On his way out, Kiaan thought he would be undetected, but was caught and luckily it was just by Indigo.

Together they crawled back into the barn where Indigo first trotted towards the stranger and made a low guttural sound. The scent was familiar of the thief who kept stealing his food.

"Indigo!"

With a warning from his friend, Indigo did back down but continued keeping vigil. If this kid would threaten Kiaan, then all bets are off. What he didn't expect was that the thief would tear half portion of his food and place it in front of him.

Kiaan was surprised too. Never did he anticipate a starving soul to feed another, but Angel wasn't like a normal person to Kiaan; he already seemed special.

"I am sorry. Shouldn't have stolen your food. Here, you can have some from mine." Angel carefully watched as the dog came closer. This time he did not growl but rather licked his fingers and came even closer enough to sniff and detected him to be friendly. With now acquaintances made, Angel scoffed remaining food and even though he was hungry, he didn't dare ask for more. The boy was already kind enough and one wouldn't do good by using another's magnanimity.

"Do you live nearby?" Kiaan enquired and Angel was perplexed as to how he should answer this question.

"Close by." The answer was vague.

"Won't your parents be searching for you?"

That question hurt Angel; but placing a brave face he answered, "Not really. They're busy."

Not total lie.

"Do you want to go back home?"

Angel was quiet. He didn't want to go back to that s**t hole.

"Well you can stay here if you want. My dad can drop you off at your home tomorrow." At that option Angel wanted to be hopeful.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, but then I can't take you back to my place. Mom and dad always keep insisting that I shouldn't let strangers into our house."

At Kiaan's innocence Angel grinned, "But you're letting me stay in here."

"Yeah, but then we are friends now, aren't we? Plus, Indigo is here and he's there to protect me."

Angel could never dream of harming the boy who fed him when his own parents hadn't.

"Look, I need to go back. My parents would soon be checking up on me. Once they go to sleep, I'll sneak back in here. Alright?"

All Angel could do was nod. Just as he saw the boy leave, Kiaan suddenly turned and lifted his little finger, "Promise me you'll be here when I get back."

Unable to comprehend as to why was the boy raising his little finger; Kiaan quickly took hold of Angel's little finger and shook with vigour, "Now that you've promised to stay; you can't leave."

With that he was gone and the barn was all quiet and cold. Angel just hoped that his new friend would be back so that he wouldn't be lonely afterall. It had indeed been too long since another soul even spoke to him kindly; and even though Kiaan was one who christened him as Angel, for him it's Kiaan who was his saviour.

Kiaan had never done this before but knowing that his new friend is out there, he patiently waited for his parents to sleep and when the coast was clear, Indigo and he snuck back out to the barn. Kiaan hoped with all his heart that Angel kept his promise, and to find Angel asleep on top of some heaps of hay; Kiaan was ecstatic.

Luckily he had brought over a blanket for Angel. Covering him and careful to not wake the sleeping boy, Kiaan laid down on the cold floor soon to be joined by his ever faithful companion Indigo, and the prayer on Kiaan's lips were to let them all be together forever.

©

24th December, 1994 - Day of Christmas

"Kiaaaaaan!!!"

Kevin was frantic. He thought his son would be up and ready to open up presents but that was not the case. It was now seven in the morning and there was no sign of Kiaan anywhere.

"Kevin, call the police. I can't find Kiaan!"

Tonya was on verge of tears. This had never happened before. She as usual had gone upstairs to wake him and found his bed empty and cold. Even Indigo was no where to be found.

"Did you check the barn?" At Kevin's enquiry she looked up and shook her head.

They both ran towards their backyard when they saw Indigo lazily trotting out. Sprinting, they hastily opened the door and were shocked to their son sleeping next to another kid. Kiaan was covered with a blanket while the other boy though unkempt was shivering and it seemed he had fever.

"Tonya-"

"I got it. Get the two of them inside and we'll look into it."

By the commotion they created, Kiaan stirred from his sleep and saw two things. One; the blanket he placed on Angel's body last night was now on his and secondly; his father glaring at him in anger. But before words could be spoken, Kiaan saw his father gently lifting Angel in his arms and walking towards their house.

"What is wrong with him?"

He asked but received no reply and that's when Kiaan knew he was in trouble.

"Dad-"

"He's unwell. He's having fever." That was all the explanation he got from his father. For now he knew it was best to remain quiet. Watching his parents work their magic on Angel, all Kiaan could do was wait and as usual Indigo joined him. Taking a seat on the ground, Kiaan rested his back against the wall as his eyes glazed at the sight of Christmas Tree in main living room.

Seconds turned into minutes and finally his parents joined him. It was Kevin who asked, "Kiaan, who is that boy?"

"He's my friend from Santa."

This was not the answer Kevin and Tonya were expecting.

©

|Rhyme|

Rhyme, also spelled rime, the correspondence of two or more words with similar-sounding final syllables placed so as to echo one another. Rhyme is used by poets and occasionally by prose writers to produce sounds appealing to the reader's senses and to unify and establish a poem's stanzaic form.