When did the world get so big? Maybe I was always just a number on a scale, not meant to ever mean much. When I think about it long enough if every light in the world was a person, it would be the sun. No one would notice if a single light went out, because a new one would be turned on. It's so lonely up here, where no one can see me.
"It's a late night and I have nothing to do but sit here," I said.
I wonder about the people in the magazines, the models. I wonder what their life is like. Or all the faces that I see in photographs. What were they doing and who decided to take that photo of them. My heart is starting to race at the thought of an unknown person that isn't on camera taking a picture of someone. Could someone be watching me like that?
"America?" I turned to see China sitting next to me. He kinda smiled at me as he sat down next to me. The hill we are on is just a small hill compared to others. I wonder if it ever feels frustration?
"Yeah China?" I said never looking away from the city lights that seemed to fall into me.
"Nothing, I was just wondering why you are here and not at Mc... another place. Why here –aru?"
"Man China can't a guy sit down on a bench and just look for a while without people thinking he's crazy or some shit?"
"Aiya! Watch that language around your elders!"
"Sorry sensei."
"That's Japanese! Talk to Japan not me! Ahhh! I swear –aru."
"Hey China?"
"Yes?"
"You've lived a long time. Were you ever lonely?"
"You're thinking about that? Well, I have also been lonely. But after I met you and the other nations I started to forget the loneliness. It never went away, so –aru, I think I am still lonely."
"I see what you mean."
Cars honked in a distance and a crash was heard in the distance.
"Don't worry China, another light will be turned on."
"What?"
"Never mind. Hey China? Did you ever wish for someone?"
"Yes –aru, more than my age. I wanted someone to sit next to me and think with me. I know I'm not the most interesting country, but still –aru. I just wanted to speak and for someone to listen."
"I think that is what all of us want, someone to just listen to us."
"Yes. America?"
"Yeah bro?"
"Are you lonely now?"
"Nah, I'm just... weird. Like I want to cry and empty my heart out, but I can't. You know what I mean right?"
"Much more than you do."
"When did you cry from the heart?"
"Hmm. When my government made me enforce the 'One Child Law'. I myself never took a child away, but the fact that it was taken away from its family made me sad for the child. But the saddest part is when the parents knew they couldn't care for the child."
"Woah."
"There was this one child in the sea of millions. Her mother and father never studied, they always fooled around, making promises of making a family. Year after year they would talk about forever. Then suddenly I was passing by and I saw the woman carrying a small child. She had a worried look on her face. She ran to the police station and put the child on the ground. She looked at her baby one last time. There was no picture of her or of the love that put that child into the world. I walked over there and saw the child crying. It was a cold night, the mother couldn't knock on the door or else the police would kill her and the child. So I knocked on the door and waited until the policeman woke up. He picked up the girl and looked at me. On her foot her name was written. He took her in and I left. When I walked back I saw the mother and father crying over the picture of their now gone baby."
"Dude China come one. There has had to been another way than that stupid law. I mean heroes find a way, so there must have been another way."
"There was no other way! I already looked after I saw that family! America, why do people want to see sad movies and read sad stories?"
"I-uh don't really know why."
"Its because they want to cry and remember that they are human. Crying shows us that we are all connected."
"Hey China?"
"Yes America?"
"One day let's cry together."
I'm adopted, so this is what I think my story is. I hope you have enjoyed this.