Chapter 2, Part 2: The Bridge Riddle

*Ash Dewy Flashback*

Nineteen years ago, the prodigy was born in the small town of the Philippines. His name is Ash Dewy Liam.

He Has White hair and Beautiful Green eyes. His skin is white as snow and his lips are red as the ripe apple.

At the age of three, Ash Dewy Liam has learned how to read, solves maths, and even played chess. His parents were so shocked and amazed by how amazing Ash Dewy is.

At the age of five, his parents decided to let him take an IQ test. After the results came out, they couldn't believe that the 5 years old child has over 200 IQ in the young age. Many people called him the Gifted, Child Prodigy, and the genius.

Four years later, Ash Dewy discovered that the other kids were playing called Video Games; the game that the kids were playing is the first version of Super Mario. He was so interested in how to play that, so the other kids taught him how to play. The other kids were so amazed how he managed to complete the game in one day without dying a single bit.

Ash told his parents to buy him some game capsules, but his parents were so anxious that what if it will affect his studies, what if he will get addicted to it.

His parents didn't buy him the game capsule, so he was just looking at the other kids playing video games.

One day there was a transferee in his class, he wasn't interested in getting along with that kid because he looks rich and a spoiled brat.

At lunch time, the transferee kid was surrounded by his new classmate. His classmate was so jealous of him because he has the brand new PSP.

'He was just flexing it to get popular'

Ash thinks that the transferee kid was just trying to get popular, but then the kid let his classmate use his PSP and Ash was getting even more jealous of his classmate than him.

A month after, the transferee kid was so amazed by Ash Dewy because he perfected all of his exams.

"Wow! A perfect score! You're amazing bro!"

The transferee kid said while he was looking at Ash test papers. His mouth was so wide open and couldn't believe Ash did that.

"The test wasn't even that hard."

Ash replied while he was blushing a little bit because he was embarrassed at him being praised.

"I wish I can also perfect my exams so that my parents will be happy. My parents are always busy at work and they don't have enough time for me. I only wished they could spend a little time with me."

The transferee kid was feeling upset a little bit after he told Ash about his parents. Ash pitied him for not having a touch of a care of his parents while his parents were over caring for him.

"Then I will help you with your study then, so that your parents will be proud of you."

"Really!"

"But, there's a condition."

"What? Money? I have some."

"Not money, but every time I will teach you must lend me your PSP for an hour a day."

"That's all"

"Yup that's all."

The transferee kids were so happy when Ash will help him from his studies, he hugged him very tightly and Ash got embarrassed.

"H-hey, w-what are you d-doing."

"Thank you so much, thank you" The kid whispered*

"By the way, I'm Ian Heves, and you?"

"I'm Ash Dewy Liam"

They were shaking their hands as if the contacts is already settled

After school, Ash always goes to Ian's house and helps him in his study. Ian let him borrow his PSP for almost everyday.

On the day of the results of their examination, Ian got the Top 10 of his class. He was so happy that he cried so hard that all his efforts were paid.

"How should I tell my parents that I got to the top class, what should I do Ash!"

Ian was trembling because of nervous of how he would tell his parents about his grades.

"W-will they finally notice me?"

Ash grabbed Ian's shoulder and looked at him like there was nothing to worry about.

"I'm sure your parents will be proud of you. Just tell them what's in your heart. Sometimes people can't get through to us, that's why we need to approach them to get some connection."

Ian becomes confident because of what Ash said to him. He was so motivated to tell his parents about his grades, so then he decided to tell them.

One day after Ian was so happy that he couldn't stop smiling. He once again tightly hugged Ash.

"Ash, my parents were so happy and proud of me when i showed them my grades! And my parents were planning to take a day off this coming Sunday so that we could spend time together. I know my thanks and letting you borrow my PSP is not enough for you, that's why I asked my parents to buy a new one and gave it to you. Here take it, this is the token for helping in my study."

"W-what? Really? Can I have it?"

"Yes of course! We are bestfriend now, we have each other's back."

And that's how Ash and Ian got being best friend.

Ash was so happy that Ian gave him a brand new PSP, he couldn't wait to bring it to his house and play with it for almost every day.

When Ash got home, he was still holding and playing his PSP. His mother saw Ash holding a PSP.

"Ash what is that?"

"Oh Mom! My friend gave me this because I was helping him with his studies."

"That's why you're always late coming at house because you were just playing around with your friends!"

"No Mom! I was helping him with his studies, and helping him with his studies. It means We are studying together. Here my exam papers, all of them are full marks. See my study didn't affect me by playing some video games."

"Shut up! And give me that! Tomorrow you will return this to him and don't talk ever again, understood?! Now go to your room and read some books!"

Ash ran off to his room and jumped to his bed and started crying.

"Why can't I play some games that I want, why do my parents were so against it. I'm just a kid that was searching for fun."

When Ash got in his classroom, he returned the PSP to Ian and didn't say single words and sat down in his chair.

"Hey Ash What's wrong? Why did you return it to me?"

"You Ian, I'm so jealous of you. Even though you didn't get the highest grades in the class, your parents are still proud of you."

Ash was so sad that he couldn't even make eye contact at Ian's eyes because he's scared that he will cry again.

"Don't worry, I will let you borrow this every lunch time okay? it's still yours but I'll be the one to keep it, okay?"

Ash just nodded and Ian went back to his perspective chair.

Everyday was still the same, Ash and Ian are still playing video games together. They laughed together and trust each other's back

Four years after, his parents caught Ash playing some computer games in a computer shop. His father was so angry that he slapped Ash's face.

"How many times do I have to tell you that you are forbidden from playing some video games!"

"What's wrong playing with video games! As if I'm going crazy if I play video games!"

His father got angry and slapped him again.

"See that is the problem! Because of that video game you learn how to speak back to your parents!"

"The video games didn't teach me this, you did! If you just let me do my stuff, I won't be like this! As if I'm a bird in a cage teaching it how to speak like a dog. As if I'm your slave, that in every command that you will give, I must do it. Where's my freedom? Dad, where is my freedom!"

Ash's father punched him in the face and knocked him down on the floor. Ash looked at his father with malice eyes.

"I'm gonna contact your aunt in the US and enroll you in a very strict school, so that you won't stick with that boy ever again!"

Ash didn't control his anger and started crying and shouted at his dad "I wish you two will die!" And run off to his room.

Ash's mother was crying after he said that to his parents.

"Honey I think we should let Ash do what he want"

"No Emelda, we must send him off to the States and let him live there with his aunt. This coming Friday we will go to the states and talk to my sister for Ash to be transferred there."

Friday after, Ash's parents finally fly off in the Philippines. Ash and his three years old little sister was left at home

Day after the flight of his parents, there was news that there's a plane crash yesterday. And it was the plane of which Ash's parents rode off.

After that, some police told Ash that his parents are dead due to a plane accident. He couldn't believe that they were dead.

"Why? Why?! Why does it need to be my parents' death? Why?

Ash was crying overnight in his room and being depressed for almost 3 days. After the funeral of his parents, Ash almost gave up on everything and planned to kill himself too.

"What's the use of this brain? Isn't because this existed to make my parents proud? But now they're gone, how can they still be proud if they can't see me now from now then!"

He was acting so strangely and almost became crazy. Suddenly his sister come into his room

"Ash, eat. My tummy hungry"

Ash looks at his little sister as if there's a light coming out in an endless dark tunnel. He stopped crying and started to smile again. He found a new hope to keep on living.

'Oh... what a cute little kid. When I was your age, I could already talk like an adult. Haha what a funny kid.'

"Okay your brother is gonna cook now! You must eat a lot okay to grow faster."

Ash's new hope is his little sister's smile, he swore to himself that he will protect her until the end.