Sandcastle

" Hey hey, how was your weekend Slinx?" asked Charlie.

" Good. You know the usual... I got some rest… read "the time keeper" again… uhh… you know… the usual stuff." said Slinx.

"Oh really? You sure you weren't going somewhere special with someone special instead, you sly dog?" Charlie said. He turned to face Slinx with a smirk, as if he had just solved a puzzle that only 1% of people could solve.

"What!? Course not! Why would you say that?" Slinx's face turned slightly pale as his voice raised, his calm and laid back self was gone in a sudden he heard the question. He was clearly in no mood for taunts regarding his love life.

"Whoah, sorry dude, no need to get all defensive…"

"I was just asking cuz you weren't answering my texts and calls on Sunday, what's that all about?" said Charlie.

"... Sorry Charles… it's just… I wasn't in the mood you know? I was tired after the dream…"

"You're lucid dreaming again?" said Charlie.

"You know what? Forget everything I said, just keep walking." said Slinx.

Seeing Slinx like that made Charlie sigh. He felt a little sad that Slinx wouldn't tell him about the dream, but he knew his friend could be quite a tough nut to crack.

Slinx and Charlie had been best friends for years. The two often enjoyed the other's company and had developed a close bond having known each other for most of their lives. Their friendship often puzzled people who knew them individually. The two were so different in many aspects with almost polarizing personalities.

Their miracle friendship started when a 3-year old Slinx was building a sandcastle in the local park. The park had two facilities: a slide that stood at 2 meters high, requiring quite the climb for a minor to reach. The slide was a favourite amongst thrill seeking children twice the age of Slinx. Slinx did not enjoy the thought of mounting the colossal slide, in his eyes it looked like a giant monster sticking its tongue out.

So naturally Slinx was left with one other option for fun.

The sandpit was a lonely place. The sand was scarce and in the color of reddish brown, it would be more accurate to describe it as a mud pit. Slinx could not remember a single kid step foot into the pit once the sand started to turn brown, rumor was that some kid couldn't hold it and just did the task there. But that didn't stop Slinx from stepping into the sandpit, in fact it made him more eager to be there. No one dared step foot into the pit, basically granting Slinx immunity from being bullied or having to share the place with others. In a weird and unconventional way, Slinx found his own secret base.

Until one day, another kid stepped into the sandpit.

Slinx found someone already in his spot in the sandpit. It was another boy around his age, he was laughing cheerfully with the reddish sand all over his shirt with a hint of green. The boy was quite slim and had a charming smile, he had shining eyes as if they were reflecting treasure. He looked like a popular kid that would get the girls to swoon.

Slinx did not like what he saw. The boy was building on top of the sandcastle he made just yesterday. The boy had stuck figurines into the sandcastle and was role playing with the dolls, all this without the permission of Slinx.

Angrily, Slinx glared at the boy and stomped towards the sandpit. As Slinx approached, he raised his voice, preparing to give the kid a piece of his mind.

"Hey! This is my sandcastle! Go away!"

The boy paused to face him, seemingly confused by Slinx's simple order. So then he proceeded to ignore Slinx, continuing to fill his bucket up with sand.

For a moment, Slinx did not know what to do. He had not imagined that such a scenario could have occured. He did not like what this kid had done, treating him as if he was thin air, or some sort of announcement machine. He felt his cheeks turning red hot, and his heart pounding as his breathing got heavier. All Slinx wanted was a place of his own, but now this kid comes and he is overthrown.

"I said GET OUT!!" Slinx unleashed a shriek out of anger and fear, a pitch so high and loud the whole park could hear.

The kid stopped scooping up sand. Clearly shocked and terrified by the scream, he had accidentally made the castle collapse. Even worse, he was so traumatized that he might have ruined his pants.

There was a moment of silence after the shriek, Slinx had gathered the attention of all the kids in the park, which was soon focused on the kid.

As soon as everyone realised what had happened, a rage of giggling and laughter erupted amongst the other kids, the kid started to cry and tried to cover his pants, but it was too late.

"I was just trying to make it better!" said the kid. He then quickly ran out of Slinx and everyone else's sight.

That day, Slinx got back his sandcastle, but somehow he still cried. It was not because he was angry, but it was his first time actually feeling shame and guilt. He felt a sting that punctured his heart as he rebuilt the castle, for every shove of sand Slinx wept a drop of tear. The guilt of realizing one's own selfish nature and that all his actions were consequently driven by such a motive is something that rarely any adults feel, much less a narcissistic child.

Yet when Slinx saw the kid being bullied, he remembered what it was like to be humiliated. He saw part of himself in the kid: an outcast.

That was when Slinx learnt empathy, and hence learnt to make a friend.

"Charlie? Come here! There's somewhere here to see you."

"Go Away! I don't want to see anyone!"

"Oh darling! Are you still sad about what happened yesterday? It's ok now, your friend wants to see you!"

"Frie..nd? But… no one wants to be my friend now mommy…"

"Don't be silly! Just come out and you'll see…"

Charlie opened his door, he saw his mother at the door standing, alongside her was another adult and a child. The child was holding two buckets and two shovels.

"You… you were the one that hated me!" Charlie said.

Slinx stepped front, he bowed.

"My name is Slinx, and I'm sorry… I… I… want to be your friend."

"Why should I be your friend? You are a bully!" Charlie said as he angrily turned around, ready to return to his room.

"I bought you a new bucket and shovel! We can build a new big sandcastle together now!"

Charlie stopped, curious of the new toys Slinx had brought he turned around. Turns out Slinx had also brought his toy figurines and cars with him.

"We could also play with cars together!" Slinx said shyly

Charlie walked closer to Slinx and held out his hand, hesitantly Slinx handed over one of his cars into Charlie's palm.

"Do you promise not to make fun of me?" Charlie said.

"I promise." Slinx said.

"Then from now on we are best friends!" Charlie reached out to Slinx's pinky and made him pinky-swear.

Charlie smiled, and for some reason Slinx found himself smiling too.

And from that moment on, they were no longer outcasts, they had each other.