Zia had just settled into her new school. She was the only new student to join Grade 6 in Excellence Academy in that year. This tall girl with long, straight, dark hair, big green eyes, peach skin and a slim and athletic body, had moved to the city of Penborn from her birth town, Letterpoint, as her father, Aryn Nathan had been transferred to head the new branch of his firm, Ecosure, here. They were given a beautiful villa to live in and her mother, Ria, who was a teacher, had quit her job to be a full-time homemaker. Being the only child, 11-year old Zia had been at the receiving end of all the attention. She was taught to write poems from the age of five by her mother and had been writing poetry in her free time. Her poems won many competitions in her previous school, St. Marie’s Convent School and were published in the school magazine as well as in two other magazines. She had become very popular there but here, no one knew her or anything about her talent.
She wanted to write stories too and wrote one for the story competition of the school called ‘Dream-story Competition’. Her story ‘Hart and Soul’, which was about a little boy, Hart, who saves a stray dog, names it ‘Soul’, becomes its guardian and celebrates its birthday in a special way, was extremely good according to everyone and she was sure that she would win the trophy. The result was announced on the occasion of their school’s 25th Anniversary celebration and to her shock, her batch-mate, Jerry Abe Smith (or Jam, as everyone called him) won the winner’s trophy. Then, Principal Jackson announced that this year, there would be a runner-up trophy too and Zia was invited to the stage to accept it. She smiled and accepted it, although she was quite disappointed. Her new friends, Tanya, Hina, Joy and Grant asked her why she was sad. She said, “ I have always won the first prize in every competition but today my will to write has drowned in sorrow”. Tanya consoled her and told her that Jam is not a topper like her in academics but he reads a lot. The short and chubby boy with olive skin and curly brown hair was very funny and everybody was his friend. He had started writing stories since Grade 3 and won the trophy every year. As Jam was in another division of Grade 6, Zia didn’t know him. Grant introduced Zia to Jam and Jam congratulated her and praised her story. Zia had not read his story. Hence, she congratulated him and promised to read his story which was put up on the school website. When she read it, her mind was blown away. It was called ‘Breathing Life into Words’. It was about a wizard who could create special mantras or chants by breathing life into the words he wrote and would use them to help people. Zia couldn’t stop admiring the way he played with words.
As weeks passed by, she spent time with Jam who was busy writing his sixth story which was about how a young bird wanted to fly as soon as possible but his mother told him that everything has to be done at the right time as the consequences of haste can destroy us and our dreams. When he wasn’t reading out loud, he was talking nonstop about his plans for his 11th birthday party. Zia asked him what his dream was and he said that he wanted to be an author. He was waiting to finish writing his 6th and 7th story as his mother had found a book publishing company called ‘Word-World’. She had spoken to Miss Renita and Ms. Nancy, who were in-charge of publishing books written by kids. They had told her that the book should have minimum seven stories. He also told her that she should gather seven of best poems and publish a book but both of them were stuck on the tip of one hurdle. They needed illustrations for their stories and poems and hand-drawn ones weren’t accepted. Zia told Jam that she would find a digital :y8illustrator for him soon. She and her friends were a part of Jam’s close friends’ group now which consisted of Dan, Sara, Raj and Tiara. Soon, their bond became stronger. Zia was writing a story about a girl on a quest to find a hidden treasure in order to fulfill her father’s birthday wish to start an orphanage. Jam was like her mentor. When she had finished her story, to which Jam had given the title ‘Birthday Treasure of the Dreamworld’, she ran to meet him but couldn’t find him anywhere in school. He hadn’t been feeling well and hence, the group thought he was resting at home. One week passed by but there was no word from him. No one was picking up the calls on his home number. Tiara’s Dad called up his father and what the children came to know shocked the life out of them. Jam was diagnosed with Stage 4 of Blood Cancer (Leukemia). The chemotherapy sessions had weakened him so badly that he barely had a month to live. So, he was sent home. All of them cried for days. His parents consulted many Cancer specialists (Oncologists) but the answer was always the same. No one was allowed to visit him in the hospital. So, when he came home, his friends and their parents took all the precautions and went to meet him. Jam was excited to see them and the gifts they had brought for him. They were speechless as Jam was now bald, frail and couldn’t even walk. He called out to Zia and controlling her tears somehow, she sat next to him. He asked her about her poetry book. Zia told him that her seven poems that he had picked out were accepted but she was still searching for an illustrator. Neither her parents nor his had any money to pay an illustrator. All of Jam’s friends’ parents had contributed towards Jam’s treatment too.
Next day, Zia went to meet Jam again. He had finished his sixth story ‘Jolly Jam’ and was excited to have her read it. She was in awe of his talent. “Just one more story to go and my book will be complete”, he said enthusiastically. He told her that he wanted to write a story similar to her first story, so now, she should mentor him but within few days, his condition deteriorated very badly.
The group was planning for Jam’s 11th birthday celebration but didn’t know what to do as he was in the ICU. Zia called up Miss Renita and explained everything to her. She asked her if there was anyone who could create digital illustrations for Jam’s book. Miss Renita told her that her illustrator friend, Miss Cherry would do the illustrations for free but Jam had only six stories and they needed minimum seven stories to publish the book that Jam called ‘Jam’s Seven Joyful Stories’. She also told her that it would take at least ten days to publish the book and the illustrator would need three days. Sam’s birthday was exactly after two weeks which meant they had just one day left. Zia closed her eyes and remembered the twinkle she saw in Jam’s eyes every time he spoke about publishing his book. She and her mother did the formatting procedure of his six stories and then, she added her first story at the end of it and sent the file to Miss Renita.
The group was about to drop the idea of his birthday celebration in the hospital but Raj’s father managed get them the permission. The night before Jam’s birthday, they kids were making sure that the rainbow coloured balloons and the Superman, Spiderman and Batman decoration cut-outs were ready at Zia’s home, when Miss Renita arrived with 15 copies of Sam’s paperback book of stories with his charming photo in his school uniform on the front cover page. Everyone was extremely happy. Miss Cherry had done beautiful illustrations. Zia thanked Miss Renita who told the kids that Miss Nancy will conduct a live interview with Jam during his birthday celebration in the hospital. Jam always wanted to be recognized for his book publicly and this was the best thing that could happen. All of them expressed their gratitude to Miss Renita, Miss Cherry, Ms. Nancy and ‘Word-World’ publication house in person or via e-mail.
Next morning, as planned, Jam’s father took him for a stroll to the hospital play area as was dressed as Superman and the kids decorated his room with balloons and the decorative stuff. Jam’s mother had baked a book-shaped cake for him. It had his photo on the dark chocolate uppermost layer and the layers in between were of vanilla and strawberry, ending in a dark chocolate bottom layer. Two pen-shaped candles symbolizing the number eleven were put on the top without damaging the white flower-shaped border decoration. Jam’s parents ran a small bakery and hence, the cake looked so delicious that everyone’s mouth was watering. When Jam entered, they softly yelled, “Surprise”. He was overjoyed. He blew the candles, cut the cake, looked at the beautiful decorations and was extremely pleased as everyone sang the ‘Happy Birthday’ song for him, gave him gifts and were dressed as Superheroes. Dan as Spiderman, Grant as Batman, Raj as Ironman, Joy as Aquaman, Tiara as Catwoman, Tanya as Wonderwoman, Sara as Spiderwoman, Hina as Batgirl and Zia as Supergirl. Everything was being recorded by Jam’s nurses. Zia was the last one in the line and she gave him the paperback book of his dreams as his birthday gift. He couldn’t believe his eyes. He was confused as he had written only six stories and went through the book. His eyes were full of tears to see that Zia had added her story to his book in his name to complete his book. The illustrations made him smile. Jam’s parents and Zia sat next to him and kept the laptop right in front and told him about the interview.
Ms. Nancy was excited to speak to Jam and most of the children from their school and neighbourhood were watching and wishing him happy birthday. The publication house had made an e-copy of the book and it was free for everyone to download. Jam had become a star and he hugged his parents and Zia too, and thanked her for the best gift that he had ever received. It was the most memorable day for everyone who was a part of that one hour of pure joy. They distributed slices of the yummy cake among the hospital staff too.
Next morning, when Zia was getting ready for school, her mother called out to her. She went to the kitchen. Her parents told her that Jam had passed away at 7am which was just fifteen minutes ago. He had died holding his book tightly in his hand. Zia felt her heart break into a million pieces. He had called her the sibling that he had always wished for. She cried her heart out at the funeral along with Jam’s parents. Everyone was enveloped in grief. Months passed by and Jam’s book still remained a bestseller.
Zia’s poetry book, titled ‘Poetry Jam of my Jolly Memories’ had a picture of Jam and Zia holding their trophies on the cover and went on to become a bestseller too. Their school honoured Jam by declaring his birthday as the ‘Excellence Academy’s Story and Poetry Day’, when every child could come on stage and read out his or her story or poem. Zia had Jam’s book on the mantle in her room and every time she was upset, she would look at it and see the twinkle in his eyes, which would give her hope and the courage to play with words.
Vizzmaya is a wanderer in the land of stories and an explorer in the sea of poetry. She is 10 years old but her life’s experiences make her writing age faster but gracefully. She is awaiting for the release of not just her first book but all her 7 e-books via Amazon by the end of November, titled- Vizzmaya’s wonderland (parts 1 to 7) which contain poems, stories, write-ups and jingles. She hopes they add positive energy to the lives of everyone who reads them and is passed on to others for their betterment.
Vizzmaya Jalal, a Class 5 student of St. Francis ICSE school, Mumbai, is a poetess, a writer, an aromatherapist, a herbalist, a classical singer, a classical dancer, a keyboard player, a basketball and chess player and a linguist who speaks 9 languages. She is an iron girl who sees her bedridden mother medically suffer like hell each day and yet inspires and motivates her to fly higher with the help of my maternal grandfather’s positive energy and take others along with her beyond the clouds of earthly problems and pain to a peaceful place where spirituality and science live together in harmony; thus staying true to her name, Vizzmaya which means wonderment.