The INTERNET Friend!

Ronnie ran home, threw his bag on the floor and before even changing his dress or washing his dirty legs and hands, he excitedly switched on the computer.

"Ronnie dear, lunch is ready. Go wash your face and eat something….Oh Ronnie, change your dress, eat your lunch and then switch on the computer", said the angry voice of Mrs. Stevenson when she entered Ronnie’s room.

But Ronnie turned a deaf ear towards her. He was absorbed in reading the messages flashing on his screen. Mrs. Stevenson sadly shook her head and went away mumbling to herself!

But Ronnie did not care! All he wanted to do now was to read the messages that Alexander Mortail was sending….

Just a week before, Ronnie had found a social networking site and he too had followed the craze and joined in! It was here that Ronnie read Alexander’s profile and they became friends. He discovered that Alexander and he had lots of things in common, like their love for ice-creams and chocolates, the Age Of Empire Game, chess, reading etc. They both were in the same classes and of the same age. This made things furthermore exciting!

Like usual, Ronnie and Alexander were excitedly talking about the next level in the AOE game when Alexander suddenly said that he was not like all the other people on Earth! This made the curious chap Ronnie excited! His imagination began to soar and he dreamt that Alexander was an alien from Mars…with two antennas and huge bulging eyes!

“Then who are you?” typed the excited and trembling hands of Ronnie…eagerly waiting for an answer!

“Hey..I got to go! Talk to you tomorrow! Same time and tomorrow I will also unveil my secret!” replied Alexander!

Ronnie did not get a wink of sleep for the whole night! He dreamt about who Alexander was..was he an alien or a boy with supernatural powers like Spiderman or Batman or was he…was he…something really different from what he thought?

Finally the great day arrived. Ronnie excitedly stared at the computer screen. There was nothing in it! Suddenly Alexander replied…a strange message flashed there!

“Switch on the television. Flick to the WWN (World Wide News) channel and you will see me there!” Alexander said!

Surprised at this strange reply Ronnie turned on the television! He flicked channels.. waiting impatiently to find WWN. After some time of changing channels and surfing through the channels...black and white movie, Cartoon Network....WWN! Here it was!

Ronnie couldn’t believe he was in his senses. Before him sat a skinny looking boy on a wheelchair, who had a smile etched on his pale face. He introduced himself as Alexander Mortail!

Alexander Mortal was a physically challenged boy. He was from a wealthy family but his parents could do nothing for his illness. Alexander had lost both his legs and one hand in a car accident and since then, he had been using a wheelchair! He had tried to join normal schools but the kids sneered at him and made fun of his physical inability.

But one day, Alexander’s father bought him a computer. It was then that he learnt about the internet…

He left school and started taking online lessons. He also joined many social networking sites where he made friends with many kids who shared the same passion with him for games and chocolates. He was just like another ordinary internet freak in the virtual world but not in reality!

“I am obliged to be using the internet. I have made many friends who share the same passion as me and do not make fun of my disability. It has provided me with a place to interact with normal kids and talk to them as an ordinary boy” Alexander said in the interview with tears dwelling in his eyes….

Ronnie stared in astonishment at what he saw and heard. He too broke into silent tears after hearing that Alexander did not have a long time to live as the other bones in his body had also been infected and were degrading day by day. Ronnie decided to continue talking to Alexander till he was there…

“I loved your interview!” wrote Ronnie…so how many chocolates did you eat today…I ate 7…………….they continued chatting but they did not know that tears were glistening as the shimmering moonlight on the cheeks of both boys!

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