A Tong sat in the middle of the garden, surrounded by still rabbit statues that stared forward without warmth or sound. Their stone faces could not comfort him. His small body curled inward as he cried, voice breaking into sharp, lonely calls for his mom. Each cry echoed between the statues, making the space feel even emptier.
He looked around again and again, hoping one of the familiar footsteps would appear. But nothing moved. Only the rabbits remained, cold and unmoving, watching as A Tong’s tears soaked his cheeks. He reached out once, touching a statue’s smooth surface, then quickly pulled his hand back. It wasn’t alive. It wasn’t mom.
Fear slowly turned into sadness. A Tong’s cries softened into sobs, then rose again when panic returned. He hugged his knees, rocking slightly, calling louder, as if his voice could travel far enough to bring her back. To him, being left in the middle felt like being forgotten. His chest tightened with every breath.
Caregivers stood nearby, watching carefully, ready to help but allowing space. They knew A Tong needed to express what he felt. His cries were not noise. They were meaning. They were love searching for reassurance.
Minutes passed slowly. A Tong’s voice grew hoarse. He paused, sniffed, and listened. Suddenly, a familiar sound reached his ears. Footsteps. His head lifted sharply. His eyes widened. He cried out again, this time with hope mixed into the sound.
Mom appeared at the edge of the garden. The moment A Tong saw her, his whole body leaned forward. He scrambled up, running clumsily past the silent rabbits, crying louder with every step. When he reached her, he clung tightly, burying his face against her chest.
Mom held him close, stroking his back, whispering softly. A Tong’s sobs slowed, replaced by shaky breaths. The statues faded into the background, powerless now. In his mom’s arms, the world felt alive again.
A Tong didn’t cry because he was weak. He cried because love, when small and pure, feels loss deeply. And when love returns, even stone rabbits cannot stand in its way.
