The Narratives – Mohamed Miah

I

James, Jim, and John were three peas in a pod. Everyone knew them as the inseparable trio, always together, yet always different in their own ways. James was the fun one, the one everyone wanted to be around. He would light up any room, bringing smiles and energy wherever he went. 

Jim was quieter, more reserved, often watching from the sidelines, content to let James take the spotlight. John, on the other hand, carried a constant edge to him. He didn’t trust easily, and his temper could flare up over the smallest things.

“You always have to be the centre of attention, don’t you, James?” John grumbled one afternoon, as they sat together in the park.

James laughed, shrugging off the comment. “Well, someone’s got to keep things lively around here. You’d have us all moping around otherwise.”

Jim, sitting between them, smiled softly but didn’t say much. He rarely did. “It’s not about being the centre of attention, John. James just… likes to enjoy things. That’s all.”

“You would say that,” John muttered under his breath, arms crossed, eyes scanning the surroundings as if waiting for something to go wrong.

Their dynamic was simple yet complicated. James brought the light, Jim balanced the calm, and John shielded them from the world.

II

“Come on, lads, we need some excitement! How about a road trip?” James suggested, his eyes glinting with excitement. 

Jim hesitated, glancing at John before quietly speaking, “I don’t know, James. I’ve got a lot on my mind…”

“Exactly why you need a trip! It’ll clear your head!” James was already up, pacing back and forth, ideas running through his mind. “We’ll hit the coast, grab some fish and chips, maybe even go for a swim. Jim, you need it, mate.”

“Fine,” Jim sighed, his reluctance still clear. “But let’s take it easy, yeah?”

John, leaning against the doorframe, raised an eyebrow. “What’s the catch, James? You always have something in mind when you’re this excited.”

“No catch, just fun!” James grinned, but John remained unconvinced.

As the day unfolded, the road trip was exactly what James promised—full of laughter, energy, and spontaneous adventures. Jim found himself relaxing, even if only slightly, as the waves lapped at their feet. But John never truly relaxed. His eyes darted around, constantly scanning for trouble. “Watch it, James,” he muttered as a group of strangers passed by too closely.

James shook his head with a chuckle, “Relax, John. Not everyone’s out to get us.”

The dynamic between them kept shifting—James pushing for joy, Jim searching for peace, and John standing guard against imaginary threats.

III

It wasn’t always fun and games, though. Jim often found himself retreating into his mind, overwhelmed by thoughts he couldn’t shake off. He’d lie in bed for hours, unable to move, listening to James urging him to get up.

“Come on, Jim! Let’s get out and do something!” James would say with his usual enthusiasm.

But Jim couldn’t move. “I… I just need a moment. I don’t feel like it today,” he’d murmur, his voice barely above a whisper.

John’s patience wore thin. “You can’t keep doing this, mate! Sitting here, sulking. You’re always bloody dragging us down.”

“I’m not sulking,” Jim replied weakly, staring at the ceiling. “I just… can’t do it today.”

“Well, snap out of it, because the world isn’t waiting for you,” John snapped.

James stepped in, trying to soothe things over. “Let him be, John. Not everyone has our energy, yeah? He’ll be okay.”

But Jim didn’t feel okay. The heaviness in his chest was suffocating. He wanted to be like James, carefree and full of life, but some days it felt impossible. John’s constant impatience only made it worse, and James’ relentless optimism often felt like pressure he couldn’t live up to.

IV

John’s distrust grew by the day. He couldn’t shake the feeling that something—or someone—was out to get them. It started small, with glances from strangers that he swore lingered too long, and it grew into an all-consuming suspicion.

“You’re being paranoid again,” James laughed one evening after John angrily slammed the door. 

“Paranoid? Or prepared?” John shot back. “You don’t get it, James. There’s always something coming. You’re just too blind to see it.”

Jim, sitting quietly, tried to mediate. “John, I don’t think… I mean, maybe you’re just seeing things that aren’t there.”

John scoffed. “Of course, you’d say that. You never see anything because you’re too busy crying.”

“Oi, that’s enough!” James stepped in, his usually light tone hardening. “Let’s just take it easy, yeah?”

John glared but said nothing. He hated when James acted like the peacemaker. But deep down, he knew Jim couldn’t handle it. The tension between the three was growing, and none of them could understand why.

V

The day of the doctor’s appointment arrived with an uncomfortable quiet between them. It was Jim who had finally convinced them to go, after too many sleepless nights and too many restless days.

“Just a check-up, lads. Nothing to worry about,” James said with a forced smile, his usual spark dimmed.

John wasn’t convinced. “I don’t trust these doctors. They’re always looking to medicate for something. If we go in there, we’re giving them the power to mess with Jim.”

Jim didn’t argue. He was too tired. The weight on his chest had become unbearable, and he needed help. He didn’t know what was wrong, but something had to change.

The doctor, calm and collected, asked his questions. Jim spoke the most, with James adding in his upbeat spins on things, and John muttering warnings under his breath. The doctor’s eyes flicked between them, his expression never wavering.

“It’s clear you’ve been struggling, Joe,” the doctor finally said.

Jim blinked. “Joe? Who’s Joe?”

The doctor smiled softly, taking out a small syringe. “We’re going to help you now. You need rest.”

James tried to laugh it off. “Come on, Jim. It’s fine. It’s just to help you relax.”

But John’s eyes narrowed. “No. Something’s not right here, and who the hell is Joe?”

Before John could react, the nurse had already injected the sedative, and the room began to blur. James’ comforting voice faded, John’s protests grew distant, and Jim felt himself slipping into a deep, dreamless sleep.

VI

The doctor sat beside him, calm as ever. “How are you feeling now, Joe?”

The constant chatter of James, the low hum of Jim’s sadness, and John’s ever-present suspicion—was gone. The room felt strangely empty, as though he had woken from a dream he could barely remember.

Joe rubbed his eyes, blinking at the light streaming through the window. “I feel… fine. Different, but fine.”

“Good,” the doctor said. “You’ve had a lot going on in your mind. But now, things should get quieter.”

Joe didn’t understand fully. He felt lighter, as though a burden he couldn’t quite name had been lifted. The voices that had once defined his days were now just whispers in the wind, fading further with every passing second.

James, Jim, John… they were gone now. And though he didn’t remember them clearly, there was a strange emptiness in their absence, a faint echo where they used to be.

The world outside looked calm and peaceful. Joe stood up, taking a deep breath. For the first time in a long time, he was alone. Truly alone.

And with that, he stepped out into the morning air, leaving the whispers behind.