When It's Time to Move On

Door 2 - Chapter 26 - Don't Forget

He opened his eyes, the air was still. Not a single sound. Harris made it to his feet. The rainfall had ceased. The gate was broken off its hinges. Harris treaded over it to find the outcome of the battle. There was no one left, save for the destroyed trucks of the army.

No sign of life. Yet he searched the rubble for his friend. The one who had saved his life. The ticking sound made its appearance once more, and Harris knew that it had been a precursor for this moment. He followed it, and sure enough, lying amid the ruins of destruction was his fallen friend.

Harris rushed over to him. Jake could only manage to move his eyes to see in his. His breaths were short; he was saving them for what he had left to say.

"I won, right?" He managed a smile.

"Yeah, you did." Harris smiled back.

"And not a single shot fired by me, that's some achievement, huh?" Jake murmured, that rebellious tone of his remaining. "I suppose... it's fitting."

"No, you didn't take any lives here today," Harris assured him, his voice heavy with sadness.

"Yeah... I couldn't. After all, those gone... I couldn't..." Jake stammered. "No more..."

"And you were right not to."

"No... you were right... because I had... faith..." Jake said breathlessly. "Not just in you... but God... felt like an angel watching me ... you taught me that..."

"Take it easy," said Harris as Jake coughed.

"Doesn't matter, I'm going, anyway... I just wanted to say... you-you gave me a reason to stay alive, and remember that it's not just about me... but everyone... even those I don't know." He said wincing in pain. "...Because we all have some meaning... you gave me mine back... made me remember..."

"What your brother taught you." Harris finished for him.

"No...I learned that I had another brother all along... I had you..."

"You were my brother, too." Harris cried unable to compose himself.

"Promise me, Harris..." Jake lifted his hand up for Harris to hold onto. "...that you'll remember them... the family you lost... please don't forget them. I know that you love them..."

Harris was in too much shock to respond.

"My wife... my son... they've been back home for so long... I wanted to see them again... I saw so much of them in Adra and Salem... I tried to run away but I could never... please..." Jake sounded as if he was on his last breaths. "... don't let them be separated... keep them all together... Sergio asked me to take care of you... I did my part... please do yours."

And then Harris remembered. The woman and child he had seen in his dream, how they had seemed different. It had never been an image of Adra and Salem. He remembered Sergio's last words he had not understood, the conversation between Jake and Salem at the store. Jake's tale of his wife and son were never been fabricated. It had been true all along.

"I will, Jake, I will." He assured his friend.

"Harris... your family... always keep them close... in your memories... and in your heart..."

With that, his hand fell limp, and Harris was left alone with his fallen brother. The last helicopter arrived to pick him up, piloted by – much to Harris's great surprise – the man whose life had been spared by Jake at the store.

It all moved in a haze. Their arrival back home, the placements of all the refugees of Invio to separate facilities. Staying true to his promise to Jake, Harris convinced Adra and Salem to accompany him to Jake's hometown, to the wife and son he had left behind. 

It took some time to settle them down but Jake's wife was helped by Adra who provided her with support. His son was younger than Salem by a few years, too young to understand the loss of his father.

Harris helped as much as he could, but with the distance of his home from theirs, it was time for him to leave eventually. Time away passed as if it was fast-forwarded by a mysterious force. Weeks later – although it felt like hours to him – he visited the family once again. 

On his arrival, he was met by a wonderfully unexpected sight of the two mothers sharing a laugh. As it turned out, they had bonded quite well with one another. Their children were now attending school, the only snag was financial uncertainty but that was what Harris had arrived to help with.

"You're giving us all this money?" Jake's wife asked in disbelief.

"We can't accept this." Adra protested.

"Sure you can. I made a promise to both of them I would look after you two. And here it is, plus it's not like I've stolen the money. It's my life savings. I can always earn more."

"We really can't..."

"I'm not doing this for free. I expect to have dinner without charge any time I'm here." Harris quipped, and when they still seemed unsure he spoke further. "Please, I want to do this. Those children in there, they deserve to have a life free of concern, they should play and run around like all the other kids. And keep that innocence they have throughout their lives. That's why I want to do this."

He held each woman's hands in his in comfort, knowing they understood the message.

"I'd like to see them before I leave."

Harris entered to find Jake's son busy playing with his toy cars. The boy seemed to be a likeness of his father; the same wavy hair and firm jaw, the exception were his round, unsullied eyes, something he knew Jake would be happy was not inherited. Salem, meanwhile, greeted Harris happily.

"Having fun, then?" He asked.

"It's been all right," Salem shrugged. "Still getting used to it."

"Yeah, you're a big brother now. So remember to take care of him always."

"You had a big brother, too?" Salem asked. For the shortest of moments, the reflex of his to divert the question almost hit him but then he spoke proudly.

"Yes, yes I did."

"Frater, help me with this, please." Jake's son called, his cars waiting to be played with.

"See, he even calls you brother now," Harris said happily. "So you're focusing on toys now, huh?"

"Yeah, I thought I'd see what that was like."

"Well, just so you always remember." Harris handed him the stuffed bear to Salem. "He might have gotten this for his son but I think you need it more. As a reminder."

"I've got something for you, too." Salem extracted something from under his pillow: a watch.

The watch was the same one Harris had seen Jake wear. With a picture of Mickey Mouse. The ticking sound heard so much in Invio now sounded much like any other. Harris gave Salem a quick hug and made to leave. 

With their financial security in place, and the mothers happily connecting with one another, he couldn't help but feel his face break into a smile. Jake's wish had come true. He stepped out to bid goodbye to the mothers.

"I'll be taking off now." He announced, yet they didn't respond. He spoke louder. "I should be going."

The women remained still. Harris turned back to see the children frozen in the exact same way, the smiles etched on their faces. The air felt like a breeze left incomplete. He looked at his watch, and at that moment he knew. It was time. 

There was no place for him anymore in this door. On the mantelpiece stood a framed picture of Sergio and Jake, The two friends arm in arm. As he focused on it, he saw where they were. The next instant, so was he. Back in the bar. The same place he walked in the first time. It was as dark as before but the familiar shine presented itself. The knob on the door. The same that had been blasted apart, magically repaired once more.

Harris's heart throbbed. Despite all the sorrow, all the grief; it would still be difficult to walk out of there. He placed his hand on the knob and, with a deep breath, opened the door. 

The hallway was back for him to step into. He took one last sweep of the place, closed his eyes, and let himself exhale. Harris walked through, closing the door behind him.