Forgotten Dreams of Eternity: Lost Odyssey: Thousand Years of Dreams
Copyright © 2011 Sky_Knight
(Short Story -XXIX.)
*Return of the Native*
The mother stands by the island pier, waiting for her son.
Her luggage is bigger than she is. Dressed in her finest traveling clothes, she seems hardly able to contain her excitement as she speaks to Kaim, who happens to be waiting for the same boat to arrive.
"I got a letter from him," she says.
Almost thirty years have passed since her only son left the island of his birth. There was no word from him in all that time until he recently wrote announcing his successes and his plan to bring her to mainland.
"I've been alone ever since I lost my husband, so just to think I might be able to spend the rest of my life with my son, his wife and my grandchildren..."
She sold the house she had always lived in and has been waiting for her son to come for her.
The letter arrived over a week ago.
"I wonder why it's taking him so long. The seas are calm."
Kaim arrived here on yesterday's ferry.
"You mean he's late?" Kaim asks with some surprise.
"Very," she replies, forcing a smile. "I wonder what's wrong. Maybe he got busy all of a sudden and can't pull himself away from his work."
"He hasn't written again to explain?"
"He's never bothered with things like that, not since he was a child," she says, straining to smile again and glancing toward the horizon.
No bigger than a dot at first, the boat is now big enough for a clear view of the mast in silhouette.
"Anyhow, I'm not worried. I know he'll be on this boat," she says, raising herself from the clockside crate on which she is sitting and waving a handkerchief toward the approaching vessel.
Kaim also stares hard at the boat, which gives his eyes a stern expression.
"Young man?"
At the sound of the mother's voice, Kaim hastens to soften his gaze before turning toward her.
"You are a traveler, aren't you?"
"That's right," he says.
"I saw you arrive on yesterday's ferry. Are you leaving so soon?"
She is obviously curious about this stranger, but her face shows no wariness toward outsiders.
Relieved to see this, Kaim replies, "I'm doing the same thing you are -waiting for someone to arrive."
"On this boat?"
"Yes, probably."
"You haven't been in touch with this person?"
"No, we haven't agreed on a time. I might be waiting for nothing, too."
"Oh, really?"
Kaim evades further questioning with a strained smile.
This is not something he can discuss with just anyone.
He is on a secret mission -one that must not fail.
The woman still wears a look of puzzlement, but their conversation is swallowed up in the general hubbub on shore, accompanying the approach of the boat.
YOU ARE READING
Forgotten Dreams of Eternity: Lost Odyssey: Thousand Years of Dreams
Science FictionA science fiction novel with 33 short stories foretelling the forgotten dreams of Kaim, A immortal who has lived over more than a thousand years. This novel is based on the hit video game Lost Odyssey. Short Story XV, Short Story -XXI, and Short Sto...
