Worlds Apart: Volume I

The During: Goodbye

Ney'ite felt her heart break as she packed away the most important things from her life in the forest. She looked at each and everyone as she put it in the chest that would be carried with her to the ocean. She was thankful that the tight weaving of the chest made it basically water-proof; however, Ney'ite wouldn't be risking her most precious memories. It would be carefully wrapped upon layers of layers of cloth.

Marali's earrings. They were a gift from her parents after her passing.

Aytanin's prized hunting knife made from black stone. She had given it to Ney'ite a few days before her death.

A small flower charm that Tysal had carved her. It was suppose to be put on her song chord once they were mates.

A mortar and pestle from her grandmother. Mo'at had always wanted Ney'ite to at least know the basics of what it meant to be tsahik.

Ney'ite put away pictures that preserved the most precious memories that Ney'ite had. She still remembered when each and everyone was taken.

A photo of her family.

"Come on," Jake said as he corralled all of them in front of the camera. "This will be fun."

Ney'ite laughed as she stood between Neyetam and Lo'ak. She threw her arms around her brothers' shoulders. She looked over and saw her mother grabbing her sister and scolding her for not being happy about taking a photo. Ney'ite turned back to the camera. According to her father, it was set on a timer. She trusted him on that.

"Smile skxawng," Neyetam said. Ney'ite knew that he was talking to Lo'ak. That boy never seemed to enjoy things like this.

Ney'ite put on her biggest smile. The flash went off. The moment was captured forever.

A photo of her closest friends.

"It will be fun," Ney'ite said as she dragged Aytanin with her.

"I doubt it," Aytanin grumbled.

"It is!" Neyetam said.

"What could be bad about this?" Marali asked as she walked behind them. "We'll be around forever!"

"It sounds horrifying when you put like that," Tysal laughed.

"Exactly," Aytanin said as she looked back at Tysal. "We should run while we still have a chance."

"Don't look at me to save you," Tysal said. "We're taking the picture."

"May the Great Mother curse you all," Aytanin scowled.

"Don't be so grumpy," Neyetam said.

The friends finally reached the avatar driver quarters. They grabbed their masks and headed to the camera. They all took a breath before taking off the masks. Neyetam held up the camera in front of them. They all huddled around Neyetam to make sure that they were in the picture.

Neyetam got ready to take the picture, "Everyone smile."

A strip of four photos with her and Neyetam.

"You mean to tell me that people would get in a small little box and it would take four photos of them?" Ney'ite asked with a raised brow.

"Yeah," Norm nodded. "It was something pretty big in the old days of Earth. Do you two want to try it?"

"What do you mean?" Neyetam asked. "We don't have that type of thing here."

"I could just take four pictures of you and edit it into a photo booth strip," Norm said.