Friday, July 31, 2009

Novak's Last Theory, Part 12: A Sea Without Shores

I stare at the newcomer in confusion. He's a broad-shouldered man with swarthy skin, dressed like the boy. "Who –?"

He steps forward and reaches out his hand. "Come, Nwovock," he says, in a deep voice.

Recognition comes to me. "Look at you. You're all grown up."

He smiles widely, face framed with dark matted locks. I slip my hand into his, but I'm too weak to stand. He kneels down and easily scoops me up in his arms. I feel like a child as he carries me.

I look back at an odd scene. A badly burned man is laying on the floor. Matiba, kneeling next to him, removes a compress from the man's forehead, and gently closes the fixed and staring eyes. Mori is there too. She folds the man's hands over his chest and lowers her head. Her cheeks are wet. Always crying, that girl.

I turn to see where we're going. Something like a sea of light is ahead, overwhelmingly bright. I have to squint. My eyes hurt, but I feel a sense of anticipation that I can't explain. So this is really dying. So strange, these firings of the brain.

The man is already wading in the liquid light up to his waist. He nods to me, leans over, and lowers me in. As the light closes over me I have to shut my eyes. It's then that I realize I've forgotten the count. How novel to not know what day it is. Brighter and brighter. Everything seems to dissolve in the light.

***

The sun is so bright, hanging low over the hill behind our house. I shade my eyes to see Jess standing under the tree at the top, silhouetted in a long dress. Our daughters are at her elbows. They spot me down in the garden.

"Daddy's home! Daddy's home!" They come running down the hill. Jess strolls after them, waving her hat over her head.

I'm gripped with anxiety. It's the dream again. Have I only reset the loop after all? Is this the same choice that I make every time?

I kneel down and throw my arms out wide, expecting to hear the alarms at any moment. I can't bear the thought. They're almost here. Hurry girls! Hurry!

And suddenly they're in my arms. I'm hugging them and trembling. Kissing the tops of their heads. Their hair smells like grass. Their laughing voices are talking over each other. Leah asks me why I'm crying. I look up to see Jess, just reaching us.

"Arik," she says, beaming. "Welcome home."

I stand up and pull her into my arms.

I'm home. Home.

2 comments:

  1. Wow Clint, this was really fantastic. I read the first couple of installments prior to leaving for Manila, then finally got around to reading the whole thing tonight.

    I've got the computer running on battery power, I found myself reading quicker and quicker to make sure I was able to finish the story before the computer died!

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  2. Thanks Jed! Glad you liked it.

    ReplyDelete