Chapter Twenty-One
Standing Again
Shallow Hills Cemetery
San Francisco, California Free-State
July 16, 2059
10:33 am
Wind sweeps across the rolling hills like an old friend. It's a warm day with the sun high in the sky, casting its warmth downward. The freshly cut grass is refreshing to the senses. The smell is crisp and comforting. The sight is blessed with tiny wisps dancing in the light breeze while catching the sun's rays. Nature at its purest is the world's perfect peace.
The hills are covered with small, grey stones. Some of them are centuries old. Others are more recent. A young elf girl lays a small collection of flowers at one of the newest ones. A short human stands next to her clothed in a white shirt, black pants, and a homely jacket. There are three white roses in his hand. He places one on each of the three graves before him, then takes a step back to admire the pristine flowers and the memory of those they honor. The graves are all marked.
David Curo, January 3 2016 to August 17 2053
Loretta Curo, September 27 2020 to August 17 2053
Imira Folkstaff, May 23 2010 to July 14 2059
No words mark their passing as words cannot do their lives justice. A person's life cannot be represented by words to begin with. Their lives live on in the memory of those they have touched in their time.
"Thanks again." Alona hid her tears.
"It was something I had to do too." Nightsky had arranged for Imira's body to be transported to California through Hector. A small payment to the fixer also ensured she would be laid to rest in this spot. He also purchased two tickets and a rent a car for them with money from the suborbital run.
"I hope she's happy now."
"She would have liked it here." Nightsky spoke, breaking the silence. He was still a little stiff. The wound from the Viper had been mostly healed using magic, but no amount of mojo would make swore muscles go away. "It's like it should have been before she became infected. It's like she can skip all the things she has been through since that day."
"I can't believe she's gone." Alona said. "I barely remembered her from my childhood, I barely knew her now. I feel like I've missed so much."
Nightsky nodded his head slightly as he looked at the three graves. Three graves that represented a different kind of life. "I know I have missed much."
"What will happen to me know? My family's gone."
"I know." He shrugged. "So is mine. I suppose we are the same now, but the world hasn't changed. Life changes. That's what life does. Not for the better or worse because life itself doesn't have that concept. It just changes without really knowing why." He exchanged glances with her. "Gives people a chance to start over."
"Start over?"
"Yes. I've done it before after life changed so much I lost all meaning for myself, but I built a new me after the change." Nightsky looked at his hands. "Maybe not for the better, but different. I think it's time to build a new one again."
"Starting over, huh?" Alona glanced at the tombstones again. The wind blew gracefully across the flowers. "I think I'd like that."
They stood in silence for a few minutes. Thinking about the lives that had run their course and the lives that were just beginning. There was still much to do, but it felt good to stand quietly in the soothing breeze and warm sun. After a while, Alona spoke.
"Are you ready?"
Nightsky glanced around. "Yes. Go on to the care. I'll be there in a minute."
"Okay." Alona headed for the car.
He watched her go. For the first time he noticed how similar she was the Imira from his childhood. Her walk, her mannerisms, even the way she spoke. All of it was so familiar. It was like Imira hadn't died, but had found a way to live on through the life of a daughter that fate had not let her raise.
A dark, gruff figured walked up beside Nightsky. Neither looked at each other as they both kept their eyes focused on the graves. The sun glinted of the strangers steel arm.
"Keep it business?"
"No." Nightsky admitted.
"Didn't think you would." The figure glanced in Alona's direction. "Nice pile of drek you were feeding her. New life and all that."
"It was never business to begin with. It was me. It wasn't a run it wasn't a paycheck and it wasn't a Johnson. It was me." He huffed. "And what makes you think I was feeding her drek?"
"It was all drek. Made it sound like the both of you were changing. Maybe you are, but not in the happy go lucky way you were babbling 'bout."
"You don't think I've learned something from all this?"
"Doesn't matter if you did or didn't. The shadows got a chance to sink it's teeth in a little deeper. It's going to hold on tight now. So tight that you can't shake it off."
Nightsky glanced at the grave again. "I don't believe you."
"The shadows don't care if you do. They're just like a dog that way. Dog doesn't have to know anything about you. All it knows is that it's got teeth. Teeth it uses to bite you, sink in deep, and hold on."
There was no response to that. Nightsky felt himself wondering how he had changed during all of this. Oddly, he found that he didn't know if it was for the better or the worse. Which part of himself was growing? Was it the part that was so fond of life and peace or was it the one with that black beast that bathed in the joy of pain and misery?
"What are you going to do now?"
"I don't know. Probably go home."
"You know where that is."
Nightsky followed his glance at Alona. "I can make one somewhere."
"Won't be the same."
"It doesn't have to be. A home is where ever you want it to be. You should think about getting one."
The figure grunted.
"By the way, did you ever figure it out? About doing the right thing?"
The figure shook his head.
"Doesn't surprise me. I still remember what you did. Now and before. I won't forget so easily."
The ork grunted, almost like he was accepting those words. "You going back to Seattle?"
"Yes."
"You remember what I always told ya': Keep things professional. Don't let feelings get into it. You've already done that with Alona. Stop it there or you'll get fragged sooner or later."
"Goodbye then." Nightsky turned his back on him and walked towards the car. He added a brief statement before he left. "Next time I see you I'll keep it business."
With that Nightsky climbed into the car and pulled away. The figure watched him the drove disappear over the lazy hills, leaving gray headstones bathed with the wind and the sun behind.
Alone now, the ork felt something that he hadn't known in years.
And smile crossed his face.
That's it for this story. Try going back to the Fiction Index and find something else. Thoughts, rants, comments? Email me and tell what you thought about it.