Authors: Ryk Brown
Arrival (60 page)
Jack was finally home.
EPILOGUE
The old man walked slowly down the fused dirt path that led from his home in the old colony to the newer district. As he made his way down the trail, the older, wood and stone buildings gave way to the newer, fused clay buildings. Although they were stronger, cheaper to build, and completely fireproof, they lacked the ambience of their natural predecessors.
The Cetian sun was low in the sky. This time of year, both of Eden’s moons lingered near the setting sun, framing them in brilliant oranges and blues from either side. This phenomenon happened only once every sixteen months, and the old man had seen it many times.
He continued past the park, where the children played in the twilight before their parents beckoned them to return home for dinner. The old man enjoyed these evening strolls. The city they had spent so many years building was beautiful with each turn. Meandering pathways leading from little parks, surrounded by homes toward the center of the district where one could find the stores, schools, public safety, and health facilities. This was the third district to be built, and a fourth was already half-completed. Construction had also begun on an underground automated subway system that would connect all the districts together. Eventually, the original colony would be dismantled to make room for a central, downtown district. But they decided to wait until all of the surrounding buildings and homes were completed. No one had said as much, but the old man suspected that they didn’t want to evict the original colonists from the homes they had built from scratch.
The old man turned and headed down the narrower path to his right. It was not his usual route, but then again, tonight, his walk had another purpose. Tonight, he would fulfill the last of his promises to his long departed friend.
He stepped up to the door and rang the bell. A young girl with long red hair answered quickly, full of smiles.
“Hello,” the child greeted him.
“Why, hello there young lady. Is your father home?”
“Yes sir, won’t you come in?”
“Why, thank you, yes,” the old man replied as he entered the home, wiping his feet so as not to muss up the floor inside.
He sat on a comfortable chair in the living room. It was an old chair, made by hand, just like the ones in his home. A moment later, the little girl returned with her father in tow.
“Mister Keller,” the girl’s father greeted. “Can I help you?”
“I sure hope so,” the old man exclaimed. “I hate to think I walked all this way for nothing.”
The old man shook hands with Matthew and sat back down, as the man of the house took a seat in the matching chair next to him, a look of curiosity on his face.
“I haven’t seen you in some time,” Matthew said. “Not since Sophia was born. What brings you here this evening?”
“A promise. A promise made long ago to your father.” Frank could see that Matthew was intrigued. He was only sorry that he had not been able to tell Jack’s son the truth sooner. The time had not been right. Their colony had still been too fragile. But they were strong now, with a population of several thousand, and growing every day. Besides, Frank wouldn’t be around forever.
“I don’t understand,” Matthew said.
“I made a promise to your father, to Jack, that when the time was right, I would tell his kin the truth about what happened on the mission.”
“I thought I already knew the truth, Frank. Everyone does.”
“You all know the truth that Jack wanted us to tell…until it was safe. And it is now safe, I hope. You see, the truth is that Jack did not die so easily. He was a hard man to kill. There is so much more to the story than what you have been told. In truth, your father may still be alive today, somewhere, out there. In fact, he may be watching us this very moment.”
Matthew wondered if Frank might be going senile. But out of respect for his service to the Eden project, and for all his efforts helping Matthew’s mother rebuild her life, he felt obligated to humor the old man.
* * *
Hours later, Frank stepped through the front door and back into the chilly night air. Winter was almost over, and only small patches of snow remained on the ground. All around him, he could see the blue-green plants, lush and radiant from the melting snows. It reminded him of a night long past. The very night he had made his promise. And now, after all these decades, he had finally kept his word.
As Frank began his walk home, he wondered if the son of his old friend even believed him. It had been so long since it had all happened, though it seemed like only yesterday. Frank had seen the doubt in Matthew’s eyes. But in the end, he had seen something else. He suspected that Matthew Bell did believe his story, or at least wanted to believe it.
No matter. He had kept the first part of his promise. It was now time to find Will’s son, and complete the second.
Thank you for reading this story.
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