The Inquest (42 page)

As he was led by Gemara, Varro found his vision slowly returning. Indistinct, bleached images of the ground before him began to appear, and of the smiling child at his side. Then, more of a larger picture; hazy, washed out, but growing clearer with each passing minute in the bright light of the new day directly ahead, a light which was soon so bright it almost dazzled him anew. Putting a hand to his brow to shade his eyes, he stopped. His mind was filling with thoughts of where he had come from, and all that he had left behind. He went to turn around, to look back.

“Don’t look back,” said the child, tugging him forward.

He smiled, and nodded slowly, feeling himself surrounded by an all embracing faith in what lay ahead. He resumed his journey, feeling strangely, unusually, calm and at peace. Julius Varro never looked back.