RIVER OF NO RETURN

Sometimes the river brought him peace. Sometimes she brought him silence. Today she brought him remembrance.

He looked at the still water and wondered why he had not changed even though the boy had grown. He called him father and he loved him like his own son. What name should I give him, he often asked himself. He did not have any names in his memory. Not even his own.

Then he saw her , in the water , standing behind him. He kept still. It was as though he knew that she was not really there. Just some yearning in him for someone he loved and was searching for.

He had felt her close to him when he was in the land of dreams. He had hoped that one day he would find her in the time when he was awake. It was to be today.

So he kept very quiet and waited, so afraid he would lose her. Lose her again.

He saw her fingers on his shoulder and he longed to touch them and hold her at last.

Their eyes met as he looked at her in the water.

His tears formed ripples in the water.

Tell me what to do, his heart cried. I am lost. So lost.

Her tears fell on her fingers and down to his shoulder. And he heard her say, “I will always be with you.”

“Come to me” he pleaded in his heart, “I do not know how to find you.”

“ Why are you crying, Father?” the boys voice broke in .

Zaklion looked at his son. Then he looked behind him. There was no one there.

He choked back his tears and held his son close. He hugged him like he was going to lose him.

And somewhere faraway came a voice “ You can make it..You have been trained to dive and swim. I have not been trained like you. “

Then he saw a hand clutching his and a bracelet of beads shining like stars . He saw creatures surrounding him and laughing, pulling him up in the water. He felt a hand, her hand , pulling him down….down…till he was pulled by swirling current …and then he saw her eyes ..her eyes…and heard her voice calling him..Zaklion..