Tears On The Dock
By Nathan Roberson
What day was it? He didn't know anymore. How many years had it been? He didn't know.
He threw another rock at the lake. It skipped about three times before sinking to its watery grave.
A watery grave . . .
Was there anywhere else to go? This new world . . . everything like it was. Go back to your old ways everyone. Everything is normal. Everyone is alive and healthy.
Truly healthy?
He picked up more rocks. He tossed one rock lightly and then threw the other with intense force. The rocks collided and dropped into the lake. The ripples extended to the edge of the dock. He stooped over to see the waves slowly tapering off.
He brought his gloved hand up to his face. With the other hand he pulled the fingers on the glove off one by one. The glove slipped off exposing his pale hand. It hadn't seen sun in years. As he moved it under the setting sun it seemed almost translucent.
You had such nice hands.
Now he asked why to everything. He rarely got an answer he was satisfied with.
He looked down into the lake. A reflection . . .
"Remember how it was? Remember?"
"I try not to remember they way it was then. I don't like those years."
"Locke . . . what happened? Look at this place. It's all beautiful again!"
"I can't help it. I feel . . ."
Locke hung his head in shame.
A reflection . . .
He turned around towards the house. They house they had built together. It took all their years to finish the monstrosity of oak that covered the property they had purchased. The well-sized lot of land outside Narshe had served its purpose well. He could look to the West and find the place he had first met Terra.
"I'll bring you through this. I know I can."
"You don't know anything Terra. You just . . ."
"Locke, please!" She had placed her soft hands on his shoulders. What had he become then? He had never been angry or full of rancor.
"What's happening to me Terra? Why am I like this?" He turned to face her, tears in his eyes.
"Locke, you're still yourself. You're just . . . You aren't the same on the outside. You've been through so much," she said, clasping his hand in her own. "Don't go. You need me. I need you. Remember the first time we met Locke? Remember?"
Had she been right all along?
None of it mattered now.
As the sun finally slid away behind the mountains Locke walked back to the shore from the dock. He looked out on the new manmade lake they'd decided to live on. He remembered Celes and him, looking at the hole in the earth that would be filled slowly with the coming rains.
All my tears could've filled it.
As he went back towards the house it dawned on him that he'd been visiting the dock daily for the past year. It was where he reflected and mourned. Everything had been swept away in an instant. Or so it seemed.
He turned around to face the water again.
"Reflecting," he said aloud.
By Nathan Roberson
What day was it? He didn't know anymore. How many years had it been? He didn't know.
He threw another rock at the lake. It skipped about three times before sinking to its watery grave.
A watery grave . . .
Was there anywhere else to go? This new world . . . everything like it was. Go back to your old ways everyone. Everything is normal. Everyone is alive and healthy.
Truly healthy?
He picked up more rocks. He tossed one rock lightly and then threw the other with intense force. The rocks collided and dropped into the lake. The ripples extended to the edge of the dock. He stooped over to see the waves slowly tapering off.
He brought his gloved hand up to his face. With the other hand he pulled the fingers on the glove off one by one. The glove slipped off exposing his pale hand. It hadn't seen sun in years. As he moved it under the setting sun it seemed almost translucent.
You had such nice hands.
Now he asked why to everything. He rarely got an answer he was satisfied with.
He looked down into the lake. A reflection . . .
"Remember how it was? Remember?"
"I try not to remember they way it was then. I don't like those years."
"Locke . . . what happened? Look at this place. It's all beautiful again!"
"I can't help it. I feel . . ."
Locke hung his head in shame.
A reflection . . .
He turned around towards the house. They house they had built together. It took all their years to finish the monstrosity of oak that covered the property they had purchased. The well-sized lot of land outside Narshe had served its purpose well. He could look to the West and find the place he had first met Terra.
"I'll bring you through this. I know I can."
"You don't know anything Terra. You just . . ."
"Locke, please!" She had placed her soft hands on his shoulders. What had he become then? He had never been angry or full of rancor.
"What's happening to me Terra? Why am I like this?" He turned to face her, tears in his eyes.
"Locke, you're still yourself. You're just . . . You aren't the same on the outside. You've been through so much," she said, clasping his hand in her own. "Don't go. You need me. I need you. Remember the first time we met Locke? Remember?"
Had she been right all along?
None of it mattered now.
As the sun finally slid away behind the mountains Locke walked back to the shore from the dock. He looked out on the new manmade lake they'd decided to live on. He remembered Celes and him, looking at the hole in the earth that would be filled slowly with the coming rains.
All my tears could've filled it.
As he went back towards the house it dawned on him that he'd been visiting the dock daily for the past year. It was where he reflected and mourned. Everything had been swept away in an instant. Or so it seemed.
He turned around to face the water again.
"Reflecting," he said aloud.