1 On a Lonely Beach
It was, many would agree, an achingly beautiful location with mountains clad with verdant green rainforest sweeping down to a silver white beach. But the man on the beach only had eyes for the sea resplendent with the jewel colours of the setting sun.
He sighes and pulls his eyes away from the sea. The air is noticably cooler now the sun has gone and he stops and pulls out a woolen jersey from his daypack. Quickly pulling it over his t-shirt he picks up the pack and walks back up the beach to a boat shed. He gazes at the newly finished boat inside the shed and lovingly caresses it with his hand.
"Tomorrow." He promises it and then speaks to another, "Hello Simon, I was wondering when they were going to send out the search parties for me." He turns and faces the man standing in the doorway.
The other man is clad in the green of a forest ranger, his face creased with concern. "We were worried about you, David." He lifts his eyebrow, "How long have being aware of me?"
David laughes, "Since the sunset. You know you can't sneak up on me." He sighs, "since you have bothered to come out all the way to this remote spot I suppose I better offer you some hospitality before I send you on your way."
The other man flushes, "Not until you give an explanation of why you have suddenly abandoned…"
David raises his hand, palm outwards. "Peace! Simon. You have travelled far today, let me offer you some refreshment and then give you the explanation that you desire. Come up to the house with me."
The two men walk up a narrow track beside the boatshed. The track winds up the hillside through dense bush to a gravel road where a department of conservation vehicle is parked, on the other side of the road is a green weatherboard cottage. Not even pausing to unlock the door, David opens the door of the cottage. With a wave of his hand the cottage is flooded with light.
Raising his eyebrow again, Simon looks around the living room of the cottage while David busies himself in the kitchen. Aside from the computer in the corner and a rather expensive looking sound system by the fireplace, the room is simply furnished. Simon picks up one of the CDs on the mantlepiece and smiles. David's choice in music is as impleccable as aways, he thinks. He then notices two paperbacks sitting next to the computer, "The Lord of Rings" and the "Silmarillion" by JRR Tolkien and raises his eyebrows again.
David enters the room bearing a trayful of food and two mugs of steaming coffee. Simon sighs as he drinks his coffee, just how he likes it, which was not surprising considering the length of time they had know each other. He waves his hand indicating the room, "with all this about I'm surprised you don't lock your door."
David snorts, "I'm surprised you made that statement, you know no-one can enter enter one of our dwelling against our will, the cottage is warded."
The meal is eaten in silence, afterwards David clears away the dishes.
When he re-enters the living room Simon stands up, "I think I have waited long enough David. We were concerned when you didn't turn up for the Solstice celebrations, then we discovered you had taken leave from your job at the University…"
"And to cut a long story short," interrupts David, "you tracked me down here."
Simon flushes, "we have our means. But why David, why leave all that you love, all who you love and come here."
"Let's say I'm seeking my roots."
"But we are your roots, flesh of your flesh, blood of your blood. Why do you keep apart from us?"
"But I knew we would meet again before the end…"
"Now you are really worrying me, what's this talk of ending?"
David walks over to the computer desk and picks up the two paperbacks, putting them down again he turns to face Simon.
"Tomorrow I sail west to Valinor."
"What! I think you have taken more than leave of your job, you seem to have abandoned your senses along the way as well!" Simon waves his hand at the books, "that's just a fiction concocted by some English professor. By the One, David, get a grip on yourself. We're not elves…"
"Then what are we Simon?" He grips Simon by the shoulder and speaks mind to mind.
We may live among them in their cities, use their names, eat their food, wear their clothes, play with their toys but the one thing that we are not is human!
The two brothers face each other with their gray eyes locked together in faces of inhuman beauty.
It was, many would agree, an achingly beautiful location with mountains clad with verdant green rainforest sweeping down to a silver white beach. But the man on the beach only had eyes for the sea resplendent with the jewel colours of the setting sun.
He sighes and pulls his eyes away from the sea. The air is noticably cooler now the sun has gone and he stops and pulls out a woolen jersey from his daypack. Quickly pulling it over his t-shirt he picks up the pack and walks back up the beach to a boat shed. He gazes at the newly finished boat inside the shed and lovingly caresses it with his hand.
"Tomorrow." He promises it and then speaks to another, "Hello Simon, I was wondering when they were going to send out the search parties for me." He turns and faces the man standing in the doorway.
The other man is clad in the green of a forest ranger, his face creased with concern. "We were worried about you, David." He lifts his eyebrow, "How long have being aware of me?"
David laughes, "Since the sunset. You know you can't sneak up on me." He sighs, "since you have bothered to come out all the way to this remote spot I suppose I better offer you some hospitality before I send you on your way."
The other man flushes, "Not until you give an explanation of why you have suddenly abandoned…"
David raises his hand, palm outwards. "Peace! Simon. You have travelled far today, let me offer you some refreshment and then give you the explanation that you desire. Come up to the house with me."
The two men walk up a narrow track beside the boatshed. The track winds up the hillside through dense bush to a gravel road where a department of conservation vehicle is parked, on the other side of the road is a green weatherboard cottage. Not even pausing to unlock the door, David opens the door of the cottage. With a wave of his hand the cottage is flooded with light.
Raising his eyebrow again, Simon looks around the living room of the cottage while David busies himself in the kitchen. Aside from the computer in the corner and a rather expensive looking sound system by the fireplace, the room is simply furnished. Simon picks up one of the CDs on the mantlepiece and smiles. David's choice in music is as impleccable as aways, he thinks. He then notices two paperbacks sitting next to the computer, "The Lord of Rings" and the "Silmarillion" by JRR Tolkien and raises his eyebrows again.
David enters the room bearing a trayful of food and two mugs of steaming coffee. Simon sighs as he drinks his coffee, just how he likes it, which was not surprising considering the length of time they had know each other. He waves his hand indicating the room, "with all this about I'm surprised you don't lock your door."
David snorts, "I'm surprised you made that statement, you know no-one can enter enter one of our dwelling against our will, the cottage is warded."
The meal is eaten in silence, afterwards David clears away the dishes.
When he re-enters the living room Simon stands up, "I think I have waited long enough David. We were concerned when you didn't turn up for the Solstice celebrations, then we discovered you had taken leave from your job at the University…"
"And to cut a long story short," interrupts David, "you tracked me down here."
Simon flushes, "we have our means. But why David, why leave all that you love, all who you love and come here."
"Let's say I'm seeking my roots."
"But we are your roots, flesh of your flesh, blood of your blood. Why do you keep apart from us?"
"But I knew we would meet again before the end…"
"Now you are really worrying me, what's this talk of ending?"
David walks over to the computer desk and picks up the two paperbacks, putting them down again he turns to face Simon.
"Tomorrow I sail west to Valinor."
"What! I think you have taken more than leave of your job, you seem to have abandoned your senses along the way as well!" Simon waves his hand at the books, "that's just a fiction concocted by some English professor. By the One, David, get a grip on yourself. We're not elves…"
"Then what are we Simon?" He grips Simon by the shoulder and speaks mind to mind.
We may live among them in their cities, use their names, eat their food, wear their clothes, play with their toys but the one thing that we are not is human!
The two brothers face each other with their gray eyes locked together in faces of inhuman beauty.