Mik drew an ivory canteen-like object, with a white metal stopper from beneath his cloak. Popping the stopper off, he took a long drink before wiping his mouth with his wool-blend sleeve. Kai, gazing into the fire again, found himself in a strange place, completely consumed by Mik’s story, yet the reality was Mik had only shared a story, no proof. There was the strange symbol that had briefly peaked above his cloak, and the even stranger armor. There was fact he was larger than a normal man, though incredibly tall men weren’t completely unheard of. Then, there was this innate, almost burning sensation within his chest, that feeling Mik already knew him, already knew his story, and knew so much more than what he had shared thus far.
Kai looked up to find Mik’s vibrant blue eyes searching his own, a kindness radiating from the calm, father-like stare. Mik asked, “Would you care to share some of your story?” Kai, confused by the question, was preparing to ask what Mik had meant when he remembered they had agreed to exchange stories, not just the sharing of Mik’s. Kai transitioned into an uncomfortable silence, subconsciously grabbing a nearby stick, gently coaxing the fire that clearly needed to be reminded of its purpose. A chill settled on the conversation as Kai’s brain attempted to make sense of sharing any personal information. The reality was it had been years since anybody had actually known Kai, the harsher reality were those years had formed a new Kai, one far more comfortable with a detached, distant, withdrawn persona than the man before the war. It was easier this way.
Kai, mind still partially in the past, and partially working through Mik’s question asked, “What is it you’d like to know?” Kai knew Mik sensed the hesitation, sensed the reluctance, sensed the calloused heart and guarded mind. Mik, as an experienced psychologist to a patient on the couch, responded, “Why don’t you start from your beginning, though I’m well enough versed in your people’s birth process, so why not start from a time you can actually remember?” Kai’s decision making process was reset as he did not expect to wander this far into his past, however, also felt a measure of relief at the reminiscence of a time long ago, a time that felt like a prior lifetime. Wisdom stretched forth an open hand in Mik’s statement, and Kai took hold of the hand and began.
Kai said, “I don’t have many memories of my early childhood, though most definitely none are negative. I grew up in a middle class neighborhood, living in the same house from the age of one years old until I was nineteen. I had two loving, incredibly devoted parents, and two younger brothers, who remain my best friends. Our parents made every sacrifice possible to ensure we received a good education and the opportunity to participate in many sports. Our family was never wealthy, nor did we go on elaborate vacations, but we always had enough. We took many trips to the mountains where our father taught us to tent camp, to fish, and to cook that very same fish for our meals that night. Our mother held us to the highest standard in school, accepting nothing short of our highest effort. We spent countless hours on athletic fields, honing skills, learning to process defeat, and fix mistakes. Coaches that truly cared about our development on and off the field poured into us. We were taught to play through injuries, even being scolded by our mother if serious injuries did occur and we were unable to continue playing.” Kai chuckling to himself then stated, “That was until we learned one of those injuries was serious enough to require immediate surgery and put a halt to the season. My father and I would never let my mother forget that day. In hindsight it was an incredibly blessed life, and one that was intricately woven with a single teaching point, love God and his people. My parents always lived life in this way, and we were taught to do the same.”
Kai, the weight of sharing a life story with a stranger snapping him back to the present, or perhaps it was the flame that had mischievously tiptoed up his stick, now precariously close to his fingers, creating a near burning sensation. Mik wore the look as if someone had just solved a riddle he had been mulling over for days, simply nodded at Kai, indicating he should continue.
Kai, twisting the stick in the dirt, gently extinguishing the flames, and seeing the fire in the pit had woken from its slumber, continued, “The time spent on the athletic field proved to be useful as I earned a partial athletic scholarship while I continued my studies at university. The new found freedom of university was not great for me. I did not attend classes nearly as often as I should have, and stayed out late with friends. My grades began to suffer, and my scholarship was in jeopardy. I was also working at a local restaurant while completing my studies. At this restaurant I met a young, fantastic woman, the type that quite literally captivates your mind, making it impossible to focus on anything else. We worked together for some time before I mustered the courage to ask her on a date, and to my complete astonishment, she agreed. Not long after our first date she found out about my poor attendance and grades. The simple statement of, “That’s not attractive”, from her was all I needed to hear. The statement echoed to my very soul, and I immediately began attending all classes, ensuring I received the highest grades. Three months later, I asked her to marry me, three months after that she was my bride. She is my best friend, my world, my gift. She stood by me when nobody else should have, she lifted me up when I was down, she filled me with courage when I had none of my own.
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
I completed my studies and entered into a career in law enforcement. A couple years into the career I was assigned to a gang unit, where my team and I would proactively seek to disrupt gang activity and pursue gang members after they had committed crimes. The work was incredibly dangerous, however incredibly fulfilling. On this team I developed bonds with the other members who remain brothers to me to this day. While on this team, my wife and I had two children.” Grinning, Kai said, “Being the ultimate manly man, I only wanted sons, however, as luck would have it we were given two daughters. They were truly the greatest gift I have ever received. It is quite fascinating how two children, raised in the same home, can be so different. While both received their mothers brain and were incredibly intelligent, one was very mild mannered, similar to myself, and the other was very much a fireball like her mother.”
Mik was beaming ear to ear, the vibrant blue eyes twinkling like a mountaintops night sky, entirely captivated by the story, though it didn’t seem the story itself was captivating as much as the story from Kai’s perspective. He seemed very intrigued by Kai’s facial expressions, intently watching the annunciation of each word, leaning in and sitting back with the inflection of Kai’s voice, as a child anticipating the enthralling portion of a story they’ve heard countless times, yet still request to hear it again. Kai, feeling slightly uncomfortable at the level of Mik’s intrigue and the depths of his stare, looked down, beginning to etch random figures in the dirt between his feet.
Mik, sensing Kai’s unease, subdued the flames of discomfort with the simple statement, “Tell me more.” Kai, thankful for the reprieve, though unsure exactly how to continue, simply responded, “Those are the greatest memories of my life.” Both men allowed the thought to slow cook, marinating in the power of wonderful memories. Kai continued, “I don’t understand what you mean by saying you operate outside of time, as so much of my life has felt like it has passed so quickly, none as quickly as these days after my daughters were born. These moments remain woven into the very fabric of time, a part of my very soul. If the ability to freeze time existed, these early years of my daughters lives would be the moment. My wife, our daughters, our little home, bedtime stories, building Legos, riding bikes, family trips, the list is quite endless. For any accolades the world may have offered, none compare to these moments.
By the time our girls were nearing their pre-teen years, our world had changed drastically. I’m not sure how much of it you witnessed or were part of, but it only adds to my deep regret to not have truly appreciated those special years the way I do now. At the time the war began, it felt like it began so slowly, and certainly not like what it became. As a student of history I felt World War II was not so far in our past that we, as a people, could allow it to happen again. There were many days we spent walking our incredibly inquisitive daughters through politics, history, dictators, and the evil nature of those who desire power, as we watched smaller wars along the borders of Russia and the borders of Israel. We did our best to guide and offer wisdom, while not truly understanding ourselves, and far more importantly, not understanding what lay ahead. When the war began to spread our daughters began to grow anxious. They had studied the American Revolution and the World Wars, they may or may not have even watched a movie called The Patriot, though don’t tell their mother that. Their anxiety began to build as more and more daddies began to enlist in the military as the certainty of widespread war grew. Having worked on the gang unit for a long time, I had grown to disdain violence, not necessarily opposed to it, but a great hatred for the consequences of it.”
The sorrow in Kai’s voice, the heartache in the direction the tale had turned appeared to weigh heavily on Mik, leading him to subconsciously, ever so slowly shake his head and mutter, “It was never supposed to be this way.” Kai, his stomach aching, whether from hunger or memory was unknown, pausing and breathing slowly, his eyes eventually found Mik. He noticed an incredible stillness had descended upon Mik, a tangible stillness, not unlike a moment caught in a Polaroid, leading Kai to feel as if even the flickering flames of the fire slowed in response to the stillness. Mik did not appear tense, though immensely focused, yet his eyes did not appear focused on anything specific, eyes carving through the fire before them. The stillness was suddenly snapped from the scene as a large log snapped in half within the fire, followed by a shower of sparks and embers rising into the air. The stillness was replaced with the solemn, gentle speech of Mik, “Kai, I am truly sorry. It was never meant to be this way. It was supposed to be so much more than this.”
Kai, somewhat puzzled by Mik’s statement, asked what he meant. Mik responded, “The plan was divine, the world perfect, the inhabitants eternal. This, this great catastrophe, this indiscriminate violence, this pursuit of self, none of this should have come to pass. Still not understanding, Kai asked if Mik could provide further detail. Mik responded while he wished he could, as before, it would all make so much more sense if he shared the tale in its entirety. Mik said, “While I truly have so many questions for you, I feel it would be most beneficial if I continued for now, in the hope of providing you the clarity you seek.”
Thankful for the reprieve from the sorrow his memories had provoked, Kai nodded, his body and mind subconsciously relaxing at the prospect of not having to travel down the brutal road of memories.
