Thursday, January 12, 2006
Page 4
“Doesn’t bother you at all?”
“Why should it?”
“No one will miss you?”
“All of the desert are like sand. I return when the wind blows me and leave the same way. This is my people’s way.”
“When do you feel the wind will return you to your people?”
The boy lifted his head up a little, a thoughtful and slightly surprised expression creeping over his face in the orange light of dusk. Thinking he was being clever, he had rather put himself on the spot. It was endearing.
“Perhaps in a few minutes I will head back that way.”
“That certainly sounds reasonable.”
“How long have you been at these ruins?” The boy asked with a quizzical look on his face as the question occurred to him for the first time.
“Two days.”
“There’s no fire or anything here though, what about the evening chill?” Even as he spoke the air was getting noticeably cooler with the sun creeping further and further to the west.
“I have little need for fire. It’s too bright at night, and the smoke is too dark by day. A lonely life is an easier life if you can learn to live without things that draw people to you.”
“Am I bothering you?”
“Not at all. I was thinking of visiting the Re’nan when you head in that direction.”
“In that case I cannot return.”
“Oh? And why is that?”
“I do not know your name or what you want. I can’t bring a stranger home.”
“You’ve already pointed me in the right direction, I need only to walk till I until I come across it.”
The boy looked phased but stood by his decision, saying, “All the same…”
“Very well, young Learner, as you wish, I shall depart in a separate direction.”
The old man reached behind his head with a very easy motion, carefully pulling up a hood from the folds of his robe and drew it forward till it shaded over his eyes. He stood slowly and began to walk away with an odd stride, moving through the shadows that stretched until they were beyond the nearest dunes, where they met other shadows of other sorts.
“Where are you going?”
“Away, I have rested here too long.”
Learner got up and began to follow him, his feet moving faster to try to match the pace of the strides of the older man. His feet were still graceful, the skill of a boy maybe two or three years older. The man cast a glance to the side and behind him, the upper half of his robes twisting without slowing his walk before turning back around to face where his feet were carrying him.
“Where are you going, young Learner?”
“I’m following you.”
“Why would you do that? I imagine it will be a waste of your time, head back.”
“I don’t know, I don’t have anything better to do.”
“Eating?”
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“Why should it?”
“No one will miss you?”
“All of the desert are like sand. I return when the wind blows me and leave the same way. This is my people’s way.”
“When do you feel the wind will return you to your people?”
The boy lifted his head up a little, a thoughtful and slightly surprised expression creeping over his face in the orange light of dusk. Thinking he was being clever, he had rather put himself on the spot. It was endearing.
“Perhaps in a few minutes I will head back that way.”
“That certainly sounds reasonable.”
“How long have you been at these ruins?” The boy asked with a quizzical look on his face as the question occurred to him for the first time.
“Two days.”
“There’s no fire or anything here though, what about the evening chill?” Even as he spoke the air was getting noticeably cooler with the sun creeping further and further to the west.
“I have little need for fire. It’s too bright at night, and the smoke is too dark by day. A lonely life is an easier life if you can learn to live without things that draw people to you.”
“Am I bothering you?”
“Not at all. I was thinking of visiting the Re’nan when you head in that direction.”
“In that case I cannot return.”
“Oh? And why is that?”
“I do not know your name or what you want. I can’t bring a stranger home.”
“You’ve already pointed me in the right direction, I need only to walk till I until I come across it.”
The boy looked phased but stood by his decision, saying, “All the same…”
“Very well, young Learner, as you wish, I shall depart in a separate direction.”
The old man reached behind his head with a very easy motion, carefully pulling up a hood from the folds of his robe and drew it forward till it shaded over his eyes. He stood slowly and began to walk away with an odd stride, moving through the shadows that stretched until they were beyond the nearest dunes, where they met other shadows of other sorts.
“Where are you going?”
“Away, I have rested here too long.”
Learner got up and began to follow him, his feet moving faster to try to match the pace of the strides of the older man. His feet were still graceful, the skill of a boy maybe two or three years older. The man cast a glance to the side and behind him, the upper half of his robes twisting without slowing his walk before turning back around to face where his feet were carrying him.
“Where are you going, young Learner?”
“I’m following you.”
“Why would you do that? I imagine it will be a waste of your time, head back.”
“I don’t know, I don’t have anything better to do.”
“Eating?”
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# posted by BentSea @ 11:59 AM 
