The Traveler

  The soulful moan of a lone horn has him walking over to the backpack, and after hoisting it upon his shoulders, sees that Izzo has that look as she goes about slipping a silver tin within his inner breast pocket. Taking up his hand, her voice is barely above a whisper as she says to him, “A little something to remember me by is all that is. And since I still have you here, do me a favor, and come home to me.”

Taking Izzo in his arms, he says to her, “Don’t you worry now. I’ll be home before you know it.” Letting Izzo go, he turns his attention to the door hanging out like it is part of the room décor. On his approach, the door swings outward and after crossing the threshold, he finds himself on earth.

It was a year ago on this day that eight billion people were gathered up to be sorted out. Of those billions going through the process, as it turns out, some are not bad enough but at the same time, they are not that good either. Having no other place to put them, each are given a second chance. Void of its modern conveniences and being that a year is a long time, wonders how things are working out when the simple fact that he is here has him thinking that things might not be so good.

A bit troubled by this, he puts his feelings aside as he makes his way down the mountainside. After doing so, the sun is halfway over the treetops and with morning just about used up, the rest of the way gets a lot better as the rutted roadway bumps against another that is paved and striped.

Moving at a much faster pace, what catches his eye is a purple bumblebee and a monarch butterfly sharing a flower and wondering what is being said, turns to look at the roadside café. Under new management is displayed on the marque and thinking this oddly funny, once through the doorway, there comes a raspy voice. “You there, two pennies will get you a bowl of soup and hunk of bread.”

The thought of a hot meal sounds good to him that has him removing from around his neck a cord fastened to a small pouch. Waiting for payment, the woman is watching his every move as he goes about untying the knot cinching the opening closed. Nimble fingers make do of the knot to where he shakes free what is needed and after the proper amount of coin is handed over, the one in charge says to him, “Here’s your ticket (which is really a piece of paper) It’s going to be just a moment longer before the bread is done baking. In the meantime, help yourself to a seat. Oh, just one more thing. There is no smoking as we got kids around.” That said, the woman slips away to her duties.

All that is left for him to do is to pull the door open, and after entering the dining hall, all at once arms and elbows move off tabletops as eight hopeful faces look in his direction. Hope fades to discouragement after seeing that he is just another strangler.

Making his way down the center aisle, finds an open spot to his liking and no sooner is the pack off his back, a kid in need of a haircut approaches him. “Mom wants to know if you are the Traveler.” Dropping his weight upon the bench, he places his elbows on the tabletop before he leans towards the boy, “Tell your mom that she is more than welcome to join me if that is what she wants.” Wide eyed, the kid nods his head before leaving him and thinking it won’t be long, here comes the kid with his mother.

Sitting opposite him, every scar is studied before she says to him, “It has been two days since I have held my baby girl. This is a picture of Alice. She turned eight back in the month of May. She’s not a big girl but she is strong willed.” The woman pauses then. “I tried to stop them, but they were too strong.” The boy speaks up then, “They tried to grab me too, but I was able to run away and hide.” The woman pulls the boy in as the heaviness felt has him picking the still frame off the tabletop. Frozen in time, is a toothy smile that goes well with the child’s bright eyes. Placing the photo back on the tabletop, speaks to the woman but has his eyes more on her son, “Many days will pass until my return. Keep in mind, the news I bring to you might not be the news you will want to hear. Outside of that, how am I to find you?”

A smile barely makes it to the woman’s face. “Here, tending the garden is where we will be.” That said, the woman and boy leave him.

After the humble meal of vegetable soup and fresh baked bread has been eaten, he gets halfway across the foyer when the woman in charge walks towards him all the while talking in that raspy voice. “A rough looking bunch they were, and right away I felt something wasn’t right. But it was too late. As for fighting them off, you saw for yourself that most folk around here are barely alive since...anyways, they’re heading south.” That said, the crunchy looking woman goes back to her kitchen and he off to following the posted signs making it easy to find the southbound ramp to the I-5 corridor.