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Lindi's Longing

Life Moves on

By Viltinga RasytojaPublished 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago 8 min read
3
Special thanks to my lovely niece Elora for being my model.

Lindi’s bright blue eyes filled with tears as she gazed at her mother and father through the transparent shield. They were standing just feet from her, yet they were worlds apart. In her palm she held the little gold heart locket, her thumb gently feeling the decorative bumps and on up to the chained bow that her mom always told her meant they were tied together forever. She clenched her hand into a fist, feeling the pressure of the locket inside, as she squeezed her eyes together trying to force the scream building inside from exploding out.

It was not supposed to be this way! They traveled for months to make it to Harmony in time and now here she was inside the safety of the shield and her parents still outside. Too many sidetracks to avoid the fighting, broken vehicles, and injuries had set them back time and time again. They were so close when they saw the shield reaching out from the sky moving towards the ground, “RUN,” her dad yelled, and so she did. She thought they were right behind her, but when she turned around to hug them and shout for joy they were still struggling to make it and she could tell they wouldn’t in time. She started to go towards them but her parents yelled “no,” so she hesitated and then it was too late.

Kneeling on the ground, locket in hand, she knew what they wanted her to do, continue on to the address written on the small paper inside. She gazed up at them and yelled, “I can’t!”

Tears rolling down both their cheeks, Lindi’s mom spoke, and though she could not hear a word she understood. “You are strong, you can do this!” Her father bent down and started to draw in the dirt; Lindi looked closer and saw the words. “We love you! Meet us here on Mom’s birthday.”

Steps nearby startled Lindi; looking to the sound a young couple, the woman large with child, stood nearby. They looked at Lindi then her parents and both couples nodded an unspoken agreement. This couple would help Lindi, and Lindi’s parents would forever be grateful. The pregnant woman bent down and touched her shoulder, “we will help you, don’t worry,” she said in a soft, sad voice. At that moment the shield flickered and Lindi’s heart raced with hope, the shield was going to turn off and her parents could walk in and hold her tight. Then she saw it, coming out of the distant trees, a tank fired again. She watched the large bullet speed towards the shield and again it flicked for a moment but nothing more. Lindi knew her parents needed to flee or they would be destroyed. She stood up and blew them a kiss saying, “I love you! I’ll come back!” Her mom pretended to catch the kiss and held it to her heart. Her father said, “come back,” sobbing they turned and started off. Lindi watched, and as her parents got further away the tank came closer until it rammed into the shield. It exploded, a ball of fire and smoke rising up into the sky; the shield only flicked for a moment and held fast. She turned her attention back to her parents; as they reached the trees they looked back and with arms high above their heads waved goodbye.

The young couple kept their promise and helped Lindi. Each night she fell asleep weeping in Helen’s arms. Each day they continued on in search of a city. At first they stuck close to the shield, hoping to find a road they could follow. After the third burnt body they saw lying on the other side they couldn’t take anymore, so they headed away from it.

The first city they came to was not Taikos, the city Lindi needed to find, and she knew this was the end of her journey with Helen and Rodger. Their baby would come any day and they needed to find a place to settle. They asked around, and a family headed towards Taikos was happy to bring Lindi along.

She stood in front of the white door unsure if she was too excited or nervous to knock; finally, she reached up and rapped twice. Jayden, her father’s childhood friend that told them about the shield, opened the door. He saw her and smiling big shouted, “You’re here!” Looking around, his smile dropped, “but, where are your parents?”

Sondra, his wife, came to the door, “who’s here?” Seeing Lindi, she swept her into the house squeezing her tight, “we have been so worried, we thought you hadn’t made it in time.”

Tears burst from Lindi’s eyes; she buried her face in Sondra’s shirt and choked out, “they didn’t make it.”

They all sat and cried together as Lindi told them the story. Eventually, Sondra stood, “you must be starving, let’s get you some food.”

Lindi sat at the oval table picking at the food when a handsome boy about her age walked in. It had been years since their families had gotten together, but she remembered laughing and playing with the little red haired boy. He had grown, but so had she. They looked at each other and smiled; for the first time since watching her parents walk away Lindi felt joy and hope.

Time passed quickly and Lindi was bouncing with excitement as they packed the car getting ready to go meet her parents as promised. She made sure the white board was there and hoped her parents would have something that would allow them to communicate easier. Going back to the shield did not take nearly as long as it took her to get to Taikos. It did take some time to find the location where she, Helen, and Rodger had gathered rocks together making a heart with a bow above it, like her locket. Lindi had wanted to be sure she could find the spot. They set up a tent and started a fire to roast hot dogs for dinner, and Lindi babbled on about everything she would share with her parents. That night she could hardly sleep with anticipation; she kept looking out the tent door just incase her parents came during the night. The next day she and Travis played card games to pass the time, but Lindi could not focus. She would look up every few minutes scanning the tree line and trying hard to ignore the blown up tank. Lunch came and went with no sign of them, finally the sun set, and she cried herself to sleep. Come morning she convinced herself they were just delayed and would be here today. They waited and waited, but again they never came. Lindi was frantic the third day and began running up and down along the shield, worried they were waiting somewhere else. Stopping her Jayden said, “Lindi, I am not sure what has kept them, but we are out of food and need to head home.”

The next year it was the same, and the year after. There was never even some kind of message left for her. Two more years she came, not ready to give up hope, but knowing deep down they were never going to come. They were dead out there, somewhere, like her older brother Lyon. The sixth year she and Travis came alone not to watch and wait, but to put up three little white crosses. No one knew who put up the first one, but many had followed the act, a memorial of sorts for family and friends who did not make it.

That night watching the sunset, Travis confessed his love for her. She was not surprised, she felt the connection between them the fist day she came to his home; she loved him too. She felt safe and comfortable when he was near. No one was shocked when a year later they were wed.

Their life together was not perfect, they had their frustrations and challenges, but they worked together finding a way to make it through each trial. The only challenge they truly struggled with was a baby. They waited at first to have kids; they were young and did not feel ready for the responsibility caring for a new life brings. But, they expected a baby to come once they were ready. Months went by and nothing happened, but it was ok sometimes it takes awhile others told them. After six months they were concerned but kept telling themselves it will happen. A year later they knew it was more than just needing a little time, so they sought help. The news was heart wrenching; the doctor informed them she would probably never have a child. Damage from the same bomb blast that killed her brother was the likely culprit. The damn war had taken so much from her already and this blow hit hard. If it was not for Travis’s love and support she would have sank deep into the depths of depression. Light always finds a way to fill the darkness in the end though, and they found light in other ways. Helping neighborhood kids, serving the youth in their church, watching their friend’s children while they escaped for a night away, these moments helped fill the hole in their hearts.

Eight years later Lindi began to feel awful, no matter how much sleep she got she was constantly tired, and she felt so nauseous all the time. After a week of extreme nausea and barely keeping anything down Travis took her to the doctor. They were amazed and ecstatic to discover Lindi was expecting. The pregnancy was extremely difficult and high risk. To keep the little life growing in her as long as possible the last 4 months were spent on bedrest, a torture she would not place on anyone. It was hard, but they were both more than willing to do whatever was needed for this miracle baby. She came early, but was perfect and healthy in every way. They named her Tani, a combination of Travis and Lindi. Together they held that sweet bundle, staring into her gorgeous blue eyes, and felt like everything was perfect in the world.

-————————————————————

If you’d like to read the beginning of Lindi’s story check out “Lindi’s Lament” here.

If you’d like to hear Tani’s story check it out, just click the link below!

Short Story
3

About the Creator

Viltinga Rasytoja

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