The Traveler

“Come traveler, pull up a seat and let me tell you of a tale. This is a tale that most know yet continue to disregard and ignore.” The hooded traveler, that the old and frail man was talking to, stood still, and weighed what the old man’s tale could be about. “Come, sit, and rest those weary bones of yours.”

Again, the traveler just stood in place. Unmoving, unwavering, resistant. “Why would I waste my time listening to an old man’s tale, in a desolate place like this?” The traveler asked as he gestured to the surrounding area. The surrounding land was indeed desolate. It was nothing more than arid lands, full of dry dirt and plenty of jagged rocks.

“Because,” The old man smiled and shakingly pointed at the traveler. “this tale can only be told in a desolate place like this, as you so well pointed out.”

“Do you have food or water?”

“Of course I do. Please,” He sweeps his arm in the area in front of him. “sit, take what you will and I will tell you my tale.”

“Very well.” The old man smiles at him and quickly pours him a cup of tea. “What is this tale about?”

“It is a tale about humanity and one of the worst qualities of humans. Selfishness.”

“That’s a tale as old as time itself, and one that continues on still.”

“Indeed it is, but this tale takes place before the lands before us were desolate. This tale involves a woman, her husband, and their undying love for one another.”

. . . . .

“Jeremy.” The woman called out from down the hallway. “We don’t have much time left; we must leave before we’re too late!”

The year is 2047, and the population of Earth overly abundant. There were only two classes of people, those with money and those without. Earth is on the verge of becoming a dying planet. Humanity’s last hope lies with a colonial spacecraft called Arktis 4.

“I know honey, I just need to make sure we have everything we need to make it past that gate.”

“Forget about it, we need to go now!”

Jeremy bolts out of the bedroom and makes his way to his wife in the kitchen. “Lidia, we need the proper identification if we are to convince the guards of who we say we are.”

“I have most of it right here Jeremy, we’ll get in.”

“Then,” He said, placing his hands on her shoulders. “let us go, and hope no one confronts us before we get to the ship.”

. . . . .

“Their journey to Arktis 4 was nerve-wracking. Every twist and turn they made was met with folk who were looking for an excuse to fight and take what they want. But the man and woman were smart and disguised themselves as one of the folk without money.”

“Did they make it to the ship, this Arktis 4?”

“They did.”

. . . . .

“Okay, we’re here.” Jeremy said as they gazed at the security gate to Arktis 4 gathering center. “Let’s get out of these rags and get in there.”

Both of them quickly undress in the alleyway where they were hiding in and put on their civilian clothes. Just as Jeremy finished buttoning up his suit vest, he focused his attention to Lidia. She was as beautiful as the day he first met her, even with the sweat and grime on her face.

“Are you ready?”

“Just one moment.” She reaches in the duffel bag, that held their civilian clothes, and pulls out a golden, heart-shaped locket. “Now I’m ready.”

A smile creeps across his face. “I knew you wouldn’t leave that behind.”

She just smiles back at him as she fastens it around her neck. “Of course not, it’s the first present you ever gave me. It’s too precious to leave behind.”

“Come, let’s go.”

. . . . .

“Ah I see.” The traveler said, interrupting the story the old man was telling. “Even though they made it to the ship, they were too late because they were selfish and took things they did not need.”

“No, they were not late. The only material things they had were the clothes on their back and that locket of hers. Now, stop interrupting me.”

. . . . .

“Identification.” The security guard said in a robotic tone. Jeremy stepped forward and handed both his and Lidia’s identification. The guard took a moment, scanned the IDs, then handed them back. “Identities confirmed. Step through the scanner, then head to the community center for instructions.”

Both Jeremy and Lidia smiled at one another and proceeded to the scanner. Jeremy went through first without issue, but when Lidia went through, the scanner had detected something, causing several alarms to go off.

“Stop!” The guard said as he pulled out his baton. “What did the scanner pick up?”

The other guard that was overlooking the scanner went through the different settings of Lidia’s scan. Once he found what set off the alarm, he looked over at the questioning guard. “She is pregnant.”

“What?” Lidia said, completely shocked by the information she just heard. “I mean, I know I was late with my cycle but I thought it was because of all the stress we’ve been under, not that I was pregnant.”

Jeremy pulls up beside her to console her. “What does it matter if she’s pregnant?”

“We list your family as two people. Because of this, there are only two spots on Arktis 4.”

“And because I’m pregnant…”

“There is one too many. Normally we would suggest that you abort the child, but time has run out. One of you will have to stay behind.”

“That is ridiculous!” Jeremy said as he took a step towards the guard at the scanner.

“Sir, calm down.” Said the guard at the scanner.

“Sir.” The other guard with his baton out takes a step towards Jeremy and makes a twisting motion on the baton, causing the tip to open and reveal a taser like point. “One of you will remain here, the other will go to the community center. You have thirty seconds to comply.”

. . . . .

“Tough situation, but with an obvious answer; Jeremy stayed.”

“Ah, so you are a wise one. Yes, this was the outcome. His heart broke into a million pieces that day. Not only did he lose the love of his life, but he also lost the opportunity of seeing his child forever. There’s not a day that goes by that he doesn’t think of them.” The old man said, looking slightly down to the barren earth beneath him.

“Interesting story, but I fail to see what this has to do with selfishness.”

“Yes, I thought you would. Selfishness didn’t take place until after that moment. Before she left, she gave him the locket that she treasured most. As the years went by, he never let go of it. Never sold it for money; never bargained it for food or water. Eventually, he died right here; in this very spot.”

“Is it selfish to keep a memento like that?”

The old man just smiles. “Depends on what you believe. To hold on to such a trinket only for the sentiment of a long-lost love can be seen as greed. A treasure he obsessed over until it killed him.”

“I see.” The traveler gets up and dusts off his tattered clothing. “Thank you for your… hospitality, but I must be on my way.”

“I understand, but before you go, I have something to give you.” The old man, still sitting down at his makeshift camp, turns to reach for a small bag beside him. Looking back to the traveler, he lifts the bag up and offers it to the traveler.

“What is it?”

“A memento, or something for you to trade with in the future.”

The traveler cautiously grasps the bag from the old man’s hands and turns it over to take out whatever was in the bag. A golden, heart-shaped locket falls out of the bag into his hand. It was clearly old, tarnished, and well worn – as if someone had been constantly rubbing their fingers along its features.

“Is this…” The traveler looks up but doesn’t see the old man in front of him. Panic setting in, he quickly looks around him to see where the old man could have gone, but sees no trail or footprints anywhere. Looking back to the locket, he nods, then pockets the trinket. “I understand old man. I will carry your story.”