Dear Homeland [SnufMin]

PROLOGUE

He has been waiting for two months now. The snow hasbeen melting a long time ago, and the flowers have bloomed already. The spring has never been so early in Moominvalley. It was a perfect time to sail and fly now, and everyone has been waiting patiently for him to be ready. But he would never be ready if he had to go without telling him goodbye.

He hasn't been moving at all. Sitting on the roof of the house, no matter the weather; no cold and no wind would stop him from waiting for his friend. Sometimes Little My would sit beside him and pull her knees against her chest, her arms around them, and they would watch together in the same direction. She had tried to push him from the roof or to make him talk at all, but the Moomin would remain silent.

"I told you he's not coming," she would say aggressively, and the silent Moomintroll would blink more slowly, like he was concentrating not to listen to her. Then she would jump and fuss at Sniff for not helping to make Moomintroll react.

Snork Maiden had also tried to make him react, but he wouldn't talk. He would only thank her and Mamma for bringing meals, and then he would immediately keep looking in that same direction, observing the bridge and the mountains intensively, focusing to not overlook any detail. He would barely sleep anymore.

Papa had tried to talk to him as well. "I'm not tired, Papa," Moomintroll had murmured. "I'm fine. I know he will come very soon. He always does."

During his long wait, Moomintroll would hold the harmonica he gave him in his hand, and hold it tightly between his weak fingers, just like he was holding his friend's hand. No one knew what Moomintroll was thinking about, staying high up on the roof all day, without moving an inch. The powerful wind would sometimes slide in the instrument and whistle a random melody out of it, which would make the Moomin startle each time, before realizing it was not him.

At this point, everyone would have given up; but Moomintroll wanted to see his friend so much he couldn't give up. One last time. Just another day. He'll come; I know he will. The Snork was getting impatient and angry to delay the departure. His flying ship was finally ready and he couldn't wait to leave. They were going to live on another island, and to rebuild a completely new life. The size of the ship would allow everyone in the Moominvalley to go. They would all leave together. They were just waiting for one person to finally depart.

One more day. That's what he would always answer with his tired look in his eyes. He would come tomorrow, Moomintroll was certain he would. And the day after tomorrow, he had dreamt he had come back, and that he had established his tent right by the bridge. And the day after that, he would come for sure, the wind had calmed down, he would probably walk down the path playing his harmonica like he always does.

He never came.

When the propellers started to spin and the ship started to fly, everyone had gasped with amazement and excitement. The weather was clear and the wind was good, which allowed the ship to fly without any danger. With a sailing ship, the journey would have taken two or three days, but the flying ship was so powerful and dashing it would only take a day. Many inventors had come to see The Snork's invention, and the crowd cheered for him as the inventors praised him. Snork Maiden had never seen his brother having such a happy expression on his face.

Moomintroll had been lying in his bed for the whole journey.

His parents had come to see him in his cabin at the end of the day. They seemed to be very embarrassed. Their boy was hiding his face under the blanket, and wouldn't respond to their questions. "We will arrive soon," Papa said on an awkward tone. He left the cabin to let Mama alone with Moomintroll.

Mamma sat on the bed.

"Dear, listen... We didn't want to tell you," she started. She paused. She was playing with her fingers. Then, she took the suitcase she was holding and opened it. She took the thing from the suitcase, and turned her head to her son. Moomintroll didn't move, still covered in his blanket and turned to the wall. But suddenly the familiar smell made him jump.

Mamma had closed her eyes, close to the tears. "We found this," she said faintly, and as she started crying, Moomintroll stopped breathing. He snorted, trying to keep himself from crying, but the familiar smell made him burst into tears. Then he whimpered, more and more loudly, and begged and begged, and implored Mamma it wasn't what it was, but she kept on weeping without giving him an answer.

The tears fell on Snufkin's hat.