Forgotten Dreams of Eternity: Lost Odyssey: Thousand Years of Dreams

(Short Story -XXII.) *Bright Rain*

Forgotten Dreams of Eternity: Lost Odyssey: Thousand Years of Dreams

Copyright © 2011 Sky_Knight

(Short Story -XXII.)

*Bright Rain*

"The bright rain is going to start soon." The boy says, pointing out to sea.

"The bright rain?" Kaim asks him.

"Uh-huh. It happens every night, way out there." he says with a carefree smile.

"It's so pretty!"

"Bright rain, huh?"

"Yeah. I want you to watch it with me tonight. It's really pretty."

The boy has never once left the island in the ten years since his birth.

The island is small and poor, and the only ways to make a living there are fishing from dugout boats and gathering forest fruits. One monotonous day follows another, the islanders waking at dawn and sleeping beneath the star-filled sky. The boy does not yet realize that this is the greatest happiness of all.

The boy begins speaking to Kaim, who turns to look in his direction.

Hunkered down on the beach in the moonlight, the boy in profile glows like a chocolate sculpture.

"Over there, where the bright rain falls, is a great, big island, right? I know all about it. That island is way bigger than this one and way more stuff goes on there and it's just full of shiny things and pretty things and food that's way better than I can even imagine, right? Don't worry, I know all about it"

Kaim says nothing but gives the boy pained smile.

Beyond the horizon lies a big island, indeed -a vast continent. Kaim was there until four days ago. Then, rocked in the hold of a freighter for three days and nights, he crossed the sea to this island.

"I know about it, but I've never seen it." the boy says, his voice dropping.

He hangs his head, diverting the moonlight from his face. His chocolate skin melts into the darkness.

"Would you like to go there?" Kaim asks.

"Sure I would." the boy replies without hesitation. "All the kids here want to."

"Everybody leaves the island, I suppose."

"Sure they do! Boys and girls both. As soon as they're old enough to work, they go to the 'other country.' Me, too, in another five years... I'll be ready in three years. Then I'll take the boat that you came here on and go to the other country and work hard and eat tons of yummy things."

The boy raises his face again.

Locked on the ocean, his eyes are shining.

They are eyes full of hopes and dreams.

But they know nothing of the 'other country'. He can never know a thing about it as long as he stays here.

Not one of the young people who crossed the sea, their eyes shining like the boy's with hopes and dreams, ever came back.

"Of course not." the boy would say. "The other country is so much more fun, there's no point in coming back!"

The boy believes in the happiness awaiting him in the other country. about which he knows nothing.

Only when they leave the island do the brown-skinned people here learn that their skin is a different color from that of the people in the other country.