Keeping Time

Chapter 1: Maoko - 1938

Maoko remembers sitting next to her sister Mata near the water on the beach. Mata was making sandcastles with her hands and Maoko was watching her, thinking about the sunblock Mata needed on her skin. Mata looked up at her and smiled. Maoko smiled back.

"Saudara, did I tell you the story of how I am an alien princess?"

"Maoko I know that story isn't true" sighed Mata.

Maoko smiled and shook her head.

"It is true. I was the princess there to a big kingdom. I was married to a prince from another planet. Then we ruled over our kingdom until threatened by a supernova."

Mata gasped. Maoko smiled at her innocent wonder.

"Then we were forced to assimilate our souls into ships of light that took off from the planet. We had to be reincarnated onto other planets at other time periods. We were to be separated."

"I turned to my husband and I asked him if he would remember me. He said 'I will never forget you.' Then we were separated. I lost the love of my life. I would find him someday in our next incarnation."

Mata smiled.

"I love the story' she said. "Your husband sounds completely dreamy. If only he were real."

"I know," sighed Maoko. "Yet I guess I need to improve my stories for you, Mata. You know what Mother said long ago..."

"I know," said Mata, shaping her sandcastle. "She said never to rely all your hopes on any man. To always be self-sufficient."

Maoko looked off into the waves. They seemed to be rather large today.

"I know Dad leaving has been hard on all of us. Mother never leaves the house anymore and she refuses to look at us. I know you wish she would pay attention to us more" said Maoko.

"I just think that it is selfish," said Mata.

"You are so wise for your age," said Maoko, smiling. "Yes, I believe she has been selfish. She used to call father the love of her life. Then when he left, she had you. I held you in my arms at the hospital. I tried to give her back to you but she wouldn't hold you. We had to get a wet nurse for you. She screwed up Mata. She doesn't know what she missed out on. She still looks to the past every day as if our father would come home even though he is probably gone for good."

Mata was silent. She continued making her sand castle - sculpting the tiny little towers. Mata imagined that her sister was a princess in those towers as her kingdom assimilated into tiny souls and imagined them floating up into the sky. Mata also imagined her sister Maoko - how Maoko would say one last tearful goodbye to her husband before they were swept up into the arms of death forever.

Maoko watched as the palm trees swayed in the breeze. Then the wind began to pick up.

A deafening roar. Mata screamed and Maoko looked. A large tsunami was heading our way.

Maoko stood up.

"We have to go Mata," said Maoko.

Mata had heard the roar too. She looked scared.

"Maoko. We aren't going to make it," she said.

Their legs burned as they ran together through the jungle. Then the waves hit the shore.

She was still running through the jungle and nearing the first hill that would lead to the high cliff above. Mata had tripped over her legs while trying to jump over a tree branch. She fell to the ground. Maoko panicked. Her sister's leg was most certainly broken.

"Maoko. You need to leave me" said Mata, tears streaming down her face.

"Absolutely not. I would rather die than leave you here. What kind of sister do you think I am?" asked Maoko.

Mata smiled.

Maoko tried to remove her but was unsuccessful. Then the tsunami came, submerging them both under water.

She blacked out but then she rose to the surface.

The waves were carrying me out. No matter where she looked, she could not find her sister.

"Mata!" yelled Maoko.

Maoko finally found a tree. The tree was surfing down the river. Her leg was bleeding.

When she finally found one of the broken houses near the beach, she raised herself off the tree and onto it. She was able to sit on the roof of the rumah which was still attached and structured to the ground. Then she watched in horror as Maoko saw what she feared most.

Down the river floated a large chunk of wood and her sister's face upside down. Her body rose and fell as the broken branch floating down the water carried her. She was dead. When her foot gave way from the branch, her body turned. Maoko saw her face on her sister's face an open-mouthed scream and lifeless, fearful eyes. Then Mata sank into the water.