True Nature

The Child That Starts It All

I lower my arms "What was that?" The boy looks ready to cry "Please I can't find my mom! I'm scared and I want to go home!" Is this a ploy? A trick engineered by the gods? "And where is you're mother?" The boy bursts into tears "I don't know! When I went to bed I was home but when I woke up I was here! What's going on? I just want to go home! Please help me." I'm suddenly filled with rage. The gods kidnapped this small boy. For what? What could they possibly gain from this? I look at the boy. He can only be about 8 years old. I don't understand. What is wrong with these damn gods?! I breathe a sigh. "Do you know where you live?" The boy stifles a sniffle. "California. In America." Of course he is. The place I hoped I'd never have to return. "Is there a specific city? Maybe even an address?" I immediately feel like I've lost the boy. "Well I live in L.A." sigh. "Well it's a start. We better get moving. Your mother will be worried." I walk over to the sniffling child and crouch down. Even at my lowest, I tower over him. "So what do they call you?" He looks up at me with a light in his eyes as he yells out "I'm Lin!" I can't help but smile. The purity of this child is something to be cherished. I realize how badly I need to get the child home. "So what's your name?" The question catches me by surprise. "I am the ancient one. The convicted. The payer of debts." Lin's eyes gloss over. "But what's your NAME?" I ponder for a minute. It's been centuries since I last though of my name. It feels like there's a hole in my memory. "I don't know." He looks disappointed. But soon his disappointment turned to excitement. "Ok well I'm gonna call you Sam." Sam. I ponder the name in my head. "That will be fine." Lin's eyes light up. "Yay! Ok Sam! Let's go home!" My ears almost rejected the word. Home...