I am Dron

The Gravesite

“Yesterday, on Trus, Kazon 5, 2102, at 1:45 in the second cycle, we find that the curse of Blood Omen Lake has struck again. This time claiming not only Voce Thasune, a screenwriter and animation choreographer, but the rival game developer Zin Delorosa from Diamond Snake Gaming as well. The two sons will possibly carry on the gaming traditions as their heirs, but only time will tell. We are currently trying to see if we can find the bodies of these two gamer developers, but we have yet to see an update on whether or not they will be found. On to you, Salvator.”

 

I am in a black t-shirt and pants. It is two days after the funeral. Her grave is a tombstone with her favorite kind of flower, Ambrosia Joy. It is a flower that has dark orange in the middle of the blossom and slowly grows lighter and turns into yellow middle of the petals.. The yellow turns into white as it gets closer to the tips. In the sunlight, the flower stretches out far. In the dark, it glows. In moonlight, it turns blue and purple.

Her grave is under an Eytelia tree. It’s late blooming time for the tree, and some of the blossoms have fallen down around and on the Ambrosia Joy bush. Her tombstone reminds me of all the things she could be called: mother, teacher, gamer, friend, co-worker, employee, helper, student and most of all, a loving person. The quote they chose for her tombstone is “Life has thorns, but all the thorns in the world couldn’t compare to even a small rose.”

I smile sadly as I read it over and over again. I was having a rough day in the VR world, about two years ago. I was trying to complete a game but I kept dieing before the end. I got better each time, but still didn’t do well. My mom said that quote later in the evening, and started using it ever since. It reflected how well she was determined, hard-working, and optimistic about everything.

My eyes started to blur and I could tell I was about to cry. Not a lot of people were here, just a few that were visiting other people’s graves. So I let the tears silently roll down my cheeks. I never cry often, but now it seems like the water works have loosened. But why did my mom have to die for it to happen? Why did she die at all? Couldn’t the world see what good she had done?

“It’s nice to see someone other than myself here.” I turned and saw a young Kinog girl about my age. She wore a simple lavender dress with a wide, white ribbon around her waist. In her hands, she held white Lilaca flowers. “There are others, but not one that shows my pain as well.”

“Your pain?”

“Yes. We both recently lost our mothers, am I correct?”

“I-I think so. How did you…?”

“I observe as well.” She held out a hand. I took it and shook hands with her. “It’s ok, did she believe in Jayon saving our sins by being killed?”

“Yes.” Jayon was the Falram word for Jesus, the man who saves all who believe in him. It is said whoever believes in him will have eternal life and go to utopian Hyorea.

“Then why are you crying? She is in good health.”

“That is true.” She smiled and turned to leave. “Wait, what is your name?”

She turned back around. “What do you mean?” Mind blank. Never have asked a girl her name. Usually it is the other way around. Girls sometimes like lone wolves, so it made sense. Still, this situation is awkward. I was totally not thinking.The girl cocked her head in wait.

“If I see you again, that’s what I mean.” She nodded in understanding.

“Liana Brinkley. And you are?”

“Dron Thasune.”

“Then gia dia, Dron Thasune.” She skipped off. A large hand was on my shoulder. I looked up and saw my Kinog chaperone, Kakin Selvin. I knew what he meant by looking at his face. Time to go.

We took the train back home. At the house, I had some of my things packed to leave. Considering I didn’t have a job, I couldn’t pay for the house. I finished packing my books, clothes, a few sentimental stuffed animals, and my games. I made sure to pack the picture frame with the game-edited selfie. Loree Marx, my social worker, was talking the place as temporary guardian. After she made sure I was in bed, she went into the kitchen and started to talk with Mr. Selvin. I didn’t want to learn my fate when they told me, so I got out of bed and crept by the bedroom door. I could hear the conversation pretty clearly.

“...even if he doesn’t go to a boarding school, he needs to be taught in a safe environment with other kids his age. Dron has been in enough isolation from other kids. I will not have him be on his own.”

“But he will not be on his own. Learning the computer skills he will need and perfecting the ones he already have will-”

“Will what? Help him with a career? My path idea will help with that. And I am also suggesting that he gets the learning experience with people his own age, not like some sort of prodigy.”

“He is a prodigy, and you know it. You saw the boy’s test results.” Test results?

“Yes, I did see them-”

“Then you know how good he is. We can train him-”

“But he doesn’t even know that we were testing him. Dron doesn’t know and he doesn’t have to. I don’t even think he is ready.”

“When do you think he is going to be ready? In what, five, ten years? That might be too late.” Late for what?

“Look, I have already started to get him into the system. So even though you  don’t like it, he is going to RASO, whether you like it or not.”

“Adults, calm down.” What, who is this? And it sounds like a female, so when did she get here?

“Valdes, am I right in saying there is a way to convince him?”

“Yes.” Kakin started to object. “Wait, I do have a compromise. How about if we train him at the school. There are several his age that this would work for and it doesn’t matter at all if they train with him or not. So, we have a similar age group of orphans training, and we also have the game set-up. In short, we will have both of your ideas incorporated.”

There was a small amount of a silence. Loree broke the silence. “I still don’t know. What if the two rival sons fight in the game? I don’t think Dron would be tempted as easily as Vin, and Vin has showed signs at following the Dark King.”

“And I don’t like that either. But we have to understand what this might entail. That might happen, it might not. Either way, we have to be careful.”

“We would be more careful if they were in separate, controlled, learning environments.”

“I think I would sleep better too. But it is not good for Dron. We have made the decision already. Are you going to stop the plan?” Kakin was quiet for a moment.

“No.”

“Good. Then he will leave in the morning on the school’s trainbus. He is packed, I presume?”

“Yes.” replied Loree.

“Make sure he makes the train at second cycle 3. Don’t be late please. I will go for tonight. Need to make sure the teachers are all settled in. I trust that I will be seeing you again, Ms. Marx, as the school’s counselor?”

“Correct.”

“Good night.” They said their farewells. A few minutes later, Kakin left as well. I got up and fell asleep.