Sub Terra: Et Reditus

Fifteen

May 2047

A young boy sat in the back of a car as he played with a GameTab, cruising down the streets of Honolulu.

"Are you excited to meet them, Ryan?" The man driving the car asked.

"Not really, Mr. DeSantis." The boy replied.

"Why not, kiddo? They're great people. I'm sure you'll fit in just fine." The social worker said.

"I don't want them to be like the other people I lived with."

Despite being only seven years old, the boy had already lived in four different homes, with four different families. Not one of them provided the loving environment he needed.

"They're different, you know. I know them. They have a boy your age."

"Really?"

"Yeah. You'll be friends in no time, you'll see."

"I hope so."

The car took a turn and they were now in a residential neighbourhood.

"Well, what do you know! Their house is just up there!"

Mr. DeSantis pointed to a house with a yellow walls and an orange roof.

"We're here?"

"We sure are." He said with a wide smile.

In front of the house was an eagerly waiting family. There was a husband, wife, a son and a grandfather.

"Hop on out." He told Ryan. The boy's feet landed on the curb, but he didn't move. He waited for Mr. DeSantis to turn off the car and come to his side.

"Mr. Watanabe, Mrs. Nakamura, this is Ryan. Ryan, say hi to your new family."

"Hi Ryan," the boy's new foster mother said, bending over to meet his eyes. "It's great to see you. We've waited so long for you to come."

"You did?" He inquired.

Ryan had never heard such compassion from any his previous foster parents.

"Of course! Jack over there has been sitting on the lawn all afternoon for you." The boy's father said.

Ryan smiled. He looked at the other boy, who was waving his hands rapidly at the sight of him with his grandfather by his side.

"Can I?" He asked to meet his foster brother.

"For sure, buddy. We'll just be here going over some important things with Mr. DeSantis."

Ryan nodded and jogged on over to where Jack and his grandfather were.

"Hello," Ryan greeted. "My name is Ryan."

"I'm Jack," The boy said with a small, but meaningful smile.

"I have a ball. Do you want to play with me? Want to play catch?"

"Catch? What's that?" Ryan asked.

"You've never heard of catch? That's so weird! You're boring."

Ryan pouted. It reminded him of his past, older foster siblings' behavior towards him, but it wasn't nearly as harsh.

"Jack!" His grandfather snapped at him. "Be kind to him. He's not the same as you. If he doesn't know what it is, show him."

"Sorry, gramps. I won't do it again." He whined.

"Good," he scoffed.

"Ryan, I promise you he's a nice boy," the grandfather told him warmly, stroking his hair. "He might not seem so at first, but soon you'll be great friends."