The Journey
By Rob
Martz
(Second
draft)
Sirius was a kind, loving, determined, powerful and
protective gryphon-like creature whose head was that of a dog rather than an
eagle. ‘Sirius, we must get there before midnight!’ Said Rob while gently
letting him know he appreciated his taking him to Tor’s place after his ordeal
- losing Elsa, his first love, had
clearly broken Sirius’ heart.
Sirius knew how much Rob loved him and how he’d never
considered him an animal, but his own family, the son he never had. Sirius
would do anything for him as they were one soul; like the time when Rob and Tor
were attacked by a pack of wolves and Sirius had scattered them with a single
blow of his mighty wings.
They flew over mountains and down dark valleys, past
meadows and through forests. They rode storms and fought lighting, delighted in
gentle whirlwinds and glided over their own worries feeling strong in each
other’s company. The colours below them almost reflected their current
feelings. It was winter and so the trees were bare and lonely, just as Sirius
was feeling after Elsa’s departure. The deep purple and dark brown hues of the rotting
leaves covering the forests almost mirrored Rob’s heartache for Elsa and Tor’s
distance.
‘Thank you, thank you, thank you!’ Thought Rob while
feeling Sirius’ heartbeat. ‘Thank you for allowing me to be part of your life!’
Still vivid in Rob’s mind the day Tor found in the forest Sirius. Big as a fist
and noisy as a cracker Sirius’ family had been savaged by hunters and had
missed him by chance. Sirius filled up Rob’s heart in one go, he took
possession of it without asking for permission and from that very moment Rob
loved Sirius as his own offspring.
Sirius felt Rob’s warmth and love as his hands gently held
on to Sirius’ dark gold mane and Rob’s chest pressed against his back as Sirius
flew through the air like lighting. Almost supernaturally Sirius embraced Rob,
feathers as shields all round him, as if trying to protect him from the
stabbing wind.
‘Thank Goodness!’ Thought Rob as he saw the city in
the distance. The tattered roofs needing thatching were evident. The square at
the outskirts of the settlement waved at them vigorously. The creek ran freely
by the side of the houses on the East and washed over the barren winter fields.
The market was afflicted by desolation and emptiness at this hour and gave a
spectral rendition of an otherwise pleasant and lively street. ‘We’re almost there!’
They couldn’t wait any longer to be reunited with Tor. Rob could almost see the
happiest of times with Tor passing as a multicolour flick in front of his eyes
in anticipation of their approaching reunion. Rob had met Tor 216 moons ago and
their love was still fresh, sincere, impetuous, and strong as the first day.
It had been a long journey fraught with perils and
loneliness kept at bay by Rob and Sirius’ love. Storms and lighting had almost
translated into Sirius wings being broken and burnt. Luckily the blaze had only
hit the back of Rob’s flapping garment and scorched the surface of Sirius’
right side feathers. The cold and stabbing wind had reached deep into their
hearts and reminded them of their recent loss making it a heavier burden for
Sirius to keep airborne. Only their love gave Rob the strength to wrap Sirius
in a cocoon of happiness which brought back their happiest memories and gave
Sirius the extra boost to fly higher, faster, fly home.
Tor knew Rob and Sirius were near. He could feel it in
his heart. He felt warm, protected, stronger, more confident and invincible. He
could almost hear Sirius’ wings powerful fluttering. He could smell Rob’s skin.
18 years had passed and he was still very much one with Rob. He could vividly
remember the public house they had met at and the people sitting at the round
table opposite the one Rob shared with Karl. Tor remembered how his attention had
been captured by this outsider who struggled to communicate in his tongue and
used words from other languages as if trying to see which would help him convey
his message across. Tor was taken back to that same table, minutes after Karl
had gone, with the sole purpose of knowing more about Rob. Little did he know
that only half a moon away they would have been sharing the same roof and that
a couple of years later a bundle of joy would have crossed their paths: Sirius!
Tor had brought him into their lives when he was only 45 days old and had never
regretted one single day spent with him. Sirius was meant to be part of their
lives and had come to them to fulfil his destiny. If he was not why then did
the hunters missed him? A toy bone Sirius used to play with when he was little
brought Tor back from his memories. ‘I’ll wait for them outside’ He thought
filled with joy.
Anticipation filled Tor’s heart as he struggled not to
laugh out loud at the silly happiness that was flooding his senses. He could
not let those emotions show, he was too manly to let them transpire. ‘It would
not be appropriate’ He thought. What would his parents say? In his culture even
a man of his age, almost four decades old, is expected to be strong,
emotionless so showing such emotion would not be appropriate of a man in such
traditional culture. All the same, as Tor looked down into the valley, his eyes
searching for Rob and Sirius, a sense of happiness and joy filled him up and
translated into tangible hope. He knew together they could face anything. He needed
them both, they were his strength and aim in life. ‘Fly high, Sirius, come
home!’ He shouted. ‘Elsa is not gone, but simply waiting for you in a better
place and watching over you till you meet again’, he thought with tears of joy
filling up his eyes. ‘Come home, come to me!’ He thought so loudly the garden
rejoiced.
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