Remembering

Participants:

devon_icon.gif

Scene Title Remembering
Synopsis A few minutes taken to remember an important person on her birthday.
Date October 31, 2016

Kabetogama, MN

On the lakeshore.


“Hard to believe it’s been five years.”

Devon’s voice wavers slightly. It always has, every year that he’s built the fire on the lakeshore with its glowing sparks and good heat to send the paper lantern up into the sky. Every year that he’s taken a few minutes to pause and remember Elisabeth and reflect on the life she’d fought for him, and so many others like him, to have. It never gets easier.

The fire on this day crackles and snaps with a passion. It’s been built larger, stands higher than the modest flames he’s used before. This year deserves more, a more grade remembering. And because of its importance, Devon has spared no expense. Near his feet rests a lantern constructed of pink and purple crepe paper. It wasn’t easy to find those colors, nor did they come cheap, but worth the time and cost. Beside the lantern is a small bundle of bottle rockets.

“I wish I could tell you everything that’s happened. The whole war, everyone we’ve brought to trial. I don’t know that everything we’ve done was the right thing, but… I think you’d be proud of what we’ve accomplished.” Dev gives himself a moment’s pause as he watches the fire burn purposefully. “Sometimes I wonder if I could’ve changed things and you’d still be here.” His face crumples a little and he has to swallow back a lump in his throat.

“You taught me to live in this messed up world, kept me safe from the darkness that tried to consume all of us. And you helped me grow up. You…” He trails off, a grin coming to his face in spite of the tears that have welled in his eyes. “Remember how I used to joke about how you were mom? But, truth is, you were Mom. You filled a void that my parents left and… I didn’t know how much I needed it ‘til you were gone.”

A breath is drawn in, slow and measured, the let out slowly. “Happy birthday,” Devon says as he looks up after the glowing embers. “My wish for you is… just that I make you proud.”

Squatting next to the fire, Dev picks up a stick prods at the fire with a stick to enliven the flames. He stirs the coals to make the embers rise higher, then feeds the stick into the flames. Lifting his eyes skyward, he picks up the lantern and stands. It’s held over the flames, in the good heat until it fills with enough hot air to lift and fly away. It probably won’t reach the stars, but that’s okay. He watches the lantern take flight, releasing it to float up and away until it’s just a speck and then lost from sight.

The bottle rockets are separated and set into the ground. Each fuse is lit in quick succession, and within seconds of the last taking the flame, the first is ignited and shooting into the sky. Each follows in turn, bringing with it a volley of bright colors, golds and reds, blues and purples. Following the solemnity of the lantern, the rockets whistling and exploding in a shower of colorful sparks is an amazing contrast. It brings a sadly happy smile to Devon’s face.


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