The Planetsider
Page 29
The old hermit mulled this over for a moment as he studied the young man in front of him. Then he sighed and said, “I may not be the cleverest, lad, but I know this much… belonging isn’t a place, it’s a state of mind. Loss is something that follows you, wherever you are, wherever you go. You have to make your peace with it or it will eat you up inside, and you’ll be no better than a Roamer.” Then he paused, and looked around him, at the rolling hills and grassy valleys that surrounded them. “Me, I belong out here. You… well, you will figure it out eventually. But, no matter what you’ve lost, never lose hope. That is the most valuable thing of all. With hope, you’ll find where you belong.” And then he added in a more jolly tone, “Take from it from someone who has been everywhere and seen everything!”
Ethan looked up at the hermit and smiled, “Thank you for your advice, I’ll try to bear it in mind.”
“Ah, don’t thank me, young man,” he said with a dismissive wave of his hand. “You’re young; you’ve got time on your side. I’m not worried for you. Besides, you have the look of a Ranger about you, and they are tough cookies.”
“I am a Ranger,” said Ethan more brightly. “Or, at least I was. Maybe I can be again.”
“See, that’s the spirit; there’s hope inside you still!” and both of them laughed and smiled.
“When I first saw you, I actually thought you were a Ranger out looking for the meteor.”
“I’m sorry, the what?” said Ethan.
“Surely you saw it?” the hermit asked, surprised. “The fireball was probably visible for miles and miles around.”
Ethan understood. The sight of the ship crashing through the sky would have been spectacular. He’d seen something similar himself, he remembered. “Yes, it was quite something. But, no, I’m not out looking for it. I was just…” and then Ethan hesitated, trying to find the right words.
“Lost?” suggested the hermit. Ethan smiled and nodded. “Then we should probably find you a home. You must come from somewhere?”
“Yes, but I’ve been gone for a long time, and I don’t know my way back,” Ethan replied, rubbing his hand through his hair. “We call it Forest Gate. I guess that doesn’t help though.”
“Not really, lad, they’re all the same to me,” the old man said with a toothless grin. “Here,” he added, removing a wooden box from one of his many pockets and holding it out to Ethan. “Are you hungry? Have one of these; it will make you feel better.”
Ethan did feel hungry and so gladly accepted the invitation. He looked into the box and couldn't believe what he saw. Inside were eight amber-coloured biscuits. He took one out and held it up to the light, studying it in disbelief.
“It can’t be…” he said out loud, causing the hermit to adopt a confused frown. Ethan took a bite, and closed his eyes. The taste was unmistakable; they were Katie’s biscuits. They were made by his sister.
“Wow,” said the old man. “I know they’re good, but I’ve never seen anyone enjoy a biscuit that much before!”
“Where did you get these?” Ethan asked, excited, his heart pumping. “My sister makes them. They are from my settlement!”
“See!” said the hermit with a triumphant shake of his fist. “Hope!” Then he held out a hand to Ethan. “Help me up, will you?”
Ethan pulled the man away from the wall and watched as he climbed to the top of a small hill, using an ancient-looking wooden pole to help him up. Ethan scrambled up beside him and watched as the old man aimed the end of his pole towards the rising sun.
“There’s a bakery in a walled settlement a few days hike that way. I traded some herbs for these biscuits,” and then in a more hushed tone, as if revealing a secret, he added, “I think I got the better deal...” This made Ethan smile again. He liked this old hermit very much. “Just follow the sun and you’ll find it. It's way up in the hills, near a large woodland. There’s a hulking great city far away down the valley from it. You can’t miss it.”
“Thank you, my friend!” said Ethan, and the words were said with such heartfelt sincerity that the man was quite taken aback.
“It’s my pleasure, lad,” said the hermit. “I’m always happy to meet a fellow traveller; usually all I see out here are filthy Roamer types, so you’re a welcome change.”
Ethan too appreciated the company of a simple and honest man, with no hidden motive or agenda. It had been some time since Ethan had experienced such openness and honesty.
“Now, I must be getting on my way too.” The hermit said, adjusting his backpack and doing a funny little dance on the spot to limber up his joints. Despite the bulk of his clothing and backpack, he looked remarkably sure-footed. “Good journey, my friend,” said the old man, warmly, and he held out his hand. “I hope you find what you’re looking for.”
Ethan took the hermit’s hand and shook it heartily. “I hope so too. And thank you again.”
The old man nodded and smiled. The dawn was now fully breaking over the horizon, and both of them stopped to admire it. Ethan felt the warmth of the light penetrate and invigorate his entire body.
“Ah, lovely,” the old hermit said. “The weather’s finally turning good. I think Summer is waiting just around the corner.”
Ethan smiled. “I hope so,” he said. “I really hope so.”
They shook hands again and parted ways. Ethan stood for a moment and watched the old hermit go. Then he turned back towards the light, closed his eyes, and breathed deeply. When he opened his eyes again he began his journey towards the rising sun. Towards home.
THE END
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
At school I was asked to write down the jobs I wanted to do as a ‘grown up’. Number one was astronaut and number two was a PC games journalist. I only managed to achieve one of those goals (I’ll let you guess which), but these two very different career options still neatly sum up my lifelong interests in science, space and the unknown, and computer technology.
School also steered me in the direction of a science-focused education over literature and writing, which strongly influenced my decision to study Physics at The University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST, now part of Manchester University). What this degree taught me is that I didn’t like studying Physics and instead enjoyed writing much more, which led me to become editor of the University magazine, GRIP. This was the stepping stone into the first of my careers in IT journalism. The lesson? School can’t tell you who you are, or what you want to be!
During my professional career, I spent seven years as a technology journalist, including creating and launching Custom PC magazine for Dennis Publishing, the most successful enthusiast PC magazine in the UK. I then moved into PR and marketing for world-leading technology brands. But, my passion for science fiction and writing only grew stronger and more than twenty years after choosing to study Physics instead of writing, I came full circle and now write and independently publish science fiction novels.
When not writing, I enjoy spending time with my family, walking in the British countryside, and indulging in as much Science-Fiction as possible. And I still enjoy building and tinkering with PCs.