One week later:

- So… my daughter… what was it that you certified as important to speak to me about currently?

Did he really become this formal in his speech? Ever since he went on that business appointment with his clients overseas last week Rayn’s father had started to avoid her more than usual… at times he didn’t even seem to dare to look her in the eyes while they were having a conversation between each other.

In regular cases he called her by her last name, asked her about her day once they shared some quality time round the dining table, which, to mention was the only period of spare time he had for her, except from a rapid “goodnight” during the evening, and left a note during the morning hours in case there was something she needed to be aware of, but now not even those things were the minimum of what she could expect from him…

If it wasn’t for her own intention to demand communication with him by treading into his office a jet black Saturday night, after an act of cautiously, still determinedly, knocking on his door with a tied fist, this conversation would probably never have occurred in the first place.

- Father-...

She sounded the word with a face showing an insensitive disregard for him, she wanted to crack a smile but simply couldn’t… her emotions wouldn’t allow it. Averting her eyesight she bit her lower lip and gloated on the carpet covered floor.

- …You cannot deny the truth forever. What is it that you’re hiding from me?

Your actions have been showing proof of an odd behavior lately, and I want to know why you’re avoiding me.

Somehow she managed to surprise herself this time around… this was the first time she had ever spoken her mind to her older and wiser parent… someone who presumably deprecated of her because she wasn’t born of the male sex.

The dad’s facial expression was characterized by a furrowing of his brows as he folded his fingertips against his palms. The man would in the intervening period of time emit a long, deep breath signifying a similar impression to tiredness, or perhaps aggravation? Maybe it had been a bad idea for Rayn to confront him after all?

...However, it was too late for her to redo her mistakes now.

- Rayn-...

An unspecified thing had altered in his voice and the pewter gray haired male with those, closely described as uncanny, spruce blue eyes, and ghostly pale skin, considered carefully if the decision to tell her about the complete story was a prudent idea or not… This man had always been good at reading body languages and secrete his own sensations and emotions, but it had always been different regarding the relation he had with his daughter… Of course the easiest match for him would be to comprehend that she hadn’t noticed those “inconsiderable” hints he gave her throughout the years of a truthful conduct, which turned out to become a relief since he had a hard time trusting people with the flashbacks related to his past and ever since his beloved wife passed hence he obtained several main traits of an introvert´s and distanced himself from others.

- …I would be lying if I uttered a false statement circling round the fact that I haven´t been avoiding a specific topic while speaking to you, my daughter... this is something I even believe that you do deserve to be in on-...

The raven’s eye globes widened in stupefaction… was this some kind of dream scenario?

No… she pinched herself in the arm. This was reality, and for once… her dad trusted her enough to share valid, significant information with her, and she had a hard time grasping why all of a sudden he settled to do so?

- Father, please… do not interrupt yourself in your remark, just tell me what there is for me to gain perception of?

- Rayn, this is not easy. In order for me to explain I need you to promise me one thing.

A promise?

The girl wondered what this oath could be all about…

- What kind of promise is in consideration here?

- It is not something your life depends on, but… you still need to keep your awareness with you.

I unintentionally made a couple of bad investments abroad… and now one of my companies has fallen victim of temporary bankruptcy. If I can’t lay my hands on a sufficient amount of money then we are destined to face some problematic issues ahead of us…

- So? Where are you going with this? Why are you querying your ability of solving the issue?

Without giving much thought to it Rayn began to realize how something incessantly changed in her speech…

the formality slowly vanished and for once she could speak, well… with a facile, relaxed tone to the man.

- Dad, I don’t buy it. You-…

She gulped, Mr. Ross Rayn arose from his armchair and made his way over to her. The movements of each stride he took were hurried, long and decisive. Positioning his hands upon her shoulders he clutched them and frowned. Awoken inertly there was a feeling of botheration and once the male glared into her irises she would instantly blench back somewhat…

- Rayn, actually your life is in danger. Since I do not wish for you to be taken away from me and brought into the imperishable celestial sphere which will separate your soul from your human body and never offer you the chance to return from the heavens, I want you to be cautious… I know that this will sound unfair, but I don’t want to tell you everything just yet… it feels like this is not the right moment to fulfill that wish.

But I swear to you, my one and only precious daughter, that I will work things out and eventually…

you will not have to worry anymore, about anything!

Rayn couldn’t believe what she just heard… how could her life possibly be at risk?

An even better question… how could this be anything but the perfect opportunity for her dad to tell her about the entire story?

- Dad, are you-…?

He was shedding tears… this was the first time she had ever regarded a crying daddy… he must really have been upset with other words, and she who always had accused him for not “wanting” her...

- H-hey… don’t cry. Everything… will be okay. Trust me…-

- …Rayn, how can you act-… so calm?

She let out a sigh, this was of no use and he knew that as well as she did. To feel sympathy for someone and let them narrate what their emotions reveal about their mood, that wouldn’t solve anything at all.

The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

Isn’t it better to act and try to make a difference instead of reasoning things and discuss them?

- I don’t know but somehow I’m lacking affection right now. Once I heard these news… well, I’m just feeling so inexpressive right now.

- Maybe we both merit a good night of sleep right now?

- That doesn’t sound too bad, to being honest with you.

The embrace she had gingerly caught him in was evanescing as she greeted her father a “goodnight” and headed upstairs towards her room. Lying in bed with her occiput resting against the embroidered pillow and her body tucked into a thick, warm velvety quilt her brain didn’t linger until it allowed her to fall asleep…

- Good morning, sleepy head.

- Mm…

- I said, good morning, sleepy head!

- H-huh?

The pretty sunrise and the sound of a constant badgering eventually awoke a fatigued, young female.

She yawned and peered up with dark, deep bags under her twitching eyes. Glaring at the first thing she could spot with her vision a mischievous smirk caught her view.

The smile belonged to a young boy, around her age… she wasn’t sure yet since he “didn’t want to tell her” more than the facts she cared to “spare”… To being really fair, and if it wasn’t for a fluent, carefree attitude which was as easy to read as an open book, and his name, she would have to call him a “stranger”.

- So, you’re finally awake, heh?

- I guess....

She shrugged, not giving much thought to it as she tossed down the fleece felt which covered her bare shoulders on the ground and would immediately head off to a nearby lake where she went for a dip.

Unlacing a sash round her waist, undressing her upper body and pulling down those shorts and knickers over her legs she threw off her shoes and ran at full speed over a short distance straight out in the water, pushed off and dived down underneath the surface.

A feeling of the fluid liquid substance which pressured her lungs, provoked her, challenged her to hold her breath for as long as she possible could meanwhile her yet vivid body and a determined mind would keep her from losing consciousness… The itching and fuzzy impression once you gaze up to view a deep water enriched region filled with wonderment, those air bubbles which provides entertainment as they leave your nostrils to flow up and connect with the surface and those admirable stains of sunrays which radiate down towards it from the atmosphere… All in all this was a paradise, and at times she bet with herself that she would much rather prefer to be one of those aquatic creatures than a living human being. Everything seemed… so much simpler and serenely here.

- Rayn!

“Huh?”

Right in the middle of her make-believes she was interrupted by a loud shout… sorely she regarded this with a sullenly inner mutter before she swum up towards the upper waves again and whipped quickly up and backwards with her head so that her short, spiky, black strands of hair would land smoothly against the back of her neck instead of the other effect that they would aggravate her chances of catching sight of things.

- What is it?

The ginger with emerald green eyes waved at her from the shore with a bag full of freshly baked bread in hand and two bottles of beverage buried halfway into the sand.

- Want breakfast?

- Sure, I guess…

She nodded as she approached land, giving him a hint that he should give her some space while she put on her duds again. Decent as he were he left for a short period of time before he asked her if he could return as she plainly responded by sitting down on the ground with crossed legs, grab one of the cans, pour down the new-laid liquor in her throat and gulp it aloud. He smiled at her as he quaffed down his beverage as well and then wiped away a drop of saliva from the corner of his mouth.

- Tell me one thing, Rayn. Is there any better way than to start your day off with a quick dip in the sea and alcohol?

- You didn’t even bathe… how do you know what the experience is like?

She gave him a suspicious look and nibbled on her bread.

- Well…

Apparently he needed to second think this… easily guessed.

Rayn noticed how he propped his chin in the palm of his left hand meanwhile he crouched down on the ground… then he started to write something with his index finger in the sand. She needed to take a closer look on this in order to find out what he was doing…

- Why are you writing “the sun will never shine as bright upon us as it does… today”? Are you on to something? What was the percent of this sludge anyway?

She met his glance by an instant and frowned  while she was holding the can grasped between her palms.

- No… you’re getting this all wrong. But… see it as a… message. Yes, a message! Signalizing that you should make the most of every day and live in the present, because you will never know when each scenario is coming to an end!

- But isn’t your message a little unclear? If the sun won’t shine as bright as it does today ever again, doesn’t that mean that you predict a darker future?

- Might be… but who knows what the future has to bring? Who knows what will happen in an hour?

We might be defunct by then so it’s better to receive every chance and opportunity you get with a smile featuring your lips and an open mind. Don’t be afraid to take risks and do not doubt people, because in the very end,

if you’re acting too cautious, you will much likely regret it…

- Interesting… are you a versifier or something?

She couldn’t deny the statement that his point of view was very unusual. Back in her city she would only encounter people, both in her home district, school and communal market street who showed a lack of proper concern, this was even called a cavalier, proud attitude. Of course, this was more of a "noble" attitude meanwhile the commoners were much more humble than that... although... he was different, that’s for sure…

Somehow a desire, having as a prominent aspect to find out more about his past, grew in her inclination, and she clearly didn’t mind that he of all people chose to accompany her on her leg-bail.

- Not really… I’m just a waste of space.

- Why would you say that?

- Hmm… that’s not a bad question… not a very bad question at all!

He arose to his feet and offered her a hand, supporting her as she wouldn’t object but to stand up as well as she accompanied him for a walk in the woods.

- Where are you going?

- You’ll see! But, Rayn, let me answer your question with another question! Have you ever heard of a large, undercity district, lying in the deep canyons and valleys threading Pursuedale, even known as The persecuted village?

- Of course I do, lately our people in this country haven't been talking about anything else according to the news!

Naturally she should have been aware, it wasn't like she was an immigrant or something... still he needed to  make sure that she didn't suspect anything about him, according to the fact that he were one of the fellows who survived the attack from Pursuedale.

- Do you know what happened to the people after the invasion, the cevil population who was forced to flee for their lives and abandon their homes?

- No… why are you asking me this?

Should he continue or stop? He took notice after all and she seemed to get impatient, a remarkable sign since a too vexed Rayn usually resulted in a prospective silence as she sounded a barely audible, dissatisfied utterance and crossed her arms over her chest with a gloating regard towards the ground...

- Hey, I’m just asking a couple of things and you’re already getting annoyed? Are you really that short tempered?

The ginger, even known as Moore, peeked back at her over his shoulder with a sigh. Not till long afterwards he shortened his steps and thenceforth brought those to an abrupt halt.

- Why did you stop walking?

- Hey… let me ask you one other thing. How much do you want to find out about me?

I’m asking these questions because they are substantiating a personal case of mine, and you already know that I won’t tell you more about myself than you do about yourself-…

- End of discussion, I’m not interested anymore.

And with those words the sapphire blue eyed female with a white-livered skin turned around and deflected her steps in the opposite direction from which they were moving, back to the camping place.

- Where are you going?!

He shouted after her but the great demanded response never came…

With a wide-awakened stare Rayn threw herself up in the bed.

- W-what-…

What kind of dream was that?

Arising to her feet she entered the bathroom next door and looked upon her own reflection in the mirror.

She had already kindled the lamp inside of the room, but after the pass of a few seconds a flasher managed to short-circuit the electricity in the block area…

How come?

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(Who was that boy, what kind of message did this dream want to convey? Stay tuned ^^ )