Elysium Fields - Excerpt part 1

Author: barebelly
Word Count: 1103
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Elysium

To the palace of Kronos,
Where soothing breezes off the Ocean
Breathe over the Isle of the Blessed:
All around flowers are blazing with a
Dazzling light:
Some springing from the shining trees,
Others nourished by the water from the sea:
With circlets and garlands of flowers they
Crown their hands,
Pindar (522BC – 443BC)

Early Wednesday morning a visitor arrives

The warm golden light gently releases its hold and Khai opens his eyes, he knows he has left his bed and gone away but he feels safe. Looking up to the tall solid gates in front of him, he steps back as they slowly open on the whisper of a wind, beyond he can see a big green lawn and lots of people all around. A man, who looks just like the postie appears and beckons him through.

‘I can’t stay long,’ says Khai ‘my mum is waiting for me.’

‘This wont take long, you have all of eternity.’ says the Postie

The people gathered on the lawn look up and a familiar face steps forward to greet him, Khai feeling comforted and reassured.

‘Our Angel has arrived’ says an older man with a round belly and a twinkle in his eye, stepping forward he offers Khai his hand.

‘My how you’ve grown’ Poppy says

With a bright smile and a nod of his head Khai takes the offered hand, looking up into the friendly face of his dear missed Poppy. Clasping his hand tight Poppy bends down and whispers in his ear, ‘I won’t let go.’

Moving slowly forward into the circle that has gathered, Poppy leads him to another familiar face, a face that reminds him of someone.

‘We are so happy to finally meet you,’ says Nana, her eyes glistening with happy tears, ‘You are just like your mum.’

‘And you are like my Grandma,’ says Khai recognising this new person from photo’s at home, ‘but I really must go now.’

Turning back the way he came, his curly brown hair tumbling in his eyes, he sees the big pearly gates slowly close, keeping him in.

‘Just a little while longer.’ Nana says leading him by the hand and walking across the soft green lawn.

Blades of grass tickle his bare toes and his pant bottom gets damp from the dewy lawn as he willingly follows this new Nana to a pebbled path. Pointing in all directions, white sign posts go this way and that.

Kneeling down by his side, Poppy introduces the small group standing by the sign posts. The tall slim lady with fluffy white blonde hair Khai knows, she used to play with him at grandmas sometimes and bring a little girl with her that he liked to chase around grandma’s garden.

‘Do you remember me Khai?’ she asks with a gentle voice, her kind smile making him feel safe.

‘Yes, you’re Aunty Midge,’ Khai says ‘My grandma’s friend.’

‘Good boy, do you remember my, Lorna? You play with her don’t you?’ Says Midge

‘Yes, she hit me the other day, I took her dolly because I needed it and she hit me so I gave it back.’ Khai looks to Poppy, unsure if he has said too much.

‘That’s okay mate, now over here is your Grandmas sister. Wynn is her name.’

Poppy takes a young girl by the hand and draws her forward, Midge stepping back out of the way, wiping her tears with a hanky that Nana has pulled from her blouse.

‘You’re so cute,’ says Wynn giving Khai a warm cuddle, her small frame not much taller than his.

‘Its okay, now we can wait together.’ She looks to her mother questioningly and Nana nods

‘Yes you can wait together, now let’s go before we miss lunch.’ Nana ushers the small group down the pebbled path in the direction of home explaining to Khai on the way that he will stay with them for a while.

Nearing the white picket fence that surrounds Nana and Poppy’s neat little home the group slows. Poppy takes Khai’s hand and asks if he would like to see the lakes before lunch.

‘Me too, me too.’ Wynn says, jumping up and down.

‘Is that okay Nan?’ Poppy asks

‘Sure, lunch will be in half an hour, don’t be long.’ Nana wags her fingers at Poppy, knowing all to well how distracted he can get, and heads inside with Midge following close behind.

The welcome lunch she has been planning since receiving the little white envelope, which arrived unexpectedly last evening, is laid out on the island bar. All of Khai’s favourites delivered that morning, lovingly prepared to make him feel at home.

Outside Poppy turns to follow the path in the opposite directions to the way they just came. Khai hesitates for a second, looking back toward Elysium Central, and then Wynn catches his hand and tugs him toward the lakes, skipping happily now that she has a new friend.

The morning sun has given way to early afternoon, high in the sky its warmth tingling Wynn’s bare shoulders and shimmers atop Poppy’s balding head. Khai follows the two happily down the winding path towards the glittering water that he can see beyond the parklands at the end. His tiny feet kicking up dust, keeping up with Wynn’s energetic skipping.

Slowing at the end of the path they cross the velvety soft lawn to the waters edge, the warm clear water licking at Khai’s bare toes. Poppy and Wynn slip of their shoes and splash about in the water, sending out crystal sprays that make patterns in the sand.

Khai looks around, taking in this new world he has found himself in, as he notices a low stone wall at the far end of the park land a twinkle catches his eye. Quietly slipping his hand out of Wynn’s loose grasp he cuts across the lawn to step up onto a small ledge at the walls base and peers over the top, curious to find the source of the twinkle.

Out beyond the clear day in heaven lays a crisp night of shining stars.

Poppy and Wynn silently join him and the small group peer into the night sky, each seeing their loved ones below.

‘I see you mum’ Khai says as his mothers face appears.

‘I see you Khai baby’ says his mum looking up into the night sky, her twinkle twinkle little star shining ever so brightly.