He sighed and looked at the moon before turning to face me. “Through countless, agonizing failures. Every time I didn’t succeed, I would try something different. When something got a reaction, I tried harder to manipulate object or speech.”
“How long did it take you?”
“Years. Having people so close, but being unable to achieve contact was the worst kind of hell imaginable. The torment I put myself through due to Jonathan’s death was nowhere near the despair I experienced those first few years. There was also no way out. The state of being deceased makes it a little difficult to commit suicide.” He laughed.
I chuckled. “Why couldn’t you just walk away, and wander the desert?”
“There is a barrier of sorts keeping me here. I have tried to walk away many times, but every time I’ve run into what seems to be an invisible wall.”
“Do you know if my ledger was given to my parents?”
I nodded. “It was. After realizing you had gone missing, Jacob kept it in case you were found. When he returned home, he took it to your mother and father.”
“Do you know what their reaction was to receiving it?”
“The both wept. Your father thanked him and told him how proud they both were of you.”
Ben nodded and lowered his head and stared at the ground. “So they have emotions other than just pride and conceit.”
“That and more. They wished they had spent more time letting you know their true feelings.”
He reached over and grabbed the medallion from the cross. “Most family heirlooms are passed from parent to child. Am I wrong?” I shook my head. “My Grandad gave this to me, not my father. It is one of my most cherished possessions. Could you please return it to my parents for me and let them know I’m sorry for my disgraceful behavior.”
I nodded, took the medallion, and placed it in my pocket. “Is there a message you want me to tell Jacob?”
“Just that I am eternally grateful for his friendship, and I deeply regret leaving him to fight the war along men he hardly knew.” I nodded again.
“Well, I had better start stocking up on supplies and get ready for the long journey home. Thank you for the story. I will be sure to give Jacob and your parents the message. Your tale will be remembered. I promise.”
I stood. “Thank you, and take the identification tags as well. I’m sure my parents would cherish them.” I nodded and turned to walk back to gather my supplies. Halfway there, I turned to look at him again and saw him sitting looking down at the sand at his feet. He slowly started dissipating like a mist, and then he was gone. His last barrier in life was to tell his story.
I will always remember seeing him as a picture of his twenty-year-old self. He looked the same as he did when we were kids, and when we had talked in the tent before his disappearance. I gave him a false name when I met him at the oasis. After the war, I was injured in a fire that damaged my voice and my face. Long lost friends were unable to recognize me. Benjamin was no exception. I figured he would be one of the only ones to recognize me, since Benjamin, Jonathan, and I had grown up together. I had sought out the oasis, and Ben, to find peace…and answers.
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The Narrative of Benjamin White Page 3
