“What is it?” X asked the figure sitting on the stone block. Sai turned briefly to see who was asking the question, “It’s been awhile since we’ve spoken.” X sat down without comment, transfixed by the view, “What is it?”
They looked at it together for a moment. “The future,” Sai replied. X squirmed unconsciously on the hard seat, “It’s amazing.” “Yeah,” agreed Sai.
X stared at the swirling future ahead and then snapped to Sai quickly, “Have you been able to see this the whole time?” “Yeah,” Sai answered quietly.
“Why did you never tell me?” X asked, a little hurt. “I did,” Sai replied, “Everything I said, everything I’ve done, was because of this.” “But you were standing in front of it,” X protested, “I couldn’t see it.” Sai stared at the future as the memories of the past came up. “The seat was always here. A step to either side of me and you would have seen it.”
X’s hands came up to cover X’s face. This was what X had been longing for—for as long as could be remembered. “You could have just said–” but X dropped the thought. “Everything happens at the right time,” sighed Sai.
“What do we do now?” asked X. “What do you mean?” asked Sai. “I mean we’ve seen it. It’s beautiful and it’s profound. We have to do something. We have to tell the others.”
“Do you think they’ll understand?” asked Sai unenthused. “They have to!” jumped X, “It would change everything, solve all problems. To know that it ends like this, well, what worries could exist?” Sai continued to stare into the future, “You didn’t understand.”
“But I get it now, I get it.” Sai looked calmly over at X, so young and brave. “It’s a tough direction to go,” Sai told him, “You would have to walk away from the future.”
“I can’t leave them all behind. It isn’t right. I have to tell them.”
“Everyone gets here in their own time,” and Sai relaxed on the stone block.
X scowled briefly. “I’m going back,” X declared, “I’m going to tell them about how great it is, how they don’t need to worry, that’s it’s going to be all right in the end.”
“That about sums it up,” Sai concurred. “It’s the perfect conclusion.”
“Come with me,” X said earnestly, “Two of us will convince them for sure.”
Sai kept staring ahead peacefully, “No.”
“Don’t you know what it’s like back there?” X asked anxiously.
“If I want to go back there,” Sai replied, “I’ll head that way,” and Sai pointed at the future.
“I don’t understand,” stated X stepping towards Sai.
“After that, it begins again. And we are all that is in between.”
X sat on the stone with Sai. They both looked at the future. “Then I’ll go ahead, and go back, and I’ll tell them all about it.”
“I know you will,” smiled Sai, “and I know I’ll see you here again someday.” They gave each other a knowing look, and with a sad resignation they hugged with love in their hearts. X stood with determination and slowly walked forward to the future that lay ahead. Sai waved goodbye, understanding everyones’ pain and seeing what great days they truly were through the lens of the end.