Flashback week competition runner-up – Savis from Nova Lux

Here’s the runner up for the Flashback week competition 2014, written by Tib. You can see the winning story by clicking here.

2nd place – “Savis” from Nova Lux

Written by Tiberius Creations

The morning rose over the mountains, the wind whipping the sand around like mini tornadoes dancing to nature’s barren ballet. The sun peeked through the small window and into the basement that the inhabitants of Defiance called home. It eventually reached Savis’ eyes, blinding him and waking him up. He sat up and grumbled “over ninety million miles away and it has perfect aim.” Savis stood up off the bed and moved towards his closet. He scratched his bare chest and thought about the entire situation unfolding. He’s been released from jail, he may never be able to return home, and his father, incarcerated by the NMC and labeled a terrorist.

Savis opened the closet and saw that some of his clothing fell off their hangers. He bent down and replaced them to the hangers, noticing a box on the ground. He recognized it, it was a box of things he brought from home before he left. He sat on the ground and put the box in his lap. Removing the lid, he got a scent of old musk and saw what was inside, photos, small objects and toys, and some rolled up Max Galaxy comics. One item that took his eye was a light brown leather jacket. He wore that jacket from age six all the way up to thirteen. His father bought it for him, it was big on him but he would grow into it. He held it in his hands, feeling the old material, it looked like it hadn’t aged a day. With the smell and the sight, it began to bring old memories flooding in. One stood out, one of him and his father playing hide and seek when he was a kid. It was probably the fondest memory he had.

Isocrates ran through the sand. Looking behind each and every rock. The great search was on. He was no where to be found. He looked around even more and still didn’t find him. Savis looked from behind the rock he was hiding behind. He couldn’t hold back the laugh he was trying to suppress. Isocrates looked behind where he heard the laugh. Savis laughed again and tried bolting from behind the rock to “home”. As he ran Isocrates went after him and picked him up and spun the young Savis around.
“Oh looks like I got you!” Isocrates said spinning Savis around. They were having the time of their lives. Isocrates let Savis down. He got on his knee and hugged the short tyke,
“Alright. Now you hide and I’ll count!” Savis said
“Okay then. Think you can find me?” Isocrates said,
“I bet I can!”
Savis started his count as Isocrates went and ducked behind a rock.
“Ready or not here I come!” Savis yelled
He went looking around for his father. He noticed some hair sticking up from behind a rock. He ran over and found his father covering his eyes.
“Found you!” Savis said pointing at his father,
“Oh no! You did! I lost!” Isocrates said,
The sun was reaching the western horizon and the desert began to glow a beautiful red. The sky looked like a painting of purple satin with yellow and orange stripes growing thinner across the horizon. Isocrates and Savis sat on the back steps of the apartment’s back patio and watched the sun go down. Savis placed his head on his father’s arm as Isocrates leaned his head on Savis. “Dad?” Savis said

“What is it, little guy?” Isocrates asked,
“Do you think mom would’ve liked hide and seek?” Savis questioned,
“She would have, she would have been proud to see how good you are at it!”
“Do you miss her?”
Isocrates paused for a moment, “Yeah… I miss her a lot.”
“Was she nice?”
“She was, she was a great person, had a lot of friends.”
“Do you think she would have liked it here?”
“Maybe, she didn’t like the cold much.”
He stopped asking question for a bit. They both watched the sun go farther and farther down. The light in the sky eventually blending into a majestic purple, the stars coming into view. It was like a mixing of colors on the easel that was the western sky of Sagan. Savis looked up at his father, one more question ready,
“Dad?”
“Yeah kiddo?”
“Will you always be here?”
Isocrates wasn’t prepared to hear the question, he knew it was a matter of time. He looked down into his eyes, he spoke softly,
“Savis, even if you’re by yourself, on your own in the world. If you feel alone, scared, sad or anything. Know that if you need me, for anything, anytime, I will always be there for you. Always, I’m not going anywhere kiddo.”
Savis smiled, “I love you, dad.”
“I love you too buddy.” Isocrates said bending down to hug Savis.
Savis kept looking at the jacket. Each second his lip would quiver more and more, his eyes tearing up. His emotions began to flood him. He hugged the jacket and began to cry. He felt alone, he felt scared, he’s in a situation he doesn’t want to be in. Yet, he felt safe, he knew his father was somewhere, always thinking about him. And Savis was here, thinking about him, knowing his father would never abandon him, knowing he truly went nowhere and was always there.