Family

Joey

My chest hurts. When I said goodbye to my father the first time, it killed me. I thought I'd never see him again. Now, this time, there won't be another reason for him to risk coming out here for a very long time. Don't get me wrong, I was definitely not happy about what happened to Kiri, but at least one good thing came out of it. I can't decide if that is a selfish feeling. 

I can't let go. The helicopter is already on and waiting. The blades are spinning above us. But letting go is not an option. I feel like a child again, when my mother died, and all I wanted to do was hide in his arms. 

He has to pull away, and I find my face is wet when he does. I quickly wipe the tears away, and he plants a kiss on my forehead. "I'll see you soon, yeah?" He tells me, even though we both know that's not true. 

I nod and half sob, half laugh. He waves one last goodbye as he boards the chopper, which immediately takes off. 

We had gotten a good hour together. I showed him the village and the reefs, which he definitely loved. I wish I could have shown them to him at night. I wish he didn't have to leave so soon. I wish it wasn't so incredibly dangerous for him to come out here. 

I stand on the beach, watching the helicopter fade into a spot in the distance, feeling so incredibly empty. 

~

Me and Neteyam are portioning food into leaves when we hear a loud conch blow. Everyone seems to be getting all excited and jumping into the water. 

We hear Tsireya announcing to everyone. "The Tulkun have returned! Everybody! Our brothers and sisters have returned!" 

Neteyam and I look at each other, wondering what to do. He shrugs and jumps in the water, so I follow. I want to see what the fuss is about. I know that the Metkayina have a special bond with the Tulkun. They can communicate and they bond with each other, like we do with our Ikran. 

Nothing could have prepared me for the sight of the Tulkun returning. At first, I just saw large splashes in the distance, but then, it became enormous beasts, bigger than any animal I've seen in the forest. They're even bigger than 'Lonatoya. The Metkayina swim among them, greeting their brothers and sisters. Neteyam appears beside me with an Ilu, and allows me to get on behind him. We can't help but laugh and smile at the sight of pure joy that the people are experiencing. It's like seeing family after a very long time. They talk to each other about what has happened since they last saw each other, and swim and dance together. Underwater is filled with the shapes of Tulkun and Metkayina, all celebrating the return. 

Children are holding onto the fins as the Tulkun swim. It's absolutely adorable. I see a mother and her calf, swimming side by side, as Ilu swirl around them. The sounds of the groans and clicks echo through the water as everyone speaks to each other. I've never seen the tribe this happy. Everyone just dropped what they were doing to come and see their friends. I know there is a celebratory feast when the Tulkun return. I can't wait to see what it's like.