Polaris: Origins

Chapter 19

I followed behind Grandpa as he walked out towards the pond area, walking along its bank shining his headlight. When we had reached the far bank, he sat on a tree stump neae the water's edge.

I, who had been following behind, walked up and stood next to him. He was staring at the pond, expressionless and I tried to see what he was looking at so intently.

"What is it that you wanted me to see, Grandpa?" breaking the silence.

"It's only when the pond is calm that you can see the light of the moon shining through. No animals, no wind, no anything.

Just calm."

"Okay...."

"What happened in the woods, Nate?" he hit me bluntly, not bothering to beat around the bush any further.

"Nothing, Grandpa. I told you, I'm fine. Why's it so important, anyway?"

He stood up and looked at me in my eyes. "When I took some of your sticks for the fire, I found this, it's jagged edge jabbing me in my ribs"

He picked up a piece of wood and as his headlight illuminated it I immediately realized my mistake.

It was the root that I had fallen and broken.

"This is a piece of root, Nate. And this jagged edge would be obtained only if it was broken off" he looked at me. "Care to explain?"

I sighed and ran my hand through my hair. How did he know all this?

I sat on the tree stump. "Nate?"

"Grandpa, gimme a second okay. I don't know how to say this. I don't believe it myself"

"Is it about the "touching the hand" thing that you told me about?"

"You remembered that?"

"I never forget, Nate. And this is as important to you as it is to me."

"Well, when I was collecting firewood, I tripped on a root and fell on another one.

At first, I thought I broke a part of my body because I heard this loud crack. But when I looked at the area, a piece of the root was missing.

I looked for it, but couldn't find it. I guess I must have collected it with my rest of sticks without realizing."

"You think that your father touching your hand today had something to do with that?"

"I don't know. Maybe. I just think that this is all happening too fast. Like, yesterday morning we touched, by evening I had your powers. Today with dad, by evening I had his powers. It's just overwhelming.

Every time I'm with them I feel like I'm going to burst and tell them everything. And then when these things happen unexpectedly, I have to lie to them.

I don't want to lie to them Grandpa, no matter how simple it might be, or safer, it just feels wrong."

"It is wrong, son. I don't want you to lie to them either. Your grandmother would know what to do." he hung his head.

I always knew Grandpa still misses Grandma. When she died, I was nine, he disappeared for a week or two, and no one could find or get through to him.

One evening I got a hold of my mom's phone and went into the closet and called his number.

I knew he wouldn't answer, but I left a message for him and sure enough, two days after, he was on our doorstep.

"How did you even know something was wrong?"

"I could see that your light wasn't shining, because the waters inside you were turbulent"

Always these parables Grandpa. But I smiled and stood up.

"I guess it's decided then. I'll tell them"

He swung around and looked at me suddenly.

"What? There wasn't any decision made, least of all that"

"Well, what else do you suggest we do then?"

He said nothing and looked down. I took that as an 'I don't know' and I decided to proceed with my plans.

"That's what I thought"

"Why do you want to do this so badly, Nate?"

"Because I can't live in the fear of keeping secrets from my parents and my conscience stirring up my guilt when I lie to them.

They are trying hard to become part of my life. I want to let them in. I can't do this alone"

"So you're going to settle and undo everything I set out to achieve? I thought you understood what's at stake?"

"Settle? Who said anything about settling? We can still achieve what you set out to achieve Grandpa because I do understand what's at stake"

"From what you said you sound like you're settling. As much as I love your father, he settled into being a superhero. Trying to impact the world only in his suit and with his powers.

His human side has struggled to fit in, even now as he's trying to fight on behalf of the heroes without revealing his identity.

I don't want that for you. I want you to impact the world on both sides of the slate.

Not settling to be some parade animal that an audience applauses every three months in your living room.

And from month to month straining to become better than your last performance."

I said nothing. But looked down.

"You think you understand what's at stake? Once your dad finds out that you have powers, it all changes, you never see that again.

He gets you a suit, and training begins, facing villains of all shapes and sizes, day and night.

I'm working to keep you out of sight and out of mind. You don't need this kind of pressure now.

Go to school, make friends who like you because you are you, get a girlfriend, go to university, get a degree, accomplish something for yourself, by yourself."

I looked up at him. He was making a lot of sense, but he was ignoring the fact that I had this to deal with.

"Well, I can't deal with this either. You don't get it. This pressure on my shoulder to hide this isn't needed. I don't want this. I don't want this power"

He glared at me. He was angry.

"No" was his simple reply.

"No? No? What do you mean no?"

"It's at this point you need to realize that actions have consequences, and you also need to realize responsibility.

But you know what Nate? Do what you want. Go, tell them." He gestured wildly.

"It doesn't matter anymore. You and I may not like the means, but the goal is more important. Your parents are great people.

But they would not understand, at least your dad won't. I hope you enjoy your choice, though. I wish you the best."

He turned away into the woods and disappeared into the foliage. I can't believe he left me.

Is he really that mad? This is just me telling my parents the truth. I can't lie anymore.

Can't he understand that?

I cautiously picked my way through the bushes around the pond bank back to the camp.

Dad was at the fire, but mom was nowhere to be seen.

"Where's mom?" I asked quietly as I walked up.

"She's in bed, but I want to talk to you about something. Sit" he smiled and I complied.

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A/N: Will Nate tell his father? What does his father want to tell him? Does his father know about his powers??

Sorry about the long wait for the update, had a busy few days. But life's calmed down a lot since so you should expect updates soon!!

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