“Hurry up, Shon!” called Tarun, “You told me he didn’t like it when people are late!” Tarun ran down the road at a brisk pace, made even quicker because of his unusually long stride. Shon jogged behind, almost out of breath.

“He won’t blame you if I make us late, Tarun,” panted Shon. “My uncle knows I’m usually late anyway.” Shon then slowed his jogging to a limp walk as he tried to catch his breath.

“That may be so,” said Tarun as he turned around and walked back to where Shon was standing, “but he’s never met me, and I don’t want to make a bad impression.” Tarun smiled as he stood directly in front of his friend. “If your tired legs are the problem,” said Tarun, “I can take care of that.”

In an instant, Tarun had grabbed Shon by the right leg and shoulder, lifted him above his head, and hoisted him onto his back. Shon protested and tried to squirm out of his grip, but Tarun held on tight and started running. It wasn’t difficult. Despite Tarun’s youthful appearance, his muscles were large and solid. He learned early on that it required less effort for him to carry loads that others seemed to have difficulty with. And carrying the thin, bony body of his friend required almost no effort at all, though he usually had to apologize afterwards.

“I mean it!” Shon continued to shout, “My uncle is cranky, serious, and has little patience for fools. If he sees you carrying me around town, it’ll leave a much worse impression than being late would!” Tarun could tell that Shon expected his last comment make him pause, but he just kept running. It was true that he was usually very concerned with gaining the respect of those he met and making good impressions, but today he would finally get to meet the uncle that Shon had told him so much about, and for some inexplicable reason, he just couldn’t contain his excitement. He certainly didn’t want to keep going along at Shon’s usual slow and meandering pace.

As they passed building after building in town, members of the community would come out to see what was causing a commotion. Once Shon realized that the only thing alerting everyone was his own shouting voice, he shut his mouth and remained silent for the rest of the trip. Tarun felt a little guilty for causing his friend such embarrassment, but he was confident that Shon would forgive him as usual.

Tarun knew that during the last several weeks Shon had been doing his best to be a good friend and teach Tarun everything he needed to know to get by, and Tarun was grateful for it. With Shon’s help, Tarun had learned how to speak and read. Shon had taught him how to count, add, subtract, and tell the difference and value of the different coins used in the market. But despite his gratitude, Tarun sometimes had difficulty with Shon’s love of staying inside, sitting, and talking.

In contrast, Tarun always felt like he learned the most when he was outside, when he was performing a task, or when he was moving. Tightening his grip on Shon, Tarun increased the pace of his running. As they began to rush past the buildings around them, Tarun laughed with the enjoyment of feeling truly alive.

***

As the buildings began to rush past him, Shon began to feel sick. Even though he had lived in the town of Life’s Edge as long as he could remember, at the speed that Tarun was running, it was hard to keep track of where on the square grid of streets they were, especially with all of the rectangular adobe and sandstone buildings looking so similar.

Then the buildings began to become more spread out, and Shon knew they must be approaching the edge of the town. The buildings continued to become scarcer, until the only structure that Shon could see ahead of them was his uncle’s greenhouse, and the home they shared together.

Shon had mixed feelings about that home. He had lived with his uncle for as long as he could remember, and it bothered Shon that he couldn’t remember anything about his parents. He blamed his uncle for his obsessive curiosity about them, because whenever Shon inquired about his parents, his uncle would always respond that they were his “two favorite people in the whole world.” He had explained that Shon’s mother was his sister, and his father was his best friend, and that he “had never known two individuals with so much talent between them.” He would always finish by telling Shon, “They are the two strongest-willed people I know, and someday when they have worked out their differences, they will come back for you.”

It was his last statement that always annoyed and troubled Shon the most, for despite his continued pleas to know more about them, his uncle would not give in. It had been this reluctance to tell Shon more about his parents that had caused such tension in their home during the years since Shon’s magical abilities began to manifest themselves.

The ground became softer as they drew closer to the greenhouse and hut, because the ground was walked upon so much less this far out from town. The small dwelling where Shon and his uncle lived looked much like all of the other rectangular sandstone and adobe dwellings in the town, but the greenhouse stood out like a diamond among dull rocks. It’s long, triangular shape made of glass and metal reflected light in every direction, and cast shadows of small rainbows across the desert floor. Every pane of glass was covered with varying sizes of water droplets, making it impossible to see inside. The greenhouse was about twice as large as any other structure in Life’s Edge. Shon could hear Tarun inhale sharply as he came to a stop. Shon could sense his friend’s excitement, even without focusing his magical abilities on Tarun’s mind.

Tarun set down Shon and looked up at the sky. “We made it!” Tarun exclaimed. “It isn’t quite noon yet, so we aren’t late. Sorry if you were uncomfortable Shon.”

Shon wobbled a bit as he was placed on his feet, and then squinted as he looked up at the sky. “I don’t know who taught you how to do that,” Shon said, “because I’ve never known anyone who can tell the time so well just by looking at the sky.”

Shon looked back at his friend, with a streak of green across his vision where he had looked at the sun, and sighed. “Look, Tarun,” he said, “I have to tell you something. My uncle wouldn’t have really known if you were late because… well he didn’t really know that you were coming. He doesn’t even know you exist yet.”

The surprise on Tarun’s face was instantly recognizable. He never hid his emotions. “Why have you not told him about me?” Tarun asked. His expression was not angry or even hurt, just confused.

Shon was quiet for a while as he searched for the right words. “Like I’ve told you before, my uncle is kind of a grumpy guy. He often doesn’t approve of my choices. I was afraid that if he knew I had been spending so much of my time helping you, that he would tell me I was wasting my time, and forbid me from coming to see you everyday. I thought it would be best if I just kept you a secret, but then you began to be so insistent upon meeting him, and, well you know how impossible it is to say no when you get that tone in your voice.”

“Tone?” asked Tarun, “What do you mean?”

“I think you know what I mean,” said Shon. “I think maybe you don’t do it on purpose, but when you feel like you really need something your voice becomes… commanding. It’s like hearing a royal decree or something. You don’t sound unkind or rude, just… commanding.” Shon looked away slightly embarrassed after he finished.

Tarun thought for a moment, and then responded, “Forgive me, my friend. It wasn’t my intention to command you. May I still meet your uncle?” He added particular emphasis to the fact that it was a question.

“Of course you can, Tarun,” said Shon. “Just don’t expect him to be very welcoming. He’s not a very sociable person. I’ve only seen a small handful of people ever invited into our home, and I’ve never seen him invite anyone but me into his greenhouse. I think it’s because he’s a gardener. He would rather spend time with his plants than with other people.”

“Well then,” said Tarun with a smile on his face, “let’s continue.”

Shon walked over to a large brass bell hanging from a wooden beam outside his home, and rang it twice. “Whether he’s in the house or the greenhouse, he’ll hear the bell. He knows it’s me when I just ring it twice.” Shon let out a little chuckle, “It’s the only way to be sure he won’t just ignore us.”

They stood there waiting as the sun reached its highest point in the sky. Shon became so impatient that he was about ring the bell again, when suddenly the door to the greenhouse opened and Shon’s uncle emerged.

Even though the door was open for only a brief moment, Shon could feel and smell the moist, heavy air from inside. Shon’s uncle had long red-brown hair and beard, streaked moderately with gray, and heavily frizzed from the atmosphere in the greenhouse. As usual, he was wearing his brown tunic with tan pants, and a heavy dark green cloak with a hood that he was sure must have been uncomfortably warm in the humid greenhouse. Despite the deep lines of age on his face, the muscles on his arms were hard and strong. His hands were heavily calloused, and the lines of his palms and fingerprints seemed to be stained dark brown from so much work in the soil.

His voice was deep and calm as he spoke. “What is it, nephew?” he asked, with his eyes completely focused on Shon’s response.

Shon wavered for a moment under his uncle’s gaze. “Uh,” he said looking away from his uncle, and back to Tarun, “Tarun, this is my uncle, Grodin.” And then turning to his uncle with his eyes lowered, “Uncle Grodin, this is my friend, Tarun.”

Grodin looked at Tarun for a while, and then smiled and chuckled to himself. “So, I finally get to meet you, eh Tarun?” he said. “I’m surprised it took so long, but I’m glad.” Grodin looked over to Shon’s shocked expression. “Oh, come now Shon! I’m really not as much of a hermit as you think I am. I do have a few friends in this town, and do you really think that I wouldn’t find out about a mysterious young man going around town and trying to learn everything there is to learn in Life’s Edge? Everyone knows that wherever he goes, you follow right behind.” Grodin let out a low, booming laugh. “For someone able to hear the thoughts of others, you still have a lot to learn about how much others really understand.”

Still surprised, Shon tried to stammer out a response to his uncle. “I… I’m sorry uncle… I just thought-”

“Forget your apology, nephew,” said Grodin waving a hand, “it is unnecessary. What I do need from you is some sort of explanation.” Smiling, Grodin added, “Let’s get inside. The day grows hot, and I suspect it will prove to be somewhat of a long story.” He then put a hand on Tarun’s shoulder, gesturing him towards the front door, saying, “I’ve heard some fascinating things about you, my boy!”

Shon stood outside in stunned silence as his uncle and best friend entered the house. Events had progressed so differently than he had expected, he didn’t know exactly how to react. His moment of shock was cut short however, when his uncle’s voice issued forth out of the abode, shouting, “Shon! Hurry and get in here! Some of the plants still need to be tended, and I don’t have all day!”

Well, Shon thought, at least I know that really is Uncle Grodin.