LIAM - The Winter Dreams

"Sometimes, it doesn't need an army to fight, one warm and sincere hug will also bring us to victory. And that victory will be for all."
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“Liam, Liam dear, wake up, honey! Shouldn’t you go to school now?” asked Catherine.

“Just a few minutes more, mom.” answered Liam with a sigh, still closing his eyes even though the clock had made its sound for the eighth time.

 

“Come on, Liam or you're going to be late.” said Catherine as she shook Liam’s arm gently.



Liam finally got up and sat on the side of the bed. 

“Mom, I'm not feeling well. Can I stay at home?”

“Oh, honey, are you sick?” Catherine placed her palm on Liam’s forehead to check his temperature. Strangely though, it was still normal.

“It's my stomach, Mom. It's been the third time I went to the bathroom.”

“Oh honey, in that case you should be staying at home. But, I'm just wondering, maybe the pain  was being caused by something else?” 

“Like what, Mom?”

“Like...  maybe because you're afraid that your friends are going to tease you again,  dear?"

Liam turned silent.  He could not hide his feelings from his mother, but there was something else bothering his mind. 

“Honey, it's okay to be afraid and there's nothing wrong to be different from others. You should not be ashamed of it.” 

“Eh...no, Mom. Really. It's my stomach.”

"Well, okay then. But if you need to talk to me... mom is here, dear."

 

In the afternoon, Liam's friend, Chrystal, came to visit him. She brought him notes from the lessons that day .

“Geez, Chris thanks! I didn't even ask you." 

“It's not a big deal, Liam. I would want you to do the same for me too if I got sick. Why didn't you go to school today? Ms. Alice asked about you. There was no one else in the class  who dared to answer her questions. The class really bored us to death.” 

“It's my stomach.”

"Oh, are you feeling okay now?"

"Yeah."

“It's good then. Hey, have you heard?" Chrystal's said after a short pause, being so enthusiastic to the words she was about to say . "Rick is getting a punishment today."

“Really?” 

“Yeah.  He's such a teaser. I think you shouldn't have listened to everything Rick had said. I think you look cool with your blue skin.  Mine is a bit red. It'll become red like a lobster if the sun burn it. But, no matter what color my skin is,  mom said that if I don't like it then no one will. ”

Liam smiled. She was right, but then again the reason for him being not so enthusiastic in anything that day wasn't about that  matter.

“Hey, my color even makes me cuter, see?” Chrystal pressed both of her index fingers on her cheek and made funny faces in front of him.

Liam laughed. 

"Liam, why don't you show me that trick of yours again? I want to see it ." 

"Okay. As long as you will not tell them to our friends, Chris."

"Promise. Cross my heart."


They both jumped off the bed and hurled to the living room.  Liam opened his hands, concentrating on what he was about to do. 

"Why there's nothing happening now?" 

"You must close your eyes. Believe it, and say  'I believe in miracles' three times. "

"Okay!" Chrystal closed her eyes and said "I believe in miracles." three times. And suddenly: 



beautiful and glowing butterflies came out of Liam's palms. 


 

"Whoaa." Chrystal barely able to shut her mouth -- being mesmerized  to seeing all the colorful butterflies flying  around in the living room.

"Wow. You're the greatest magician I ever met."  

“Thanks." Liam chuckled. "Hey, let’s do our homeworks now!”

“Huh," Chrystal sighed. "Why wouldn't Mrs. Alice  give us easier questions than these?” 
Chrystal moaned as she sat in a chair outside Liam's house  to do their homework together.

“C’mon. I’ll teach you, Chris.” said Liam.

Chrystal's face turned brighter, but then she sighed again . “Can’t you believe it that I got a C minus today? My dad is going to kill me!”

Liam chuckled. "No. He wouldn't.  He may be angry, but… I would do anything to be with my father now, even if that means to see him being angry at me. “

“Oh, he hasn’t home yet?” 

 Liam nodded.

“Wow, that’s a really long business trip!”

“He-he… Yeah it is....” Liam pursed his lips.  There's nothing else he wished for, but to seeing his father and to hug him close. 

***

“It’s getting late. I should be going home now. Where’s your mom?” Chrystal jumped off from her seat.

“She’s probably out for a while.” 

"Oh, I wanted to see her to say thanks to her for the pudding. It was so tasty. I always love your mom’s cooking. Say thanks to her for me, Liam.“  
 

"Okay, I will."

"See you again, Liam." 

After she left, Liam went to the small lake near his house to find his mother meditating there.


 Little butterflies surrounded his mother glowing blue hair. By that moment, she had reached the highest spirit of the Xeo Clan and  was able to communicate with her kinds.  The  stronger power she has, the more eager she was to go to the Nevado Land --  to join all the soldiers to fight for their land. But she could not do that  while Liam was still  a young boy. She had to protect him and make sure that he would get enough lessons to reach the highest spirit. All she could do  was to pray for all the soldiers and their victory-- and especially for her husband's safety.

Closing her eyes, she was concentrating on her breathing and trying to communicate with the soldiers, but strangely though, her mind seemed to be shielded by a strange power. It has been going on for the last six months. Then she noticed Liam sitting on a rock across the lake. 

“Liam Dear, come here, honey!“

Catherine found a nice place to sit as she watched Liam standing alone inside the cave. She left him there with a calming spirit that would penetrate his soul and cure his body. If one of their kinds got sick, they could not take a medicine to heal their body. Medicines would only destroy the cells inside their blood and would make them grew  weaker since their blood was composed of different cells than  those in humans. In this world she and Liam lived in, they were becoming weaker.  Their sickness could only be cured by  their healing spirits.

In her son's case, Catherine knew that he was sick because of something bothering his mind. That’s why she left him with calming spirits instead. Funny though, she could not make her own calming spirit to fully calm her soul -- for the longing to see her husband--  and to know whether he was okay.

Catherine sighed and then smiled softly. No matter how lonely she was without a husband beside her for the last  four years, at least she had Liam, her child with Alexander, her husband, and all the beautiful memories they had together.

She was immersed in  beautiful reveries,  but then got shocked by a bright lightning strike behind the cave and from the rumbling sound jarring the leaves around it.

“Could it be?” Her heart pounded harder as she walked barefooted to the source of light.

For her, there was no greater desire than to meet her husband, the only man in her life whom she really loved. However, after everything she had pictured inside her dreams came into a reality, she stood there in silence -- watching the silhouette of the man she loved and was longing for. 

It couldn't be.

“Hey, Katie, no hug for me?”  Alex smiled while opening his arms.  Catherine's eyes turned brighter, realizing that it wasn't a dream after all.

She scooted toward him and leaped into his arms --  releasing all the longing she had held in her heart for the last four years.

"My love."
 

"You're here. You're finally here"

In the cave, Liam wondered of his mother sudden disappearance and so decided to follow her tracks to see what was happening. Like his mother, he also stood in a shock seeing the figure he missed so much.

“Father!” He ran to him, blowing him with a sincere and warm hug.

All that he wanted and dreamed about had finally come true. 

“My boy, I can’t believe how fast you've grown tall now.” 

 
"Father, " Liam said as he released himself from his father's embrace. "Can I go with you? I want to be with you, father. I want to fight against those robots. I know I can beat them."
 

Hearing that, his father chuckled. “Son, of course you can join me, but after few years, okay?”

"But..." Liam pouted. He didn't want to be separated  again with his father. He could not figure out why it was so hard for him to accompany his father to fight  those robots. 
 

“My boy, you can fight with me by learning hard here.  I know you can fight those robots, but to fight will not only require a strong body, but also a clever mind. Besides, it would be wiser if   you and I share some tasks. I will fight those robots while you can take care of your mother here  and learn skills and strategies until you can finally join me there. The force will be needing a strong and smart Commander to lead us all, son.”
  
Liam thought about it for a while, and then turned to his mother -- seeing her loving eyes and how they would gloom  for not seeing her only son.
 

“Aye... aye!" Liam turned to his father and made a salute. "I will do as you say,  Commander ” 

"I love you, father." He hugged him close.
 

“I love you too, son. Listen to your mother, while I'm away, okay?” Alexander whispered  as he hugged him close.

The air was  chilly, but it felt warm inside  as they heart melted into one. The sky was getting  darker as the gate that opens the door to the Nevado Land waited for his father to enter it again.

“This is it?“ asked Catherine. Her eyes turned gloomy in a second. She had waited for him so long, and now she must let him go again. 

Alex  heavily nodded.

“Could you leave at least...  tomorrow morning?” 

“You know it better as I am. I hate it as well.” 

Catherine forced a smile -- just to calm her husband. She knew he was doing it for the family sake, but a moment with her husband was everything she  wished for.  “I was worried of you because I could not reach you for the last six months.” 

“I know. I'm worried of you and Liam too. It must be one of the Comedor’s plans.  I fear that he would find you both by tracking our minds. Maybe, it will be better if we stop communicating  for a while.

“But...  how do I stand another moment not to be able to talk to you and not knowing about your condition?” Catherine refused to submit to him. To let him go  was a hard thing to do -- not to mention to stop communicating with him-- it's almost absurd. 

“I know, but think of the possibility that you and Liam may go back to the Nevado Land. He will be much safer there rather than here. Besides, you should not be worried too much. If you see my picture on the ring hasn’t turned grey yet, then you will know that I'm okay.” 

She nodded and then hugged him close. Tears filled  the corner of her eyes. 

"How did you able to visit us here?” Catherine asked him. Her head still clung heavily on  her husband's  shoulder. His chest were wide and warm. It felt so good to be around him, even though  she could almost smell his wear- off clothes.  His arms felt tense with muscles. It must be from the fight with the robots. Nevertheless, she didn't want to lose this moment a bit. She hugged him again, tighter.  

Her husband spoke in  a gentle voice. “We used the gate to send a message to the Counselor. On our journey there, I saved the Counselor’s daughter from The Comedor's kidnapping. The Counselor granted me a gift. He would fulfill anything that I wished for. I only wanted to see you and Liam. I could not reach you and I heard you and Liam calling my name in my dreams. That’s why I asked the Counselor to let me use the gate to visit you and our son.” 

Catherine smiled.

“I'm glad you wished for this, Alex." She cup his face with a gentle stare, caressing and loving him gently. Her eyes observed every details of his masculine figures, his wrinkles on the corner of his eyes, and his bright blue eyes she loved the most.  "I’ve been dreaming about you. I'm so glad you came to see us. Liam really miss you. I miss you. Promise me that you will visit here again. Promise me, my love.”

“I promise. I will visit and I will bring you and Liam back  to our land.” 

Catherine nodded. "I believe in you. I'll pray for you --  for your safety and  for your health. “ She kissed her husband on his forehead, and then gently on his lips.

There's not enough time for them.

The heaven knew how much they were eager to spend more time together, but he really needed to go back to Nevado Land.

  

Turning his back against them, Alexander closed his eyes,  trying to stop his tears from flowing on his cheek. He needed to be strong for his family. His duty called him and the brighter future will be waiting for them --  especially for their son. 

"Liam, I will be back for you, my son. I promise." 



 

Behind them, Liam watched his mother closely as she observed her husband's silhoutte slowly disappearing into The Gate.

 
His father had finally went back to the Nevado Land.  

Liam sighed  and felt sad but he promised to do everything that his father had said to him:
 

to look after his mother while his father was fighting for their clan.  Together, they will take care of each other and pray for Alexander's safety and the victory of fighting  their land.

"Mom." Liam hug his mother close.  Even though his mother wasn't crying, he knew how much she wanted his father to stay -- and so was he.

***

“Liam, it’s already 7.30 now. Get up or you're going to be late!”  Catherine shouted softly as she entered the room to wake up her boy. She didn't blink seeing Liam all dressed up  and even had tied his shoe laces on his own. 

" Liam, wow, you've made such a progression, honey.” Her cheek beamed with proud.

“Of course, Mom, I'm going to be the next Commander of the Nevado Squad. I'm preparing myself now.” Liam stood upright as he said to her with a proud tone. 

Not long, the door bell rang. It's Chrystal.

“Liam,  are you feeling much better, now?” 

“Of course,  Chris. A soldier will not be defeated by a stomach ache like that. “ Liam smiled, hands on his hips. Chrystal stared at him, confusion in her eyes. 

"Come on, our bus has arrived." Liam took Chrystal's hand.
 

Things finally went better and as usual for Liam because he only needed to see his father and  to know that he was okay.

As for Catherine: She sat cross legs on a rock  inside the cave. Butterflies surrounded her body and crab grass shielded the opening of the cave so one would ever know about her meditating there.

She sighed. "Alex. I'm fullfiling my promise not to talk to you again, but don't let me wait for too long, my love."


Catherine pulled her hands accross her chest. Her feet slightly rose up in the air. Her body  was floating two feet above the ground and suddenly...

"Katie...my love, finally I can talk with you again."

"Alex?"

THE END 

Theme Song : "Forever" by Vertical Horizon 
 

Notes:
I have just posted an update of Dave's story and I was supposed to post another one since it hasn't ended yet. But, I have this one stuck in my computer for weeks. I wanted to upload this to the exchange, but after I've finished arrange it, the pictures and story line became disordered. Also, I cannot figure out how to post a picture there without black colors around its sides. So, here you go!
It's a story about a young boy who missed his father very much.  Simple is that, huh? Anyway, I hope you liked it. It's only one post.
Liam means “strong protector” He is going to become the protector of his people.