8

Robert opened his eyes and breathed a long breath, as he realized that he was back in his homeland. He Swiftly turned around him in search for his back family members. And how glad he was when found them right behind him, hugging each other and crying.

-"After this long time, we unite again,"

They marched following the light of Robert whose shirt shone brighter than a dozen suns. True that the Brandt's are not used to the darkness in their town. The last thing they remember is being trapped in the park on their way to see the lions. Yet, darkness was quick to occupy a place next to them and took hold of them and kept them as hostages for what it seemed to be an infinity. The only way was out of it the light who beyond certainty is Robert. Just like his mother used to tell him as a child that he is;

- "the light of my eyes," but it is only now that it made sense, or rather became a validated truth.

It took an eternity of darkness to eventually find the lost shimmer in the folds of the oblivion book of dreams. So, they followed the traces of the only light existing in the town who ultimately led them back to home. But before entering, Robert remembered his grandfather and could not help and question;

-" where would he be?" perhaps; "he is lost, he got to be…" still he hoped that; " he would find his way back when the moon rises again," thought Robert to himself before closing the door after entry.

When the night shed its wings on the town, Robert went outside and looked at the sky to remark in a total surprise that;

- "there is no moon!".

And not a halo of its light is seen not from close nor from afar. So, he rushed to their neighbor's house and asked him;

- "if, by chance, you had seen the moon,"

Robert hoped to get the answer his ears wanted to hear but, sadly, he was far from pleased when their neighbor's bitterly answered;

- "the moon is gone, as the sun did…" after heavily closing his door.

Robert was too confused after hearing that answer. True that his grandfather usually guides him to the rightful solution in blurry situations like these. He knew that the moon was long gone when he was at that unknown land for God knows how long. He came to notice also that their neighbor was no longer thirty, since the wrinkles on his tinted face indicates that he is around eighty years of age. The only thing Robert wanted to know at that moment is whether his grandfather was as long gone as the moon is. He was beyond certain of one thing that he has to generate the light by manifesting it on the surface of the earth for it to be projected toward the sky. True that during moments of doubts, Robert learned from his grandfather that the best thing to do is to pray. So he closed his eyes and prayed;

-" I wish the light would be found again anywhere," and so he remembered; "the stars!".

He looked down at his shirt to see the numerous ones he had collected from that mysterious land. However, he knew that he has to connect these stars to their source who is God. He had to outcast the truth, by projecting its light on the surface of the earth. The light of the truth will then manifest and it is the only way, out of this lie called reality. A person has to believe that one is capable of dividing into two and the two will result, in the same division, into a dozen. And the division will ultimately lead to collectiveness. The thin line separating the truth from the lie will disappear. Since the light will make sense then and the world will become more vital by presenting all colors and shapes in a beautiful ecstasy.

Robert rushed to bicycle and cycled toward his grandfather's house. When he arrived, his feet settled in front of the almond tree they have planted, when he was young. He took one of the golden pins off his shirt and planted it in the soil of the earth. He decided to lighten the entire town so he rode on his bicycle again and went to every neighbor's house he encountered and planted the golden pin. Robert was able to see the road very clearly due to the sparkling pins he has, or rather used to have. When he reached the end of the town, there were no more pins left on his shirt. Despite this knowing, he was grateful that the number of pins was sufficient for all of the houses. So, he rode his bicycle again and was to return to his family's house but this time indeed, he was lost since he had never been at the end of the town before. His longest travels would be to his grandfather's house.

- "Did I turn left, or…right?" confused and lost about if there; "was there a road, or…not?".

He could not decide which exact way so he sat down on the ground since he was too tired as much as too sleepy. As he slept, Robert saw what seemed to be a glimpse of light that was not fading but rather expanding.

-" it must be a dream," he thought before daring to open his eyes.

But it was not, it was rather a vivid reality demanding to be lived. The truth at its finest manifestation and presented in its brightest shapes and colors. He woke up to witness the most joyful view ever and he came to conclude then that the darkness ultimately has a weakness which is the light, since it was in simple terms unimmune to it. The light spread progressively from house to house to illuminate the entire town.

-" the darkness is gone!"

He leaned on his bicycle as he was about to faint at the sight of a heaven in the manifest. Its celestial light was too radiant and nothing was left but to affirm to his senses that is far from being real. The entire town of Rothenburg was shining like a Christmas tree. The road has now become too clear, so Robert rode his bicycle again. Difficultly passing by the masses of the serfs who gathered in the streets to admire the new sky whose light never brightens off, amazed how;

-"it became a world of lightness, as much as it used to be a world of darkness".

When Robert reached the fifth street, his heartbeat remembered the sight of his grandfather. An involuntary impulse was quick to manifest in his eyes as they were tearing.Mr. Declan is, indeed, a piece of his heart that Robert will forever miss.

- "If only he was here," he thought as he passed in front of his house.

However, he could not simply ignore it so he stopped biking and looked behind him to see;

-"grandpa, I found you!", he yelled as he saw him sitting on the threshold.

Involuntarily also, Robert threw away his bicycle and run to hug him. Wishing within him to forget that he was once gone. Nevertheless, forgetting is a progressive process that necessities time and, most certainly, patience. Robert realized this when he was sitting on the threshold next to his grandfather, admiring the fadeless sky.