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| The Visitor |
The Visitor
" I'm done, can I go now?" The little boy asked the woman standing at the
counter. The woman grinned to herself
then answered.
" Yes, you can go now."
The boy turned to leave when his Uncle stepped into the doorway.
" Where are you going?" He demanded. He looked to his wife when the boy had no
ready answer.
" I told him he could go play for a little while." The woman informed her
husband.
" Yeah." The boy said while attempting to run past his Uncle and out the door.
" Now wait." The man said, grabbing the boy's shirt and pulling him back to
stand in front of him. " You are to
help me shut down for the night."
The woman sighed. It was always like this.
" He's been working all day. Let him go play for awhile." Was all she said. "
He'll be back in plenty
of time to help you, " She looked at the boy. " Right?"
" Yep."
" Well..."
" Please." The boy pleaded with his Uncle.
" Oh, alright." The man reluctantly agreed. " But be back in time to help me."
He pointed a finger at the boy. " Or else."
" One day I'm going to get off this dustball." Biggs informed the younger boy.
He and his friend were walking
home by some rocky hills.
" Me too." His young friend sighed. " But I'll probably never get off this
desert.: He kicked one of the rocks in his path angrily.
" Yes you will." Biggs said. " You just have to save enough credits to get a
ship, and a pilot." He looked to his friend and smiled. " I'll probably
have enough in about ten or twenty years. " His friend looked at him and
laughed.
They heard some rocks fall from a ledge next to them and turned in time to see
a hooded figure move to hide-or so they thought-behind the rocks.
" What was that?" Biggs asked.
" A Jawa!" Luke answered, excited. "Lets go see."
" I don't know.' Biggs shook his head. " They can be dangerous."
" Oh come..." Luke stopped as they watched a cloaked figure appear and approach
them.
" That's not a Jawa." Biggs said, a little relieved. He didn't want to get beat
for tangling with a Jawa. He and Luke got in enough trouble as it was. " He's
too big to be a Jawa."
The cloaked figure smiled beneath the hood.
" Hello, boys." The man said, removing the hood so the boys would not be
frightened. They looked at him up and down.
" Hello." They replied.
" Who are you?" The younger one asked.
" My name is Ben." He answered.
"Oh." The younger boy looked to the sky. " Oh no! I'm late. Boy, am I going to
get it!" He turned to his friend. " I gotta go, Biggs. I'll see you later."
"Yeah, me too." Biggs nodded.
" May I come with you?" Ben asked.
" Well," Luke looked at the man. " I don't know. I'm not supposed to talk to
strangers,"'tho I do all the time. He thought to himself. " Let
alone bring them home. My Uncle will..."
" I know your Uncle." Ben spoke up. He won't mind." A little lie won't hurt anything.Ben thought. Besides, I need to talk to Owen. " Well, I..." Luke hesitated. He still wasn't sure.
" Come now, Luke. You know I won't hurt you." Ben influenced his mind a
little, not wanting to waste any more time. It would be dark soon
and he did not want the boy in any more trouble than he was in already. A Skywalker trait. He thought.
His uncle was waiting for him when Luke and Ben reached the dwelling. He
stomped up to his nephew, fuming. How dare that boy be late again, he thought. He must have gotten into trouble, with
someone escorting him home. That brat isn't going to be able to sit for days!
He was about to give Luke a good paddling when he saw the face of the man
beneath the hood. He grabbed Luke by the arm
and started pulling him toward the house. The boy looked at his Uncle as if to
speak.
" I don't want your help turning the power down. I will do it myself." Owen
was seething. " And no
dinner tonight. Just go to bed. I'll deal with you later."
Luke was very hungry, but he didn't dare tell his Uncle that. He didn't need
any more trouble. He bowed his head and, rubbing
his bruised arm, walked into the dwelling; not even looking back at the two men.
Owen watched him go, then turned to Ben.
" What are you doing here?"
As soon as Luke got in the door he heard the men arguing. He listened for a
few minutes, until he got scared
of the tone of his Uncle's voice. He hated that voice at times. It seemed like
it was always yelling and screaming at him. He could never do anything right in
his
Uncle's eyes.
He told his Aunt he wasn't to have any dinner and went straight to the cubicle
that as his room. He walked over and knelt on the floor and looked at the
stars through the small window. He picked up the small blanket draped over the
end of his bed and held it close. He never used it, but was
always drawn to it whenever he was sad. He knew that it was from when he was a
baby, but he also knew that the material was not from Tatooine.. It was made of
a thick fabric, something
one would not need on Tatooine; with two different shades of purple and laced
with gold. It looked very extravagant against the pale background
of his room. He wished he knew where it was from as he stared at the now dark
sky. Because it was early evening there were no stars in the night sky
save one. This star shone bright, and lit up the sky all around it. He made a
wish.
Beru stopped at the doorway, the dishes she held shaking with the sudden stop,
and stared sadly at her nephew.
He held in his hands the only reminder of who he was and wher he came from. She
closed her eyes and sighed, a tear escaping from under one eyelid.
She knew what this planet was doing to him. Not allowing him to follow his
dreams, his wishes. Sometimes she wished Ben had never brought him. That he had
kept and raised Luke with the truth, instead of all these lies.
If we keep lying to him, Beru thought, what will he think when he learns the truth? Will it destroy
him as surely as the Jedi were destroyed? Her thoughts turned to Luke's twin. And what of her? Is she as bright and as
restless as her brother? Wanting to get out and explore the galaxy? No, she
would have everything she could ever want. her life will be full
and complete. Full of what? Lies! Only lies in these children's lives. Without
each other they are not complete. Part of Luke is missing without her.
But now, now I have to comfort him. Beru thought as she moved into his room. Yet again from his Uncle's anger. Will
that hatred and anger for Luke destroy him or make him stronger? Only time will
tell.
"Luke?" Beru spoke up, distracting him from his dreams. " I brought you some
dinner. You must be hungry."
" But, Uncle..." Luke shook his head.
" Hush." Beru set the tray down and knelt beside him, placing a finger on his
lips. " It's alright, you may have some dinner.
Your Uncle doesn't realize that a growing boy needs food." She smiled as he
crawled over to the tray and began stuffing food in his mouth.
" Thank you, Aunt Beru." He mumbled around a biscuit.
" You're welcome, Luke." She kissed his forehead. " Now don't eat too fast."
She counseled and left his room.
She watched from the door as he took the tray to the window and watched the
stars while he ate.
Only time would tell.
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