Renaissance #REN3 blogfest 521 words, Prompt Relationships unravel or strengthen Title: Beyond Memories.

Part One: Inside 

Part Two: Outside
Part Three: Beyond Memories

Haf was tired but he thought he had made good time and he might get to the mines before nightfall. He had come from Renaissance as soon as he could slip away. The trip had been uneventful. Well, that was only true as far as it went. He had been thinking so deeply that it seemed the events were actually happening. Things had been changing fast in Renaissance and he was excited to bring Calon and Golau out to help with the changes.

Haf loved them both so much. He hated to think about it. He had known it would never be easy for him loving them both as he did but he had tried to accept the way things were. Haf longed for Calon and felt a kindred spirit in Golau. As a child he had realized that when they all grew up he would be the odd man out and that is just what had happened. Somehow the three of them never needed to say anything about it. It was just there between them in silent form.

Haf stopped thinking of them and began planning his next steps.  He knew he would need to signal to them that he was at the mouth of the mines. When he had helped them escape they had devised a plan and he was sure they would stick to it. He was to give the signal and wait for them to respond. He gave the signal, waited and waited but there was no reply. He was worried so he decided to go into the mines. They had all felt it would be safer if he didn’t enter the mines but he didn’t know what else to do.  He tied a rope to a metal rod at the entrance. As he walked he slowly released the rope behind him.

It felt awful to be inside the mines again. Memories pounded at him but he knew he needed to focus, push them away and keep moving forward slowly and steadily. He was struggling against the weight of the past but he kept going a step at a time. Finally he heard something and he was sure it was Calon’s voice. Haf picked up his pace a little and started calling out loudly but Calon did not answer him. Haf heard only guttural, near animal sounds. Haf started to run toward Calon’s voice, scratching his face and hands on the tight walls of the mine, careless of the real danger he knew was in.

“Calon! I’m coming. I’m here!” Haf shouted over and over as he started running blindly.

He stumbled into Calon, tumbling over him then pulling him into his arms whispering again and again, “Calon! I’m here! I'm here.” 

Haf was in a state of shock. He felt total disbelief at the sheer awe of holding the man he loved in his arms. Really holding him. He was beyond words. He was beyond memories. He was beyond time or place. I have never held Calon, not really held him, Haf thought.

A moment later he realized he had absolutely forgotten Golau. Where was Golau?