My Nearly immortal life
Conclusion: Longevity's price
Chapter #10: Conclusion: Longevity’s Price
2 years later
My palms were nearly dripping with nervous sweat, and my hot black tuxedo didn’t make things any better. Standing next to the preacher, staring at the twin doorways across the church sanctuary. As the doors swung open, Annie and Conner walked down the aisle. Conner was carrying the rings, both on a single pillow. Annie was spreading white rose petals on the isle floor. The butterflies in my stomach flew into a frenzy as Sarah and Mr. Adamson made their way down the aisle. As human marriage tradition requires, I didn’t see Sarah all that day. Mr. Adamson, left his eldest daughter at the alter next to me and looked at me with an expression that said in a humorous manner,
“Take care of her, unless you wish for my father in-law wrath!” I had a heck of a time explaining the blood and bullet holes that covered my body. As Sarah and I looked into one another’s eyes, saying our vows, I grimaced with bitter reluctance when saying,
“Until death do us part…” After I kissed Sarah as my bride, we hugged as I whispered into her ear,
“In all my twenty thousand years of living Sarah Salurn, you are the best thing that has ever happened to me.”
Five days later
Sarah and I were walking hand in hand. The ocean waves were gently splashing across our bare feet. There were dunes of sand on our right, and the glowing red-orange sunset and ocean on our left. Turning towards one another, we exchanged the same smile, and we both broke into a sprint along the beach. I was thinking I was doing a good job of keeping ahead, until my newlywed wife tackled me from behind. Rolling in the sand, we came to a stop with her lying against my chest. One romantic sunset lit kiss later, she was lying beside me in the sand; we were both staring at the clouds above, they were tinted scarlet from she setting sun.
“Noah?” she inquired.
“Yea?” I responded.
“What’s it like living so long, as a Ketari?” she asked, sitting up and turning to me.
“Lonely.” I answered in deep thought, “The reason I’ve been so reclusive is because, to be honest, I’m afraid to become attached to anyone other than another Ketari; but that’s for the most part impossible. Running into Dan was completely against the odds.”
“Why are you afraid?” Sarah asked.
“Because when I was twenty one in human years,” I responded, sitting up with a quiet chuckle, “your ancestors were chipping at rocks to make tools. Think of how many friends of mine I’d watch grow old and die.”
“I see.” she said, “ Then why do you love me enough to be my husband?”
“Because to me,” I answered kissing her, “you’re worth every teardrop.”
3 years after the honeymoon
I was in the hospital waiting room, pacing nervously; constantly checking my watch every time the door swung open my human heart jumped with hope, only to hear,
“Mr. Smith, you have a little girl.” Around five hours into my anxious waiting the moment of my life, the door’s opened as the doctor peeked his head out to say,
“Mr. Salurn, you’re expected in the delivery room.” I hurried into the room to see my lovely wife holding the most glorious little thing I had ever seen.
“Congratulation’s Noah,” Sarah said with the same warm smile she gave me at dinner the night we first met. “You have a baby boy, what should we name him?”
“I’ve got the perfect name.” I replied beaming
108 years after my son’s birth
I was at his deathbed; technology had improved enough to cure many terminal diseases, but his body was failing. Our family stood around him to say goodbye; after five long minutes his heart monitor flat lined. Two days later we were at the cemetery. As the casket hovered down into the ground, I watched with emptiness. After he was buried it started to rain; after everyone else left I turned to his oldest son and said to him,
“To believe I raised his father, watched his father grow, gave his father advice on how to raise him, and lived by him from the cradle to the coffin…”
“It’s must be strange, attending your own grandson’s funeral.” My great grandson said.
“I’m not that used to it,” I replied, “but I’m getting there…”
“Well,” he said, “I’ve got to go home to my girls, see you gramps.”
“Tell everyone I said goodbye.” I told him.
“What?” he asked with a startled tone.
“Tomorrow I’m moving on,” I answered shifting into the younger form of Noah Salurn, (I allowed myself to appear to age along with Sarah)“I’m going to start over and go off planet, before anyone else croaks.”
“I don’t suppose I can convince you otherwise.” He asked.
“Nope sorry…” I responded, “I’ll keep in touch, but only until next year.”
“Alright,” he said hugging me, “bye Gramps.” He then walked to his hover car climbed in and then flew away. Turning to look at a squirrel at the base of a tree, I gave a faint smile and said,
“Hey Dan…” The squirrel took the shape of the an older version of the seemingly ten to twelve year old boy, appearing more of an older teenager now, sporting a small goatee and as I was, wearing a black trench coat.
“Hi Noah.” He replied. “I saw your last name in the news paper obituary, I expected you to be here.”
“You look older Dan,” I said with a melancholy chuckle, “got sick of being a snot nosed kid?
“That’s the general idea,” he said, “you leaving?”
“Yeah.” I answered, laying a bouquet of roses in front of each of the four head stones in front of me, that read,
Sarah Irene Salurn
Compassionate mother
Loving wife
“Grief from death is only separation anxiety.”
August 22, 3963 - March 14, 4052
Daniel Isaac Salurn
Supporting father
Loyal husband
“Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery.
Today is a gift.”
May 17, 3987 - October 24, 4079
Debra Alice Salurn
Caring mother
Faithful wife
“Please do not stand on my grave and weep, I am not there, I do not sleep.”
January 9, 3985 - April 5, 4082
Isaac Conner Salurn
Loving father
Supporting husband
“If life is a river I’ve reached the ocean.”
November 21, 4017- July 7, 4095
After reading each of the stones, I thought of what the preacher stated at each of the funerals: “The lord giveth and the lord taketh away… let the lord’s name be praised.”
“I like your son’s name.” Dan said with a soft, melancholy chuckle “was it worth it?”
“Yeah,” I said, “it was worth every teardrop, what about you?”
“Huh?” he asked.
“Don’t give me that, Dan,” I said with a smile “you remember one hundred and thirteen years ago when you said, “I will not let you be hurt as I was!”
“I thought you’d bring that up.” He said looking up to the raining sky, “her name was Silvia, she died in child birth, I lived with my son until he grew old and died.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.” I said.
“It’s a lie, you know…” Dan said, still looking up at the rainy, cloudy sky.
“Huh?” I asked, turning to him.
“They say that time heals all wounds,” he answered “it’s a complete lie, all time does is numb the pain…”
“Dan?”
“Yeah?” he replied.
“Do you believe in an afterlife?” I asked.
“Like you said to Sarah the night of your first kiss,” He answered with a faint smile, “to me it’s something worth believing in.”
2 years later
My palms were nearly dripping with nervous sweat, and my hot black tuxedo didn’t make things any better. Standing next to the preacher, staring at the twin doorways across the church sanctuary. As the doors swung open, Annie and Conner walked down the aisle. Conner was carrying the rings, both on a single pillow. Annie was spreading white rose petals on the isle floor. The butterflies in my stomach flew into a frenzy as Sarah and Mr. Adamson made their way down the aisle. As human marriage tradition requires, I didn’t see Sarah all that day. Mr. Adamson, left his eldest daughter at the alter next to me and looked at me with an expression that said in a humorous manner,
“Take care of her, unless you wish for my father in-law wrath!” I had a heck of a time explaining the blood and bullet holes that covered my body. As Sarah and I looked into one another’s eyes, saying our vows, I grimaced with bitter reluctance when saying,
“Until death do us part…” After I kissed Sarah as my bride, we hugged as I whispered into her ear,
“In all my twenty thousand years of living Sarah Salurn, you are the best thing that has ever happened to me.”
Five days later
Sarah and I were walking hand in hand. The ocean waves were gently splashing across our bare feet. There were dunes of sand on our right, and the glowing red-orange sunset and ocean on our left. Turning towards one another, we exchanged the same smile, and we both broke into a sprint along the beach. I was thinking I was doing a good job of keeping ahead, until my newlywed wife tackled me from behind. Rolling in the sand, we came to a stop with her lying against my chest. One romantic sunset lit kiss later, she was lying beside me in the sand; we were both staring at the clouds above, they were tinted scarlet from she setting sun.
“Noah?” she inquired.
“Yea?” I responded.
“What’s it like living so long, as a Ketari?” she asked, sitting up and turning to me.
“Lonely.” I answered in deep thought, “The reason I’ve been so reclusive is because, to be honest, I’m afraid to become attached to anyone other than another Ketari; but that’s for the most part impossible. Running into Dan was completely against the odds.”
“Why are you afraid?” Sarah asked.
“Because when I was twenty one in human years,” I responded, sitting up with a quiet chuckle, “your ancestors were chipping at rocks to make tools. Think of how many friends of mine I’d watch grow old and die.”
“I see.” she said, “ Then why do you love me enough to be my husband?”
“Because to me,” I answered kissing her, “you’re worth every teardrop.”
3 years after the honeymoon
I was in the hospital waiting room, pacing nervously; constantly checking my watch every time the door swung open my human heart jumped with hope, only to hear,
“Mr. Smith, you have a little girl.” Around five hours into my anxious waiting the moment of my life, the door’s opened as the doctor peeked his head out to say,
“Mr. Salurn, you’re expected in the delivery room.” I hurried into the room to see my lovely wife holding the most glorious little thing I had ever seen.
“Congratulation’s Noah,” Sarah said with the same warm smile she gave me at dinner the night we first met. “You have a baby boy, what should we name him?”
“I’ve got the perfect name.” I replied beaming
108 years after my son’s birth
I was at his deathbed; technology had improved enough to cure many terminal diseases, but his body was failing. Our family stood around him to say goodbye; after five long minutes his heart monitor flat lined. Two days later we were at the cemetery. As the casket hovered down into the ground, I watched with emptiness. After he was buried it started to rain; after everyone else left I turned to his oldest son and said to him,
“To believe I raised his father, watched his father grow, gave his father advice on how to raise him, and lived by him from the cradle to the coffin…”
“It’s must be strange, attending your own grandson’s funeral.” My great grandson said.
“I’m not that used to it,” I replied, “but I’m getting there…”
“Well,” he said, “I’ve got to go home to my girls, see you gramps.”
“Tell everyone I said goodbye.” I told him.
“What?” he asked with a startled tone.
“Tomorrow I’m moving on,” I answered shifting into the younger form of Noah Salurn, (I allowed myself to appear to age along with Sarah)“I’m going to start over and go off planet, before anyone else croaks.”
“I don’t suppose I can convince you otherwise.” He asked.
“Nope sorry…” I responded, “I’ll keep in touch, but only until next year.”
“Alright,” he said hugging me, “bye Gramps.” He then walked to his hover car climbed in and then flew away. Turning to look at a squirrel at the base of a tree, I gave a faint smile and said,
“Hey Dan…” The squirrel took the shape of the an older version of the seemingly ten to twelve year old boy, appearing more of an older teenager now, sporting a small goatee and as I was, wearing a black trench coat.
“Hi Noah.” He replied. “I saw your last name in the news paper obituary, I expected you to be here.”
“You look older Dan,” I said with a melancholy chuckle, “got sick of being a snot nosed kid?
“That’s the general idea,” he said, “you leaving?”
“Yeah.” I answered, laying a bouquet of roses in front of each of the four head stones in front of me, that read,
Sarah Irene Salurn
Compassionate mother
Loving wife
“Grief from death is only separation anxiety.”
August 22, 3963 - March 14, 4052
Daniel Isaac Salurn
Supporting father
Loyal husband
“Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery.
Today is a gift.”
May 17, 3987 - October 24, 4079
Debra Alice Salurn
Caring mother
Faithful wife
“Please do not stand on my grave and weep, I am not there, I do not sleep.”
January 9, 3985 - April 5, 4082
Isaac Conner Salurn
Loving father
Supporting husband
“If life is a river I’ve reached the ocean.”
November 21, 4017- July 7, 4095
After reading each of the stones, I thought of what the preacher stated at each of the funerals: “The lord giveth and the lord taketh away… let the lord’s name be praised.”
“I like your son’s name.” Dan said with a soft, melancholy chuckle “was it worth it?”
“Yeah,” I said, “it was worth every teardrop, what about you?”
“Huh?” he asked.
“Don’t give me that, Dan,” I said with a smile “you remember one hundred and thirteen years ago when you said, “I will not let you be hurt as I was!”
“I thought you’d bring that up.” He said looking up to the raining sky, “her name was Silvia, she died in child birth, I lived with my son until he grew old and died.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.” I said.
“It’s a lie, you know…” Dan said, still looking up at the rainy, cloudy sky.
“Huh?” I asked, turning to him.
“They say that time heals all wounds,” he answered “it’s a complete lie, all time does is numb the pain…”
“Dan?”
“Yeah?” he replied.
“Do you believe in an afterlife?” I asked.
“Like you said to Sarah the night of your first kiss,” He answered with a faint smile, “to me it’s something worth believing in.”