own.”
“How much time do we have?”
“Are you sure that is something you want to know?”
“Yes.”
“Tomorrow. I’m sorry to give you so little time, but there are seldom places in the stream where they are completely alone.”
“Where is my father?”
“He is here. When you’re done speaking to him, we’ll go to your mother; she’s in a nearby camp.”
“Where will you be?”
“I’d like to stay close by, if that’s alright. I can hide in your shirt pocket.”
Jadzia nodded. Genesis climbed into her pocket as she tip-toed along the corridor amid the bunks. They were stacked three high and two or three prisoners occupied each bed. Most of them faced the wall. After searching as fast (and quietly) as she could, she stumbled upon a man who resembled her father. His face looked older than it should have given the few years they spent apart. His hair had thinned and his body frail. Unsure of what to say if he awoke, she studied his face and noticed just how the life, the spark, and the vigor had fled, all of his vitality replaced with a frown, the hopelessness drawn in all the wrinkles.
Time dragged on as Jadzia did nothing but watch her father closely. She knew she could not prevent the inevitable, so she tried to remember him the way he was before it arrived. Genesis said and did nothing but allowed Jadzia the opportunity to be with her father in whatever way she wanted. He shifted his weight and slowly, his eyes opened and focused on the young girl’s face before him. Within mere seconds, he concluded the woman’s smile was none other than his daughter’s.
“Jadzia?” he asked (just to be sure), to which she nodded. “How are you here?”
“I can’t tell you that; it’s too dangerous. I want you to know that I’m safe.”
“I’ve missed you so much,” he said as his eyes grew full with tears. “Your mother and I have been worried sick about you.”
“I know, father. I can’t stay long, but I wanted to make sure you know how much I love you.”
He smiled. “I’ve never doubted that for a moment. I’m just glad to know you’re alive.” He reached out and touched her cheek. “Even if I died tomorrow…”
“Don’t speak like that,” she said. She began to weep. “I don’t want to think of this horrible place anymore. I just want to be at peace with you.”
“I love you, Jadzia,” her father said. “You’ve grown into such a beautiful woman. I hope, when this war is over, we’ll be together again.”
She couldn't hold back the tears. She tried to keep her cries muted, but the thought of her father’s death, just hours away, was too unbearable. “I hope so, father,” she said. “I love you so much.” She looked down and paused. The guilt of her father’s suffering weighed heavily. “There’s something else I need to tell you. The day you and Mama were separated, I could have saved you.”
He shook his head. “I don’t think anyone could have saved us, my dear.”
“But I could have, Father. And I’m sorry.”
He sat up in bed and pulled her closer. “You have nothing to apologize for,” he said. “You did not bring any of this upon us. Is that what you’ve been thinking all this time?”
She bowed her head and nodded.
“Look at me.” She looked up. “Don’t seek my forgiveness. Nothing is your fault,
“How much time do we have?”
“Are you sure that is something you want to know?”
“Yes.”
“Tomorrow. I’m sorry to give you so little time, but there are seldom places in the stream where they are completely alone.”
“Where is my father?”
“He is here. When you’re done speaking to him, we’ll go to your mother; she’s in a nearby camp.”
“Where will you be?”
“I’d like to stay close by, if that’s alright. I can hide in your shirt pocket.”
Jadzia nodded. Genesis climbed into her pocket as she tip-toed along the corridor amid the bunks. They were stacked three high and two or three prisoners occupied each bed. Most of them faced the wall. After searching as fast (and quietly) as she could, she stumbled upon a man who resembled her father. His face looked older than it should have given the few years they spent apart. His hair had thinned and his body frail. Unsure of what to say if he awoke, she studied his face and noticed just how the life, the spark, and the vigor had fled, all of his vitality replaced with a frown, the hopelessness drawn in all the wrinkles.
Time dragged on as Jadzia did nothing but watch her father closely. She knew she could not prevent the inevitable, so she tried to remember him the way he was before it arrived. Genesis said and did nothing but allowed Jadzia the opportunity to be with her father in whatever way she wanted. He shifted his weight and slowly, his eyes opened and focused on the young girl’s face before him. Within mere seconds, he concluded the woman’s smile was none other than his daughter’s.
“Jadzia?” he asked (just to be sure), to which she nodded. “How are you here?”
“I can’t tell you that; it’s too dangerous. I want you to know that I’m safe.”
“I’ve missed you so much,” he said as his eyes grew full with tears. “Your mother and I have been worried sick about you.”
“I know, father. I can’t stay long, but I wanted to make sure you know how much I love you.”
He smiled. “I’ve never doubted that for a moment. I’m just glad to know you’re alive.” He reached out and touched her cheek. “Even if I died tomorrow…”
“Don’t speak like that,” she said. She began to weep. “I don’t want to think of this horrible place anymore. I just want to be at peace with you.”
“I love you, Jadzia,” her father said. “You’ve grown into such a beautiful woman. I hope, when this war is over, we’ll be together again.”
She couldn't hold back the tears. She tried to keep her cries muted, but the thought of her father’s death, just hours away, was too unbearable. “I hope so, father,” she said. “I love you so much.” She looked down and paused. The guilt of her father’s suffering weighed heavily. “There’s something else I need to tell you. The day you and Mama were separated, I could have saved you.”
He shook his head. “I don’t think anyone could have saved us, my dear.”
“But I could have, Father. And I’m sorry.”
He sat up in bed and pulled her closer. “You have nothing to apologize for,” he said. “You did not bring any of this upon us. Is that what you’ve been thinking all this time?”
She bowed her head and nodded.
“Look at me.” She looked up. “Don’t seek my forgiveness. Nothing is your fault,
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