The Wanderer"

 

In the middle of the road, right at the fork, stood a young boy. His calm gaze scanned the horizon. In his hand he held a staff tipped with a sun. He wore a black cloak and sandals.

"Yes," he said to himself. "We must decide."

He stared at the signpost that seemed to have stood there for millennia. His weathered arms pointed in eight directions. "

On one side, the temple of destruction, on the other, the temple of life... Which one? My goal is the temple of destruction, after all, to discover the meaning of life I must reach it. But what awaits me in the temple of life?"

And so he stood. Unexpectedly, a young man approached him, carrying a small boy on his shoulders. Seeing the wanderer, he stopped.

"Hello, stranger."

The wanderer turned.

"My name is Ozias, and this is Misha. I'm on my way to the temple of destruction. Are you going there too?"

The wanderer didn't answer immediately. He looked at the signpost for a moment, then said in a quiet, silver voice,

"Why are you carrying him there?"

Ozias glanced at the rover.

"Where are you from?

" Silence.

"I'm going to the temple of doom to discover the meaning of life, but I hesitate because I still have another choice to make..." "

The temple of life? I've been there. There's nothing to look for there.

" "And were you there with Misha?"

Silence fell. The sun listened intently.

"No."

"Then why are you carrying him to the temple of doom?"

"Misha is terminally ill.

" "They won't heal him there. Go to the temple of life. "

Silence fell again.

"The monks in this temple don't heal."

"You're wrong."

"You come from there...

" There was another, even longer silence. "

So why are you hesitating to go to the temple of life?"

"I have nothing to look for there; I'm not allowed to return.

" "Then why don't you go to the temple of doom?"

"Because it means I'll end my pilgrimage." And I'm a pilgrim. I've done nothing else for ten years.

- Are you afraid to go there?

- No. I've been to too many places to return now, but I don't want to end my pilgrimage. -

You won't finish if you go there.

- Go to the temple of life, there Misha will be healed.

- And you?

- I'm staying here.

- No.

The rover was irritated.

- It's not you who decides, but me!

- Where does this anger in you come from? Have you already reached the temple of destruction?

- It's none of your business where I am. It's my choice and my pilgrimage.

- So you're at the beginning and end of the journey. Go back to the temple of life and say you've lost.

An hour later, Misha was healed, and the pilgrim had left. Where? Where are you going...