The Elephant Gate

When they arrived back home, Kevin was still a little too keyed up to sleep, so he decided to sit outside with a glass of warm milk.

He was stretched out in a lounge, stroking the dog dr.a.p.ed around his midsection, when the door slid open. Immediately, the dog lifted her head and her tail started thumping across Kevin's shins.

"Hi, Dad." Kevin welcomed, already sure who it was. Duchess scrambled off his l.a.p and went to greet Thadchai.

"Can't sleep, son?" He gave an absentminded pat to the dog and sat down on the lounge next to Kevin.

Kevin sat up and swung his legs over so his faced the older man. "Yeah. I had a lot of fun today at my party! I can't believe I've been here two years."

The captain smiled and ruffled his hair. He had grown to love this young man as much as if they shared blood. "I'm proud of you, Noy Kevin. You've become quite the responsible young man." He paused for a moment. "Do you still miss your other home?"

"Sometimes," Kevin admitted, "especially my mom. She would help me with my homework, and drive me to my T-ball games. We don't have baseball here, either." He looked sad for a moment. "But I really like it here too. I can ride horses, and be with the elephants, and learn to fight, er, protect myself." He gave a sheepish grin that melted the captain's heart.

Through the lump in his throat, Thadchai spoke. "I want you to know that inviting you into my home is the best decision I ever made. You are the son of my heart, and it has been an absolute joy watching you grow to a young man these last two years. I love you, Kevin."

"I love you too, Dad."

They shared a hard hug for a few moments, both savoring the closeness. They broke apart, and pretended not to see each other's tears.

"I spoke with Khun Wit at the party," Thadchai spoke gruffly, "and we have decided to start you on riding elephants his week."

The grown-up moment was shattered when Kevin jumped back and whooped. The dog, alarmed, started barking and leaping on Kevin's legs. Thadchai just laughed, feeling a lightness in his being.

The light came on in the housekeeper's room, and her window opened. "Is everything okay out there? What happened?"

Kevin ran out from the overhang to the grass where she could see him. "Guess what, Khun Matt! Dad's going to let me ride elephants!" He danced around, the dog still going berserk.

Thadchai thought in all his life he had never seen a more beautiful view than his son and his dog dancing in the soft light of the moon.

"It's close to midnight, my son, and time for bed."

"Okay, Dad!"

* * *

Kevin was looking up at his bedroom ceiling, the dog snoring by his feet. He was going to finally have his dream! He slid out of bed, padded over to the lacquer box on his desk, and pulled out the tusk.

Carrying it back, he pulled the covers back up and just held the piece of ivory in his hands. He tried calling out to Kandi, but just got a sleepy comment. Oh well, he would tell her tomorrow.

As his wall clock began chiming midnight, Kevin heard a strange whining. He opened his eyes to find Duchess sitting by his shoulder and pawing his c.h.e.s.t, where the tusk lay, still tucked in one hand.

"What's up, girl?" He reached out with his other hand, but she evaded it. Instead, she nosed the tooth, as if to push it out of his hand. Her whining got louder.

He was fully awake now, and sat up in bed. Immediately, a wave of dizziness came over him, causing his stomach to jump. Oh no, it was another one of those strange blackouts!

Kevin tried to will it back as the dog began baying. The pain hit like a sledgehammer, this time accompanied by a cacophony of sounds: Duchess, elephant cries, beeping noises, someone sobbing.

He curled up into a tight ball, hoping it would go away, but it got louder and louder until there was nothing at all but sound and spots of brilliant light behind his eyelids. Then all was silent and dark.

Thadchai woke up abruptly with alarm when he heard the beagle howl. Throwing on a robe, he rushed down the hallway to his son's room. The door was stuck, and he pounded on it with all his might to gain access to the boy behind it.

"Captain! What's wrong?!" The housekeeper, also in nightgown and robe, was climbing the stairs as fast as she could. She reached the landing just as he managed to push the door inward.

The dog went into a barking frenzy as the unbelievable reached their horrified eyes.

A bright light glowed around the boy, a circle of light that grew brighter and brighter until it seared their eyes and they were forced to close them.

And then it was dark. Once the dancing sparks faded from their eyes, they looked. And he was gone.

* * *

Neither a.d.u.l.t could fall back asleep. Even with little hope in their heart, they searched first the room, then the house, then the yard, for anything, any proof that the boy was hiding somewhere.

The dog stayed on the bed, making noises that almost sounded like crying, her paws on top of the pajamas and neck chain the boy had been wearing.

After hours of searching, Thadchai ended up slumped on a kitchen stool, his head in his hands. Khun Matt was making tea, her movements slow and painful.

"Is he really gone, sir?" She asked in a plaintive voice as she set two cups and a steaming pot on the counter-top. He couldn't answer her, his c.h.e.s.t hurt almost too much to even breathe. He finally found his voice.

"It appears that way, Khun Matt. Perhaps in the daylight…" his voice trailed off as his throat thickened with unshed emotion. With a sob, she excused herself and hurried away, to disappear into her bedroom.

With heavy heart, he went back to the bedroom and sat down on the bed. Patting the dog, he lifted the necklace up to look at it. He imagined it still warm from his son's body heat, but it was all illusion. On impulse he fastened it around his own neck, this last tangible link to his now–lost son. He put his hand on the mattress where he last saw Kevin, bathed in that unearthly light.

"Where are you, my son?" he asked the empty air. The dog nosed her head under his arm as Thadchai began to cry.