Not So New a Start

Christian Webb’s arrival on Serenity was a much anticipated event for him, yet one of quiet hope. He had found himself going from world to world, never taking any job for long. He knew that part of it was his own pain of losing his sister several years before. People had told him time would heal all wounds, but losing a twin wasn’t something he felt her would be healing from anytime soon . . . However, stepping foot onto Serenity in Serenity City gave him a sense of hope. Something he hadn’t had in a long time.

He immediately set off to his new residence; an apartment that had been secured for him by the university where he had been hired to teach Ancient History of the Alpha Quadrant. It hadn’t taken long to get there and he found that the place was large and airy. The window was huge with a balcony that lead to a fantastic view of the city. He could only image what it would look like in the evening with all the lights on. He unpacked, checked everything over once more. He had a framed photo of his sister Christianna with her husband and daughter of whom all were deceased . . . They had been murdered and the thought always ripped at his heart; by no less than the Dark Shadow himself . . . He knew that if he’d have half a chance with the assassin, he would kill him. He was now left without family. It was him alone in this big universe . . . the only things left for him were his teaching and his community service. He loved teaching Martial Arts to children and was well versed in many styles; not surprising for a man over 100 years old.

He took a moment longer to look at his sister’s photo before grabbed a black jacket and heading out of the apartment. He wanted to have a look around the city.

Looking through many of the small shops, he bought a few items for his new home. He’d even managed to find a rare hard cover book on Earth history. As he left the store, he noticed the park. Though it was cold and not as green as he knew it would be in spring, he decided to take a stroll. The air was crisp and refreshing after having been cooped up in a starship for a couple of weeks. He could hear the sounds of the different birds and the laughter of children still enjoying the play ground. But as his attention turned, he saw through the trees, the image of a woman. She was holding the hand of a little blond haired girl. There was something family about her, though he could only see the back of her. Suddenly, she laughed and he caught a glimpse of her profile.

“Christianna?” he said aloud to himself. It couldn’t be, he thought. His sister was dead. However, he couldn’t quell his desire to see for himself that this was truly not his sister and tried to follow the woman and child.

But suddenly, they had engaged in an impromptu game of tag and disappeared into the trees. Quickly ran to where he had seen them run, but he could no longer see them.

“You’re losing your mind, Chris,” he said to himself. “You’re finally losing your mind . . .”

With a shake of his head, he decided he’d had enough of the fresh air. He wanted to get back home and have a drink in his new home . . . and maybe dull the pain he was feeling, yet again.