Jens reached over to the drawer at his bedside table. He pulled it open and looked at his most personal possessions: a pocketknife, a gold watch, a jacket pin, and a small strip of photos all neatly tucked away in a clear nylon bag. He picked up the bag and took out the pin, rolling it on the tips of his fingers, polishing the face with his thumb. The metal brightened as his thumb rubbed the silvery body of the dove, its wings spread out in flight. A small branch extended from its beak, its five green leaves and low-hung grapes swept into the air completed the symbol of peace. Jens sought solace in the pin, but he knew it would not be that easy. Too many miles lay between him and the angel who had given it to him. Jens took out the small photographs and put the bag into the drawer. He lie back on his bed, clutching the pin in the palm of his hand, trying to remove his mind from the present and drift back to a better day in his memory.

Jens looked at the little girl who sat beside him in the photos. It seemed like only yesterday when Sylvie pulled him into the corner store. His grand-daughter had insisted on pulling him into that shop even though he had the day planned for them. She had practically led them straight to it. Inside, there was every type of stuffed animal a young girl could imagine. He remembered his immediate reaction was  that he would be leaving the store with much less money than he came in with.

Sylvie dragged him by the arm even though he went freely. Her little body leaned into the effort like a one-way tug-of-war. She led them past row upon row of displays filled with toys, and gadgets for young and old alike. He began to worry the most expensive items were at the rear of the store. He protested a little and her tugging became less insistent. ‘We’re almost there,’ she said, trying to reassure him. Once they reached her goal, she stopped and turned to face her grand-dad.

“All right, which one is it?” Jens asked, resigned to making a purchase, “we can’t stay here long.”

“Which one what?” Sylvie replied.

“Which gizmo is it you want me to buy for you?” he answered, scratching his beard nervously.

“It’s not a gizmo, whatever that is,” Sylvie answered, “It’s this here!”

The days on The Eye are growing longer as Jens feels further apart from the grand-daughter he is helping by doing Khai’s bidding. Seeing how Munro has been mistreated at the hands of Khai has not set well with him. His only hope is that Sylvie is safe and being treated much better while he is away.

There are new photos to take, and new memories to make.