Yuta's Anthology

SUNRISE

The curve in my face slowly flattened after the beautiful drawing of my three-year-old son appeared in my sight.

It is sunrise. That actually reminds me of his mom. He wants to watch it with me.

A typical dream of someone with xeroderma pigmentosum, a hereditary condition characterized by extreme sun sensitivity that he inherited from his dead mother.

“Dad, wake up! We need to see Mom." A noise woke me up from my deep sleep, and even though I really didn't want to get up yet, I insisted because of my four-year-old son, who was eager to see his mother.

As I opened the door, little Jacob excitedly ran to the shore. “Hey, no! You can't.” I had just remembered his illness, so I rebuked him.

Suddenly, I stopped moving and smiled at Jacob, realizing that he could finally fulfill his dream of watching the sunrise with me. “Dad, look! Mom is over there. She is calling me.” He chuckled while pointing east with his right arm.

I released an uncomfortable deep sigh, seeing him in the distance.

“Dad, I'm ready to go with Mom. Is it okay with you?” My tears streamed down my cheeks as I hesitantly nodded in approval.

I am now watching my son walking on the water to follow the rays of the sunrise.