Life Springs Eternal

Life Springs Eternal


By


P.J. Lawton



It was April 1st 1850. He was casually riding down the country lane
when he came upon the old man sitting against the hedgerow fence.
Seeing a feeble wave he stopped his horse to inquire if help was
needed.


"Are you ill? Do you need some assistance?


"No young man," came the quiet quavering voice, "I am not
ill, just tired, very, very tired. However, yes, I could do with some
assistance. There is somewhere I must be today at exactly noon. One
minute past is to late."


"Well, where is this place that's so important that you have
to be there at exactly noon, and not a minute past?"


The old man realized that the young man was having sport with
him but it didn't matter. He could not go there alone!


"There," he said pointing to a distant hilltop cover with
boulders and a small stand of trees.


"Hum, my old friend, that's got to be at least two kilometers
away. It would be quite a ways out of my way. I need to be at the
market by noon. Helping you would make it awfully hard to get there on
time. Can you make it worth something to me?"


"Young fellow, whether or not to help me get to that hilltop
could be the most important decision you will ever make. What if I give
you something worth more than all the tea in China, all the gold and
jewels in the world?"


With a slight laugh he said. "Sure old man, you look like
wealthiest man in the world. Just what could you give me that would be
worth so much?"


The old man stared in the young mans eyes for a moment then
quietly said one word. "Immortality."


With a shocked expression the young man started to speak.
Before he could do so the old man raised his hand. "Wait. Help me to my
destination and I will share with you my secret, the secret of eternal
live. But, we must hurry!"


The young man pulled the old man to his feet and helping him
into the saddle, started a slow walk for distant hilltop. Along the way
he was told the following tale.


The old mans voice was quiet but surprisingly strong. " One
day many, many years ago I was in the same position that you are today.
I came upon an old frail old man sitting by the hedgerow fence. For
rendering him assistance I was given the secret of eternal live. I see
that you are still skeptical. Believe me, everything I am about to tell
you is very true. You see, once every 50 years at exactly noon on April
1st a grand phenomenon occurs."


Pointing toward the hilltop he continued. "On the far side of
that hill is a small cave. Inside the cave is a dried up spring. Dried
up that is except for one minute once every 50 years. For one minute
and one minute only sparking clear cool water flows. If someone drinks
of the water he will in essence live forever. There is one important
thing that you must remember, to be immortal, to live forever, you must
be there at precisely the set date and time. If you do not drink from
the spring you will die. The spring does not give you eternal youth,
but simply returns you to your youth. You will age in a normal manner.
If you choose to drink from the spring you become the keeper, a
responsibility you must not take lightly."


"But what does the keeper do? Why is that so
important?"


"As the keeper you must ensure that nothing happens to the
cave. Should the cave be altered the spring would disappear; no spring
no eternal life."


"How am I to do that?"


"That young man is the challenge. The price you pay for
immortality."


"Well, just how old are you," the young man
asked?


"I am 820 years old!"



Just then they reached the cave entrance and the old man entered,
motioning for the young man to follow. It was 11:59
A.M.


At exactly noon, the rock opened and clear cool water started
to flow. The old man indicated that the young man should drink. Using
both hands the young man took the water and drank deeply. Repeatedly he
reached in and drank for the water was like nothing he had ever tasted.
Suddenly the water stopped flowing. The cave was completely dry.



Looking about he realized that he old man had not drunk from
the spring.


"Why didn't you drink" You said that if you didn't drink then
you would die."


"Yes, that is correct. Sixteen times I have tasted the
springs of life. You will find over the slow passage of time that
immortality comes with a price. There are just so many lifetimes you
can share. After awhile the very life you have becomes a burden. It is
time for me to move on. That's why I waited for you today. You see I
knew you or someone like you would come by. That's the way it has
always been, every 50 years. It is time for me to go. Remember, 50
years from today exactly at noon. Goodbye my young
friend."


Abruptly, the old man changed right before the young mans
eyes. He became dimmer and dimmer and in an instant faded into
nothingness and was gone!


It was April 1st, 2550. The young man was slowly driving his
hover cart down the country lane. Up ahead he saw an old man sitting by
the hedgerow fence.


End