"Don't you leave this world, boy." Pa looked me straight in the eyes. "Don’t you leave yer kin."

I swallowed hard. What could I tell him? That the call of the stars was stronger than the love of my family? There was nothing I could tell him that he'd understand.

His blue eyes held an odd mixture of anger and sadness. I longed to run to him and bury my face in his shoulder as I had when I was a child. But I didn’t.

"I gotta go, Pa." I couldn’t find words. "This is me. The only thing I can do."

His eyes lost the glint of anger. Only the sadness remained. "It'll be the death of you, son."

I walked away then. I couldn’t back out now. The tears could not come.

I walked away and didn’t turn. Never said goodbye to anyone. I hate byes more than staying land bound. I never came back.