It feels like I'm sinking. I don't know where I'm going to, but I know it's not towards her. I can see the top of the water above me. Moving every so often. Only when she speaks.

I can hear her. It's muffled tho.

Viola?

Her voice echoes 'round my ears.

"My dearest son…"

Viola is that?

(I swear)

"That's you again. Yer calling for me…"

Me.

Todd Hewitt. The last boy of Prentisstown.

Son of Ben and Cillan.

"Todd?"

Is that you? Viola? Or is it Ma?

"Todd?"

Ben?

"I thought…he was-" "He'll wake up in his own time."

They're talking about me. I want to wake up. I want to break throo the top of the water. I'm too weak. Damn it.

Yes I remember her now. What she looks like. My Viola. Her black hair. Her skin. Her lips.

She's right there.

If I could only-

(Yer nothing)

(shut up!)

"Todd?"

I'm here. I want to say it. But I-

"Todd?"

Keep calling me.

"Please"

But I'm here!

"Come back to me"

Viola.

VIOLA

"Todd? Is that you?"

VIOLA!

"Come on."

I can see it now. The bright sun cutting throo the darkness that's holding me.

Keep calling me

"Ben! Ben! Get in here now."

I can see it. I keep moving towards it. The light. Her. I'm almost there.

"Ben get the hell over here!"

I feel the darkness swirl 'round me and try to bring me down. But I break the surface before it can reach me.

Viola

"Oh my god, Todd!" And there she was. Looking healthier than when I last saw her. Her eyes wet. Ben, my father, ran in. They embraced me. I was blinded by the light in the tent, and overwhelmed by their arms. My noise could only say one thing tho.

Viola. Viola.

"I'm here, Todd." She holds my hand tight.

Ben?

"Yes. I knew you'd wake up. I knew it."

Viola. Viola. So beautiful.

"I'll go get the healers." Ben said stepping out of the tent. Viola sat down in the chair next to me. She didn't speak for a moment. She just smiled and sighed.

"I read to you everyday. From your mother's book. I think it helped."

I could hear it.

"I-" I began to speak and voice was hoarse. I cleared my thoat. "I- Viola."

"Yes, Todd." The healers came in and crowded me. She had to let go of my hand but as soon as they left she took it again. "The settlers arrived."

"Yeah?" She nodded.

"They've made Bradley president. Wilf is a mayor. He has his own community." My head was still spinning.

President? Mayor?

"How long…have I been…?" I ask

"Three weeks."

"What?!"

"It's ok."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize. You were shot. You needed all that rest."

"But I-"

"Don't worry about it. I'm just glad you're here now."

Me, too.

"I can hear you a lot more clearly. More than I have in a while." She's smiling down at me. I can see my reflection in her eyes. "I like that. It's good."

"I'm sorry." And I feel my eyes cloud a little when I said that. I think about how much trouble I caused her. How much I hurt her. H-

"We've hurt each other, and I will always forgive you."

I look away from her. My chest hurts so much just to look at her. If I kept doing it I'd start crying. What is this feeling?

"Do you remember what you told me on the beach?" She asked.

The beach? She rode in, and I remember being filled with joy and she was trying to say something. But I knew what it was. "I know!" I shouted back "Me, too!" Because in my heart I-

"I love you, Todd." She grasped my hand even tighter. "I really, really do. I haven't…Todd?" I look at her and I wish I didn't because I saw tears. "Do you…not feel the same?" And for the first time since I woke up, I saw fear in her eyes. I turn away.

"I…I don't know. I've never been…in love. With Ben, it's different. I-" Then she leans down and her lips touch mine. Only for a moment. I felt a surge in my noise. One that filled me with warmth and bliss. "How?"

"Because we are two people who love each other."

"I'm-"

scared

(shut up)

"Viola?" It was Ben from outside the tent. "Bradly wants to talk to you."

"Can it wait?" She asked. Ben stepped into the tent. I got a real good look at him for the first time since I woke up. He's grown a bit of a beard. His hair's whiter.

"I'll keep him company." Ben assures her. She sighs. She looks at me again and she's god sadness written all over her face. I feel like hitting myself. Because I did that.

"It's ok, Todd."

"No. I-" I start to sit up but the whole room starts spinning. I feel Bens hands push me back down.

"Rest. The Mistresses said you'd need it, if you ever woke up."

"I don't need rest. I need to find Viola. I-I said something wrong."

"I heard your whole conversation."

"How?"

"When you have a noise like mine, one that can hear everything, you don't have to be near the person. Just concentrate on that particular location." There was a pause. He sat down next to me. His noise was so full. If I tried I could hear the ocean and then the wind rustling the trees.

"What is love?" I ask Ben. Because I hoped that he'd know. Because-Oh god Viola.

"Todd, don't worry. She's not upset with you."

"She seemed like it."

"She'll be fine. "

"But what is love Ben? Do I love Viola? I say I do sometimes. But-"

"Love is not a specific thing. I can't tell you. You have to find out on your own."

"But she wants to know-"

"She's patient."

"But is it in your noise? Can you feel it?"

Ben chuckled. "Rest. You'll need your strength. The new settlers want to see their hero." I turned over and slept.