Elsewhere
Behind him, across vast distances of space and time, from the place he had left, he thought he heard music too. But perhaps it was only an echo.
Jonas awoke only once from the sled at the bottom of the hill, but he was well cared for after they had found him and Gabriel.
The baby was asleep, cuddled against the boy's chest, and he was warm, as if it were a summer's day. It was a miracle that both scared and awed the family. The boy was half frozen but still alive and breathing. The mother ran inside to prepare a bed for the boy and some food for the baby.
"Help me carry him inside," The father told his boys, and more instructions followed. The daughter, about Jonas' age reached down and gently disengaged the babe from the boy's strong hold. As she did the boy awoke suddenly, grasping for the child his eyes wide and filled with panic; but not for himself.
"No!" He croaked. Wrapping the baby in her shawl, the girl knelt in the snow and laid a hand on his shoulder. She smiled with that strange warmth he vaguely remembered.
"It's alright," she said quietly. "You're safe now. Nothing will harm you or the baby."
Jonas' brow creased in confusion; he was unsure as to whether or not he could trust this girl. Then he looked into her pale eyes and saw kindness and warmth reflected there that quieted any doubt. Her eyes held the same warmth that The Giver had once called love.
Jonas let his body relax back into the cold snow, sure that Gabriel, who was now awake, would be safe with this girl. He had accomplished all he had set out to do.
The girl could see that the boy was losing consciousness. Her father and brothers were still
busy constructing a makeshift stretcher to carry the boy on, and if he fell asleep now, he may never wake up.
"What are your names?" She asked him.
His eyelids flittered as if he were trying to comprehend her question, so she tried again. "What is the baby's name?" Slowly Jonas began to understand what the question meant, and some remote place in his mind understood the importance of the question.
"Gabriel," Jonas managed to utter through parched lips.
She could see that the boy was fighting back the dark comfort of sleep, and losing the battle. The stretcher was almost complete, and she tried one last time to keep him awake. "Gabriel, such a delightful name for an infant." She smiled. "What is your name?"
His lips tried to form words, and she leaned closer so as not to miss them. "Jonas," He said simply, and then, Jonas asked a question of his own. "Who are you?" His voice came across in a whisper.
"Rosemary," The girl said, cradling Gabriel closer. "My name is Rosemary; and I'll make sure that nothing will harm you or Gabriel, in any way."
Her name opened up a memory to Jonas, and he smiled, a glazed look coming over his eyes. Lifting a shaky hand, Jonas touched Gabriel's cheek, and using every bit of energy left available to him to transfer the last of the memories to the Newchild. Not the memories that he had received from The Giver; those were long gone. But his own, Jonas' memories of his life, of the community, of The Giver, and of their journey so Gabriel would never have to wonder, or feel alone in this new place.
"Goodbye, Gabe." Jonas whispered his last words, and smiled. Gabe would be safe with Rosemary, in this new place. In Elsewhere.