Jonas was so excited about finally experiencing sledding for the first time in real life he didn't notice he was headed straight for a tree until it was too late. He shielded Gabriel the best he could and closed his eyes. The sled make a loud and horrible noise when it hit the tree. Jonas felt a sharp pain in his leg, as he had once in a memory. Jonas was now laying awkwardly in the snow with Gabriel pressed against his chest and he cried out in agonizing pain. Gabriel screamed and tears streamed down both of their faces. Neither of them noticed that the distant music, had come to an end. Jonas tried to ignore his own pain, as he inspected Gabriel for visible injury. He was flailing his arms and legs, so nothing was broken, and there was no blood. Gabe was okay. Just a few bruises, Jonas predicted. His attention then turned to his own injuries. The extraordinary pain persisted in his leg, he tried to move it but couldn't. He wanted to stand up but the pain was too extreme to even attempt it. Why did he suddenly feel so dizzy?
Jonas shivered and studied his surroundings. In the distance he could see a community that looked very much like the one he had left behind. Nevertheless it wasn't, it couldn't be, was it? He longed to see his friends and family again. Jonas closed his eyes for what seemed like eternity, when he opened them he noticed a group of people were walking towards him. Their silhouettes looked adequately familiar. I must be hallucinating.Jonas thought, fighting the excruciating hunger that filled him. He couldn't remember the last time he had eaten. The people continued to walk closer and closer until they were standing over him. Jonas slowly turned his head to face them, which turned out to be much more difficult than it ever should have been. He apprehensively looked up at the many familiar people surrounding him; Mother, Father, Lily, Fiona, Asher...The Giver. They stared at him, their mouths agape, as they examined the gruesome scene. Everything seemed so real. Was it real? Had he really gone all that way, just to end up back where he started from? Jonas moaned softly, his vision was becoming blurred which made it difficult to read the peoples expressions. They didn't seem to be angry with him in the slightest bit, just a little concerned... and shocked. Snow fell against his face but Jonas no longer felt cold, he was now sweating.
"Jonas," said Lily finally. "We were so worried about you."
Jonas tried to answer, but his mouth was too dry. He held Gabriel tight and everything went black.
When Jonas woke up he had no idea where he was. Memories of the past few days came back to him bit by bit, until he finally remembered sledding down the hill... and crashing for that matter. He looked around him. It was a place he had only seen once before and he couldn't decipher whether it had been in a memory or in reality, it all seemed to blur together for once. He finally thought of the name for it, hospital. What am I doing in a hospital?he asked himself. Then he remembered the agonizing pain and the all too familiar people. Gabriel,he thought. Where's Gabriel? Jonas was suddenly overwhelmed with feelings of anxiety and uncertainly.
"Gabe." he said, much quietly than he had intended. "Gabe!" he repeated in panic, much louder this time.
"Jonas, you're awake!" chirped Lily and she ran toward him.
Jonas unsuccessfully struggled to get up from the bed. He once again felt the unbearable pain in his leg."Help." he moaned but it was barely audible due to the hum of the many machines that filled the room.
"You were sleeping for a very long time!" Lily exclaimed, not noticing Jonas's distress. "I was worried, you might never wake up." Jonas groaned and tried to get up once more.
Lily climbed on the bed and sat next to Jonas. " The doctor said you need to rest." Lily stated.
"I can't." Jonas said, and Lily looked at him with worry filled eyes. "I have to find Gabe, before they release him." Jonas looked around the room for something to help him up. "Do you know where he is?"
A smile came across Lily's face. "No," she said. "but you don't need to worry, they don't do release anymore. Not since all the memories came back to the community."
Jonas sighed with relief, and Lily continued to tell him how the community had changed in the past few days.
"At first it was total chaos!" she started. "All good memories came to us first, and they made people really happy, there have been a lot of really great changes in the community."
Jonas smiled, he was glad that his friends and family had now been able to experience all the wonderful memories he had. Jonas then noticed the brightly colored rainbow design on his sister's shirt. No more sameness!he thought excitedly.
Lily continued. "Bad memories were what caused chaos. We were all so scared, no one really knew how to cope."
Jonas's smile faded. He wished that memories of pain didn't exist.
"The Giver helped us though." Lily added. "He told us that even though some memories are painful it's important that we allremember them so we don't make the same mistakes people have made it the past."
Jonas nodded in agreement.
"I think he's right," Lily stated "and apparently, so do the Elders because they have decided we're not going to have a 'Receiver' anymore. Everyone in the community will share the memories."
Jonas's smile returned. "That's great Lily!" he exclaimed. "I had hoped that's what would happen when I left the community, besides, we can't just let painful memories keep us from enjoying the good ones, can we?"
Just then a doctor walked in, followed by Jonas's friends and family who had found him in the snow earlier.
"There you are Lily!" Father said exuberantly. " We have been looking all over for you."
"I was telling Jonas about the memories" Lily announced.
An hour passed. Jonas's friends and family had thanked him for giving them the memories, and Jonas had told them about his and Gabriel's journey to 'elsewhere.' He was overjoyed to find out about the freedoms people in the community now had. A year ago things like choosing your own job, or your own spouse would have sounded outrageous to Jonas, but finding out that it was now allowed seemed like a great achievement to him. Jonas was delighted to know that the beautiful memories were now no longer memories, they were reality.