And so, Jonas and Gabriel glided smoothly into Elsewhere
Chapter 24
And so Jonas and Gabriel glided smoothly into Elsewhere. They sledded right past the houses and didn't stop. But Jonas felt the wind die down and noticed that the sled was slowing down. Soon the sled came to a stop and Jonas looked down at the baby to see how he was doing and whether he was still alive or… Jonas couldn't bear thinking of it. But Gabriel was a little red faced from the cold, but his eyes were wide from excitement, and he had a huge smile on his face. He looked up at Jonas and gurgled happily, throwing his arms up in the air and kicking his legs as if saying 'Again! Again!' Jonas smiled at the baby and was glad that they had made it to Elsewhere alive.
But soon, Gabriel started to cough. Jonas was getting worried now, he knew he had to get them somewhere warm for the night and something to eat or they would starve and freeze to death. Jonas got up cradling Gabriel close to his chest and ran to the nearest house and knocked.
Screams, yells, cries of pain could be heard from his room. Tears of joy and sadness could also be heard in the mix. The noises outside were muffled, but The Giver knew what was going on. He knew that the community was experiencing the memories that Jonas had released when he left. It was part of the plan, to help the community with the memories and try to see the good in them, to help them to change a little, bit by bit, so they could gain their own wisdom. But he just sat there and listened. Listened to the voices outside his locked room.
Jonas could feel the warm soup going down his throat. Filling up his stomach and warming him immensely! He looked down at Gabriel and saw that the baby had fallen sound asleep and that his breathing was regular and he was no longer coughing. The old lady, who had let them in, was watching Jonas kindly as he finished the last of his soup. She waited for a few minutes until she finally asked,
"So, Jonas, (They had already introduced themselves) What's your story?"
Jonas knew what she meant. So he told her. He told her all of it. The Ceremony of Twelves, his job as receiver, The Giver, the memories, everything up until where they came to be… right now… in her house.
"Ah, she said, "Well, seeing as you have no where to go… I'll be glad to take you in! You and Gabriel!"
"Oh, no! I – we couldn't!"
"Yes! Please! It's been years since I've had children around the house!"
Jonas smiled, and accepted the offer.
The muffled sounds could still be heard. He didn't know if he had the strength left to help the community, but he knew he had to. He had seen too many memories in which whole cities were destroyed by chaos. Slowly he got up and made his way to the door that led to the outside world. Suddenly, he felt a pain in his chest. The pain was so unbearable, so uncomfortable, that he dragged himself to the bed and laid on his back. The pain seemed to engulf him, torture him, bringing so much anguish – then the pain started ebbing away. His eyelids were getting heavier and heavier until they finally closed.
The Giver had seen the end of his days and would never know that the screams outside soon became audible in the sound proof room as he began to release memories he had held for years.
Screams…
Yells…
Cries of Pain…
Tears of joy and sadness…
Screams…
Yells…
Cries of Pain…
Tears of joy and sadness…
Screams…
Yells…
Cries of pain…
Tears of joy and sadness…
Silence…