We stopped in front of the House of the Old. Jonas started walking to the back, and I followed closely, afraid of getting lost.

And then we were in front of a plain looking door. There's nothing special about this… but then why was Jonas looking at it with such a… it was like looking at your baby sister or something… very tender.

Slowly, Jonas pushed open the door. It was a small room, with a bed and a table and a chair. But the remarkable thing was all the books. All four walls were covered in books, equaling the amount of half a library.

"This way!" A voice from the outside called cheerily.

And then an old lady walked in, followed by a young woman with bright red hair.

Jonas and the woman with red hair were surprised. Anybody would be able to see it. It was all within a second, though, and after that, everything returned to normal. Well, almost normal.

"Uh… well, um… welcome to our Community." Red-Hair-Lady stuttered.

"Well, isn't this the one and only Jonas who ran away fourteen years ago!" The old lady hid nothing.

"Um… yeah…"

"And why did you come back, Jonas?" Red-Hair-Lady said calmly, but not concealing her surprise very well. "Why?"

"Gabe wanted to see the home he was in for his first two years of life."

Silence.

I couldn't stand it anymore. "Hey, um… let's go…" I stopped. Where could we go? There was nowhere to go for me. I had only just arrived, and how could anybody expect me to remember anything of my first two years of life?

It was a failed attempt to thwart awkwardness.

"Where is Giver?"

"Excuse me? Giver? Who's Giver?" Red-Hair-Lady asked.

"The last Receiver, Fiona."

Oh, so her name is Fiona.

"He's… he's trying to explain to the Chief Elder how he did nothing wrong."

"After fourteen years, they're still after him? What are they doing to him?"

"They're…they're angry, Jonas."

"And quite right, too. You little lads thought that you can just run off and leave all of us to bear the pain." The old woman sniffed indignantly.

"And they're always doing awful things to him… oh Jonas…"

I was confused. What awful things? I thought that this was a peaceful Community… I thought that they couldn't feel feelings… then how could they be angry?

"Awful things?" Jonas seemed very anxious. He ran out the door, not seeming to remember that I was there.

I ran after him, and Fiona called me back, but I didn't stop.

We entered the House of the Old, and I watched in horror as an old man endured a lashing.

Jonas, without thinking, ran forward, accepting the lashing for himself. The room suddenly went quiet as everybody realized who the young man was.

"Jonas…" The old man mumbled feebly.

"If you'll excuse me, now." Jonas seemed calm, but I knew better. There was probably an ocean of feelings, raging inside his heart. He gently helped the old man up, and walked out the door. Nobody stopped them, and as if time had slowed, each and every one of their eyes slowly followed Jonas helping the old man out. I followed.

Jonas had helped the old man back into the small room full of books.

"Giver, is there anything I can do for you?"

Oh. So he was Giver.

"Jonas… I have energy left to transmit one more memory to you… and that's what I shall do… soon, they will release me, and then I will be able to be with Rosemary… That young man over there can receive the memory, too," Giver was motioning to me.

Jonas pulled me to the bed, and told me to take off my shirt. I did so. Then he told me to lie down on the bed. Jonas helped Giver up, and then he took off his shirt and lied on the bed, too.

I felt Giver's hands feebly rest on my back, and then I was gone.


Ok... so yeah! This is the fourth chapter... not very nice, i know, but whatever.

please, no flames! thanks!