Epilogue
The island was still again and Thomas opened his eyes, looked around and his grip on the women at his sides loosened. Their head came up slowly and the trio stood. Maria touched a gash on her thigh and Emily hissed for her, tearing at her clothing to make a bandage as Thomas walked towards back towards the wall.
"What happened?" Maria cried out as Emily tied the cloth on.
Thomas touched the hieroglyph of a bird, his finger sliding down towards the two shapes that had seemingly been dropped from it and he turned back, going towards the two. "The earthquake stopped."
Maria leaned against the tree as Thomas touched a cut on Emily's cheek just as a doorway in the wall slid open and a man walked through. He gave Thomas a small nod of acknowledgement before asking, "You come from the sea? From the ship on our island?"
"Where is the family that entered the temple?" Emily asked, taking a step towards the man.
"They're where they're supposed to be," he responded calmly, raising a hand, "As are you, Emily."
Maria narrowed her eyes at him, pushed off the tree and stood, walking towards him and raising a hand to touch the flesh of the man's cheek, "You remind me of a boy..." she started. "His name was Max."
The man laughed. "My name is Richard Alpert," he moved to help Maria stand more comfortably and he nodded his head towards in the direction of the temple. "And this is our home."
"Our home?" Emily echoed, walking with him through the door that a few men closed behind them.
"Yes," he turned, nodding his head at the wall where Thomas stood, his fingers sliding against the hard stone, finding the carving of the tree just outside, and the people taking shelter there. At either side of them were carved hands, hands Thomas knew, that meant to keep them safe. "And we've been waiting for you for a long time."
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Finis