"Oh, hello Asher." Lily's mother looked at him suprisingly. "We haven't had you come over for quite a while now. Is there anything we can do for you?"
"Well, I was just wondering. . .Uh, I apologize for just coming to your house without being invited." Asher's face grew hot.
"I accept your apology."
"Is Lily there?"
"No, she's in training right now. She'll be back in a few hours though." The mother looked at him, puzzled.
"Oh, okay. Well, I better get going then. Good-bye." And Lily's mother nodded in return, still slightly confused.
***
"Giver." Lily said quietly.
"Yes?"
"I can't take this anymore. . .I-I need to get away from this place. No one understands how we feel, and they make us hold all the pain! I just can't stand it anymore. . ." Lily was in a lot of pain at the moment, thinking back of the Memory of being alone.
"That's what we're here for. We were selected to have this role." The Giver gave her another one of those sad smiles.
"I want Jonas back. I need to find him. . .Giver, I need to leave this place. No one feels what I feel, except you." She looked up at him in hope. "Come with me. We can leave this all behind us."
"Lily. . ." He shook his head. "Do you know how many times I have been through this? You are the third Reciever in training I've had. This is the most Recievers that have ever came to any of the past Givers. I am too weak, and the chances of surviving out there, trying to reach Elsewhere. . ."
"Maybe Jonas has reached Elsewhere, though! What if he has? I can't just stay here. . .He's my brother and I want to see him again. We can't leave this all behind us, so they know how we feel." Her eyes darkened slightly.
As soon Lily said it, she regreted it. Shame quickly appeared across her face. "Well, we used to be them, though. . ."
The Giver nodded. "Yes."
"But I can't live the rest of my life here, in this world. I want to be free, I want to go on a search for Elsewhere and live with Jonas and As-" She caught herself almost saying the name Asher.
The Giver sighed. "If you must. . .Maybe you can escape." He looked at her, deep in thought. "But I'm afraid maybe Jonas didn't make it to Elsewhere. There is still a chance, but it would be best if someone could go along with you. . ."
"But the only way someone would want to go with me," Lily continued. "They would have to have some Memories. So I would have to transfer some Memories you gave to me to someone else. . ."
She stopped. "Giver, I think I know who could come with me."
"Who is that?" He asked.
"Asher." Lily partly smiled. "Jonas' old best friend."