Chapter 11:
Lily awoke with a start.
"Did you here that?" Fiona gasped. "A plane!"
"No, not a plane," Lily replied, standing. "It's too close, too loud. . . But it is a vehicle, I'm sure of that." She stood, and brushed the grass off her pant legs.
"Should we hide?" Fiona asked. Lily shook her head.
"We're in the middle of Elsewhere," she replied. "There are colours all around, the terrain is hilly, and we are getting sunburned. We're a long way from the Community."
"Then who is driving the vehicle?"
Lily glanced off, toward the noise. It was getting closer, and louder.
"I don't know. But we need to find out."
"Lily, it could be dangerous."
"That's why you are going to stay here, Fiona." She straightened. "I will deal with who ever is coming, and then, if they're safe, I'll call you. Stay in the trees until then."
"But. . ."
"No buts. If I don't return, keep going."
"Be careful, Lily."
"I will," she promised. "Now stay hidden."
Lily moved out into a nearby glade. She could see the vehicle rumbling along. Two young people, one her age, and the other probably an elevin, came toward her. Lily waved her arms furiously, and the young boy spotted her. The vehicle rolled toward her, and came to a stop. The boy, with blond hair and bright blue eyes, smiled in a friendly manner.
"Hello," he called. Lily was surprised that she understood him. She had expected that they would speak a different language in Elsewhere.
"Hello," she called back. "Who are you?"
"I'm Emilia," the girl said.
"I'm Gabe. You must be Lily." Lily stared. She reminded herself it was rude to stare, and she broke her eyes away.
"Gabe? Baby Gabe?" She dared not voice the next thought she had aloud. Was he the same Gabe Jonas had stolen?
"Yes, Lily. Jonas is in Elsewhere, with us. And the old Receiver."
"The Receiver is dead?" Lily asked.
"No. Jonas brought him to us," Emilia replied. "There is another little one, that you might know, another Jonas."
Lily began to wonder if she was dreaming. Little Jonas was in Elsewhere too? How did he get there?
"My parents?" she dared to ask. Gabe looked away.
"They were Released," Emilia replied. "I'm sorry, Lily."
"Released? My parents. . . But they were so young. . . Why did you do that?"
"They never made it to Elsewhere," Gabe told her. "They were Released in the Community." Lily swallowed, her stomach doing a flipflop. She wanted to cry. Her father, her mother, both were dead, and she had never said goodbye.
"Lily, would you like to come with us? Gabe asked. "It would do both Jonases a world of good to see you."
"Can Fiona come?" she asked.
"Of course," Gabe replied. "Whenever you're ready."
Lily called Fiona, and waited. As the other girl returned, an unwanted memory bubbled into Lily's mind. She saw a little girl, all alone, standing over the bodies of her parents.
"Orphan," she knew immediately. She now knew what she was. An orphan. The thought filled her with sadness.
AN: yes, I know it's short, but I wanted to post something. . . Sigh. Sorry about that. I will post another chapter soon, I promise!
