Chapter 12



She began to cry when she saw him. It wasn't that she was sad, but rather that she was overwhelmed with joy.

"Lily! Lily you're okay!" Jonas, her baby brother, ran to her, throwing his arms around her. "I thought you were lost."

"I was, but I'm found now," she replied, giving him a "hug".

"Mother and Father were Released," he told her sadly.

"I know. Emilia told me."

"Will we see them here, in Elsewhere?" he asked. "That's what father said they sent the babies to Elsewhere. Do they send the grown-ups here too?"

"This isn't Elsewhere, really," Lily tried to explain. "It's just. . . somewhere else." Her little brother gave her a bewildered expression.

"It's hard to understand. But you will eventually. Don't worry." She ruffled his hair.



Emilia touched her shoulder.

"Would you like to see Jonas?" she asked.

"I'm right here," the little boy protested. Lily smiled.

"Do you remember, Jonas, that Mother and Father had another son, a Receiver?"

"Yes. But they would never tell me his name."

"His name is Jonas."

"Is? But he was Lost. Just like you!"

"And he came here," Lily replied. "Come on. I'll introduce you to my big brother."



He was knelt at the side of the Old Receiver, who was hooked up to many machines.

"Emilia, I don't want to talk about it, and I'm not hungry," he said, without looking up.

"Jonas, it's going to be all right," Lily said. Jonas looked up. He smiled.

"Lily. You're safe." Still, he stayed at the Receiver's side.

"Jonas, he's dying, isn't he?" Fiona asked, appearing in the doorway. Jonas looked up.

"Fiona? What are you doing here?"

"Your sister wanted to go for a swim," she replied with a semi-smile. "I like your eyes. They're so. . . blue." Jonas nodded, his concerned gaze turning to the Receiver again. "Jonas, he is very weak."

"Can you help him?" Jonas asked. "I know you worked with the Old, Fiona. Surely you can help him."

"Jonas, he is very old, older then any Old I ever treated." She read the monitors, examining the one hooked to his heart the longest. "We monitored their heart beats, and when they became irregular we put them down for a Release. He would have been Released long ago in the community. I'm sorry, Jonas, but there is nothing more I can do for him then has already been done."



Jonas shook his head.

"He has to live. He just has to!" Fiona put her arm on his shoulder.

"Jonas, he is not living well any more. He doesn't even know you're there. Maybe it would be best to let him rest now."

"Fiona. . . I can't. He's like my father. You don't understand how much it would hurt to lose him." Jonas began to cry.

"Why are you crying?"



Everyone turned to look at little Jonas.

"Because I am losing the man I wish was my father," Jonas replied. "Because I know Fiona is right. He is old."

"If he's old, and he's hand a really good life, why are you so sad? Is he going to be Released?"

"No," Fiona replied. "No one here does Releases."

"Then why is he so sad?"

"Because he is dying," Lily explained. "It is the end of his life." Little Jonas crocked his head to the side.

"Like Mother and Father? Did they die?"

"Yes."

"Is that why I feel so sad?" Lily picked the little boy up, holding him close.

"Yes, my little brother. Now we need to leave bug Jonas alone." She touched her older brother's head as she passed. "Jonas, I'll be here when you need to talk." Then she walked out of the room.



Fiona caught up with her at the bottom of the stairs.

"Why are you leaving him alone?"

"He needs time. Time to grieve, and to heal."

"Grieve?" Lily just sighed. There was so much to tell, so much to explain.

"Come down to the kitchen," Emilia said. "I'll make you two something to eat."



Jonas appeared at the kitchen door a few minutes later. Lily stood to greet him, holding her arms out. Jonas ran to her, and buried his head on her shoulder.

"It's all right, Jonas. I'm here for you."





Two days later, they gathered at a "church" to do what Emilia called a "memorial service". Jonas spent the majority of the service crying. Fiona and Lily comforted him. As they began to head back, Lily got a strong flash of a memory. She smiled, recognizing it immediately.

"Home," she whispered. She was home.





The End