In the Hands of a Savior
The Final Chapter in Hannah's Chronicles
Hannah slowly opened her eyes to see a bright, celestial light, maybe that of Heaven itself. She reached out for it, but then when she got passed that thought she realized that it was only a bright light hanging above her head. She squinted, blinked, and looked away from this blinding light. Hannah realized that she was resting on a cold, hard metal surface. She had no strength to sit up and when she tried to, she hurt her back and stomach. Hannah yawned and tried to figure out of she was still alive or not, which she was. When she yawned she heard a sudden movement behind her. She sprang forward, hurting herself, and looking to see who was with her. It was Leo! She now knew that she was inside Rocket with Leo! Leo was sitting against a wall with his head down, and he held his hands tightly. "Leo?" Hannah asked. "What's going on?" She stood up and streched herself out.
Leo looked up, showing his cuts, scars, and bruises. He let go of his hands revealing deep, painful cuts that ran through both of them. But the one thing Hannah noticed was a massive burn on Leo's leg. "Your inside Rocket," Leo answered. Hannah nodded slightly confused.
"Why?" Hannah asked. "What happened?" She circled around Rocket to see what it was like on the inside, but more importantly, to wait for Leo's answer.
"You don't remember?" He asked. He stood up. His shorts were torn and his hair was messed up quite a bit. "What happened in Big Jet?" Leo asked trying to ring a bell in Hannah's memories. Hannah shook her head. She really had no idea what was going on. "Big Jet crashed and went into flames," Leo said. "You saved us but then we were stuck inside Big Jet." Hannah began to panic.
"What?" Hannah cried out. Leo pointed out the window at Big Jet, whose flames had been doused by Rocket. She could see Annie, June, and Quincy all looking around Big Jet as if trying to find something. "I remember now," She said quietly. She looked at Leo with several injuries, then looked at herself. She only had one mark running across her waist on the right side. Other than that, she was totally unharmed. Hannah thought about everything that had happened and began to wonder. If Leo was the only one with me in the fire, did he save me? Hannah thought to herself. She looked at Leo, who stared back at her frightfully. "Leo," Hannah said, "Did you help me?" Hannah asked out whispering. Leo looked straight at her, with no response . His silence told her the answer. "Why Leo?". Leo turned his head away.
Leo said nothing to answer Hannah. His silence again gave Hannah an image of what he might have been thinking. "But What happened, Leo?" Hannah asked walking towards him. Leo turned back around with a detailed description ready to tell. Leo opened his mouth to speak, but could find no words. To himself he thought about Annie's reaction when she saw him with Hannah. She was very angry with Leo. Annie felt like Hannah didn't deserve what he did, but Leo disagreed with her.
"Here's what happened," Leo said. He took a deep breath, and began to explain. "You know Big Jet crashed right?" Leo raised his eyebrows quizzically. Hannah nodded curiously.
"I don't know anything after that," Hannah said defiantly while hanging her head. She felt weird not knowing that her life was in his hands just a few minutes ago.
Leo nodded. "Well, Big Jet skidded on the ground for a while and, frankly, exploded. Flames were everywhere!" Leo explained as if he had told the story before a thousand times. "I didn't think we would live. I didn't even know if you were alive," Leo said. Hannah looked away shamefully. "The ceiling began to collapse on us, and Big Jet was going to crush as at any second. It was very scary," Leo said. He faced Hannah. "I was going to just leave, but I wouldn't leave you behind," Leo spoke out triumphantly. "You were knocked out, and I grabbed your shirt to help you out." Hannah began to tear up, for the first time for Leo to see. "I thought we were goners. The door was blocked by massive flames and I didn't know where to turn." Leo paused for a while, letting Hannah think for a moment. "I turned back and saw a huge hole in the window!" Hannah knew where this was now going. "I picked you up and got you out of the window, but the broken glass scratched your side," Leo said pointing down at Hannah's ripped waist.
Hannah shook her head, "Then what happened to you?" Hannah asked looking at Leo's burn and wounds.
Leo looked away. "When I pushed you out the window, I accidentally got my hand in one of the flames," Leo said. Hannah squealed and covered her mouth. "That's where this burn came from," Leo said holding out his leg." Big Jet was collapsing just as this happened. I ran for the window and quickly crawled out. A little too quickly though," Leo said pointing at all of his cuts and scars. "When I did make it out, I fell to the ground, hitting my arm on contact," Leo said covering his left arm. "Then I wanted to see if you were alive so I brought you back to Rocket." He sat down and said nothing more.
Hannah was sniffling. She owed so much to Leo at this time. "I'm sorry Leo," Hannah said. "For everything." Hannah rubber he thumb around her hand, "For taking Annie, crashing Big Jet, causing you to get hurt so badly. I'm sorry." Hannah could say nothing more. There was nothing more she could do either. Leo looked out the window at Quincy, June and Annie, who were on there was back to Rocket. They had been looking for Leo's baton that he had lost on Big Jet. He could clearly see Quincy holding his baton, which was totally undamaged! He said nothing more to Hannah.
Quincy, June and Annie came onboard Rocket. Quincy walked over and handed over Leo's baton back. Leo was happy to hold his baton again. June walked over a solitudious corner, watching Leo. Annie stayed in the door way, watching Hannah. "You don't deserve what Leo did for you!" Annie cried out. Leo immediately walked over behind her and put his hands on her small shoulders. He looked down in her eyes, just as she looked up at his. Leo bent down to Annie's height level and began to whisper in her ear. "Annie," He whispered quiet enough for nobody else to hear, "Nobody deserves to die. Nobody." He said.
Annie looked at him strangely. "But she tried to hurt you Leo," She whimpered.
"But nobody deserves to die," Leo repeated. Annie nodded, although she didn't totally see Leo's point. Leo walked over to his chair and began to blast off, keeping his baton in hand. June and Quincy joined, but Annie just watched Hannah, annoyed. Leo had given Hannah a chair, but expected nothing of her. She watched confused as the kids patted to help Rocket blast off. Eventually, they were flying again. Leo steered them home. Across the ocean, over the Everglades, and back home to the Rocket Room.
Leo quickly landed in the Rocket Room, but remained sitting, as everybody else got up and left Rocket. But Hannah and Annie just remained standing. Leo watched them, but then got off as well. All five kids were thinking about what kind of day this had been. The sun was setting over a hill, directly outside the Rocket Room. The sunlight looked in, and the kids looked out. Quincy held up his hand to Leo. Leo returned with a high five. They said nothing though, but Quincy just gave a satisfied "We did it again" look in his eyes. He looked at Leo, June, Annie, then at Hannah, then left the Rocket Room. He turned to the right, headed for his house. June went to Leo and threw her arms around him. She was so happy that nothing had happened to him. Now she too left the Rocket Room, leaving Annie, Leo and Hannah. Annie said nothing. She nodded to Leo and just left the Rocket Room, expecting to see him later at home.
Leo looked at the last remaining person in the Rocket Room: Hannah. She had her head down in sorrow, and in debt to Leo's heroism. Leo didn't speak a word to Hannah but he just slowly headed for the door of the Rocket Room, moving closer to the bright sun that rested upon the hilltops. He walked outside and onto the grass near the Rocket Room and looked at the sun. He thought to himself. Hannah suddenly came up right in front of him. She looked at him deeply and emotionally. She knew that she had a price to pay him. "Leo," she said to him looking him straight in the eyes. Leo looked back. "If it hadn't been for what you did, I could never see that sun again. I would never stand on the grass again, or run under a blue sky again." Hannah took a step back.
Hannah reached out her arm and shoved Leo on his shoulder, pushing him down the grass on his hands. She smiled at him sitting on the grass. "I owe you one, Leo" Hannah said smiling like a friend, as she walked off into the sun, over the hills.
Seasons came and past, and the kids tried their best to forget about what had happened. In later times they did meet up and rival with Big Jet still, but none of them ever actually saw Hannah again. Leo awaits for the day when the favor is returned.