"Are you alright?" the woman asked breathlessly, kneeling beside her. When Kelly whispered that she was, the woman looked at her for a moment before asking gently, "What's your name?"

"Kelly."

"And what are you doing out here so late?"

"I live in the Community. I…I don't want to go back."

"Oh? Why is that?"

"No one would care if I left." That was not what she meant to say, but upon further consideration, she realized it was true. They would think she was Lost, have a ceremony to say goodbye, and then forget about her. Her parents would get a new daughter to replace her and go on with their lives as if nothing had happened. She explained that she had taken a walk by the river when everything had changed, and she had kept going and going, and now she didn't want to go back.

At that, the woman stood and escorted her to her car, which was already full of people. A young man sat in the passenger's seat and two girls, only a few years older than Kelly, sat in the back, all looking slightly apprehensive. Kelly sat in the back with the other girls. The woman made introductions as she buckled her seatbelt and rechecked her mirrors.

"This is Christopher, Amy, and Leah. Perhaps you know each other. And my name is Mary Jones. I understand you don't have last names in the Community, but the world is a big place where many people have the same first names, so we need last names to tell them apart." She looked at the clock and said, "It's almost morning. We should be at the Village by lunch."

She started driving, occasionally making remarks on their surroundings, and Kelly quickly fell asleep. She didn't wake up again until they arrived at their destination.

They called it the Children's Village. Twenty-four children, ages four to eighteen years, lived in the red house at the bottom of the hill. The house was part of a small farm and, though fairly large, it often came as a surprise to people that so many people lived there. Inside were six bedrooms. One belonged to Mary and her husband Jonathan. Another belonged to her parents, who everyone called Grandmother and Grandfather. The other four rooms had three bunk beds each, and room for a fourth if the need arose. Jonathan Jones had been orphaned as a teenager and stayed at the home for a few weeks before turning eighteen, which was run by Mary's parents at the time. He was the last child they took in before passing on the responsibility to their daughter.

On the first of December, the house was buzzing with activity. Grandfather and Jonathan were both doctors, so they were gone all day, but Grandmother watched the younger children while the older ones went to school, and Mary had been up since before dawn, cooking, cleaning, and doing laundry. When the older children came home, they got a quick snack in the kitchen before going off to do their homework. Then everyone joined the effort to make the house spotless. They swept, dusted, and washed away all the dirt they could find. They put away their laundry and carefully made their beds with clean sheets, blankets, and pillows. They gave the animals fresh food and water and cleaned the barn. Finally, Grandfather and Jonathan came home, and it was time for dinner.

When they all finished and helped clean up, it was time. Grandfather went outside and carried a large tree into the living room. It was five feet tall but fairly light, and it grew out of a large pot. First the lights were put on the tree, followed by a string of popcorn and cranberries. Then everyone took turns placing ornaments on it. There was nothing that looked mass-manufactured or liable to fall apart anytime soon. Everything had been handmade and passed down from generation to generation. Those who could took turns playing carols on the piano while everyone sang along.

As the month went on, everyone was very busy. The Children's Village had always been fairly self-sufficient, and it showed in December most of all. Those who had taken an interest in knitting and weaving made scarves, hats, mittens, and slippers. Those who liked woodworking or welding made tools and toys. Some learned to make candles. Still others preferred cooking and baking or tending the indoor garden, which was full of herbs, roses and poinsettias, vegetables, and fruit trees.

One day, Mary noticed Kelly sitting by the window yet again, lost in thought, and said, "I'm going out tomorrow. Would you like to come?"

Kelly knew that her parents were part of a group that made regular trips to the outskirts of the Community. They explained, after they had found her, that the Community was wrong. It was wrong in ways that went beyond taking away color and memories and personal choices such as jobs and families. It was what many people called a cult, and those who ran it abused their power, keeping people in the dark. Many people realized this on their own and tried to escape, but without help, they would most likely not make it. The night she had been picked up, she fell asleep during the ride, but she knew it would take hours to get there.

The next morning, they left soon after breakfast, and driving as fast as the speed limits would allow, they reached the usual pick-up point by dark. They waited for several hours, and Mary explained how they were part of a network that helped those who wished to leave the Community, and how some people infiltrated the Community to sabotage its leaders. She also tried to explain what she knew of the technology and drugs which interfered with brain activity somehow. Finally, they heard something in the distance, and a few moments later, they saw three children running toward them, two girls and a boy. They froze when they saw the car, but Mary went out to talk to them. Kelly could hear bits of the conversation.

"Our friend –"

"My brother –"

"The Receiver of Memories –"

"…gone…"

"…released the memories…"

Just then, Kelly felt it happen again. A glimpse of what was that seemed to last forever. She saw and felt war, pain, hunger, and death. Then she saw animals, weather, color, family, and most of all love, all things she had now. She held on to that thought until Mary came back with the others. It was Asher, and Fiona, and Lily! They thought she had been Lost, so she explained how she was found. Then they told her Jonas had been chosen as the Receiver, but now he was missing, along with a child that had been staying with his family before he was scheduled for release, and the memories were creating big changes in the Community. They talked for a long time before falling asleep. None of them noticed passing a bike off the side of the road or two boys hiding in the ditch.