Jonas and Gabriel laughed as the ride ended. He could still hear something that he had never heard before. Perhaps it is what Giver called misuc, he though. Gabriel, who was smiling and chuckling with delight, was now quiet tilted his head in one direction as if he heard something. Then he yelled out, "Bird!"
Jonas, thinking that he meant that there was a plane near by, quickly picked up Gabriel and seeing that there was no where to hide, layed flat on the snow holding Gabriel tightly. He heard a cry, and looked up to see a white bird flying to the south. Instantly he remembered a time when one of Lily's friends, a four, asked why birds didn't migrate. At first no one understood what she ment, but when she had asked that to a teacher, he gasped and dropped a glass that was filled wiht water. After apoligizing and cleaning up the mess, he immediatly sent the little girl to the Chief Elder, who had recived a lesson about how that word diodn't exist and that she should never say that word ever again.
Jonas thought about how Lily reacted to that small scene. She was at first mad that her firend didn't use the proper language. The entire family had comforted her until she had felt better.
"Lily," whispered Jonas. Gavriel had babled out something, but Jonas could not understand. "I miss her, Gabriel. I miss Lily. But she can't miss me because she can't feel anything, nobody can, except for the Giver." Then an idea came to his head.
"Gabriel," he said, picking up the child, "Maybe they can. I mean, when i left, most of the memories i had have dissapered, probably into the hearts of the people back in the community! Yes! Perhaps they feel something; real happiness, love, anger, sadness and many more. Perhaps Lily is missing me right at this momemnt!"
"Oh, yes she is," said a voice.
Jonas turned around in delight as he stared at him. Even though it had been weeks since he had seen him, he could still remember the same, old but friendly face, the roughness but joy in his voice. Yes it was.
It was the Giver.
"Giver, you're here!" Jonas yelled in true delight.
Giver smiled. Yeas, Jonas it is me. Somehow i have the strenght of a young one. Somehow i had a feling that you were here, so i followed my sences. I wasn't sure about this until i saw your father's bicylce. Jonas, you've brought little Gabriel along with this dangerous journey. How could you?"
"My father was going to releae him. He's so young, Giver. I couldn't let him die."
Giver nodded. "Of course, now i understand. Love has overwhlemed you."
Jonas giggled. "How is everyone back in the community?"
"Fine. Or at least they have been. When you left, the entire community was in shambles. Everyone couldn't handle the pain. I'm sorry to say this Jonas, but some people weren't strong enough to handle the pain. Jonas, a few days after you had left, Lily was out of control. She was one of the ones that had some of the strong feelings. I tried my hardest to confront her, but she was hard to reach. I'm very sorry, Jonas, but she killed herself a week after you left."
Jonas stood still. Had his ears betrayed him? No. The words were ringing inside his head.
"No. It can't be!"
The Giver nodded his head sadly. Yeas JOnas, she did. She siad that she would do anything for you. Even killing herself to save your life."
"She knew?"
"Somehow she had the feeling that you were alive. She had told me that when she visited me. She said that you were missing, and that you were suffering."
Jonas fought to hold back his tears.
"A few hours before she killed herself, she said that all she wanted was for you to be safe. I didn't expect for her to kill herself. After her death i began to feel stronger, younger, more powerful. After comforting all of the poeple, i told them that i would have to leave for a long time to check up on soemthing. No one knew about what i was doing."
Jonas manahed a smile. "How are the opthers? Asher, Fiona, Mother and Father?"
He laughed. "Look at that. There's a cabin. It looks empty. Let's go inside and get comfortable. Then I'll tell you about the others."
Giver, Jonas, and with Gabriel in his hands, they walked to the cabin.