Jessica Hernandez

8th Period Pre-AP

Chapter 24 Word Count: 413

Jonas found himself Elsewhere looking after Gabe. It was six months after arriving there and about a year leaving his community. Gabe was back to his happy and alert self now, though a little bit more mature. Jonas's memories from the Giver were still ebbing away and Jonas started to ponder about his family and friends.

Jonas wondered about what happened to Lily, probably chatting away with her friends or riding her bike around the Community. And Fiona, his favorite female, was she tending to the Old right now? Did she miss him? She was so gentle and sweet, with her flowing red hair. Did she take the news of Jonas's leaving well? What of Asher, with his playfulness? Was he planning games for children and himself? And his parents, he immediately felt guilty, they were so proud, so honored, to be the parents of the newest Receiver. They probably felt guilty themselves, not fit to be parent when he left.

Jonas had a scary thought. What if they didn't really miss him? Jonas knew real grief, but did his family and friends just feel the same shallow sadness they felt for Caleb, the little four lost in the river, since they didn't know real love. He knew that the Giver probably felt grief, but what if he was the only one? What if his case was like Rosemary's, where people were forbidden to even speak his name?

The scary thought was pushed away when a more reassuring one came to. He realized that the members of the Community probably had to deal with the feelings of grief and sadness now that he was gone. He felt sudden remorse for the physical and emotional pain he put Asher and Fiona in. His only wish was for them to be able to feel love and real happiness. His other wish was to prove his point to Lily; he wanted her to see that elephants really did exist.

Jonas was then brought back to reality by the sound of Gabe's laughter. They were playing on a hill and Gabe was rolling down it. Jonas decided to ponder this later, maybe find a way to send a letter to the Giver and his friends and family in his old community. And with that thought, he rolled down the hill with Gabe and took him home.