Hey!

This is the final chapter for Lois Lowry's The Giver. Only read if you've read the book! Otherwise you won't understand it. That said, for those of you who have read it, you know how it ends kinda weird? Here it is:

"Behind him, across vast distances of space and time, from the place he had left, he thought he heard music, too. But perhaps it was only an echo."

You don't know if Jonas and Gabriel die on the spot, or if they make it to the house in Elsewhere. When I finished the book, (I read it at school) my teacher assigned us a project to write up the final chapter for The Giver. I {painstakingly} wrote it and turned it in, hoping for the best. Guess what? She gave me a 105! Plus, it goes down as a test grade, so yay!

So then, I decided to publish it on Fanfiction.

Anyways...(sorry bout that)

On with the story!

Chapter 24: The Lost Chapter

Jonas clutched Gabriel closer to his chest as the sled got faster and faster, and the snow-covered trees became blurs. The swirling snow tore at Jonas with long, sharp, cold claws. He steeled himself and forced his eyes open. It was hard to see the white cottage through the blizzard of snow, but it was there, inviting Jonas with its twinkling, colorful lights, loud gales of laughter, and gray-black curls of smoke rising from the cute little redbrick chimney. Gabe whimpered and pressed closer to Jonas's body. Jonas whispered reassuringly, "Don't worry, Gabe. We're almost there." The sled came to a sudden stop, and Jonas was thrust off into a snow bank. Shivering and wet, he staggered, step by step, slowly but steadily, towards the little white cottage.

It got closer and closer. The house just seemed so perfect. From what Jonas could see through the whirlwind of snow obscuring his view, it had round, green bushes buffeting the side of the cottage, charming trim surrounding the bare garden, a small redbrick chimney poking out of the top, and most importantly, windows. Square portals through which Jonas beheld the joyful faces and peals of laughter and merriment.

The wind bit harder on his skin. Rain and snow pounded on his back, threatening to throw him to the ground. Thunder and lightning crackled overhead. All around him Jonas saw white. A subzero white wasteland. The cottage loomed so far away…..No. Jonas couldn't stop now. Not after everything he had gone through! Not after all his effort! Not after the countless days, weeks, he had spent in the wilderness, hungry and terrified that he would be discovered! He could not lose the war he had been fighting against the community, insanity, life, and the world as he knew it. He stumbled on. He could no longer see through the whiteness, the bleach color that was suffocating him and throwing knives into his entire body. Jonas was blind. He continued, knowing that at some point, he would fall. Suddenly, his grip loosened, his arms went slack, his legs buckled down under him, and Jonas collapsed. All was hopeless. He and Gabe would die and stay there forever.

Jonas had lost.

Jonas remembered something, a thought from somewhere that his mind could not grasp right now. The Giver's face swam in his head. He was speaking his wise words, words that Jonas had not given a second thought to, but now, they seemed to matter more than anything. When you die, your life flashes before your eyes. Then, all is dark.

Suddenly, Jonas could remember. An image flashed in his mind. It was hazy, but he managed to figure it out. Her hair. It was Fiona's hair. The rich, vibrant, dazzling red seemed so real to him. Then, his image of her swirled away and transformed into the Ceremony of Twelve. Jonas found it very strange to watch himself standing onstage, knees wobbling, face pale, as the Chief Elder declared him Reciever of Memory. Then, Gabe appeared. The happy toddler laughed and pointed at the sky, his sparkly eyes twinkling. Jonas could see a black pigeon reflected on Gabriel's eyes. What happened next Jonas certainly did not expect. The pigeon transformed into a graceful, pure white dove. Gabe stared at Jonas and grinned peacefully. Jonas blinked, and then, he was in the Giver's chamber, receiving the memory of a family on Christmas. It made him feel warm inside, so wonderfully safe and sound. It was love. And it was the best feeling Jonas had ever experienced. Out of the blue, the family dissolved. Jonas reached out for them, tried to swipe the disappearing pixels of their smiling faces. They sifted through his fingertips like sand. Then, the ground underneath his feet melted, and before he knew it, Jonas was free-falling through the air. The wind whooshed in his ears, and he fell into oblivion, a big, black, gaping void where Jonas escaped his life.

He awoke to a bright light shining in his face. Jonas rose. He was in an endless, white world. There was nothing, nothing except a solitary wooden bench. Jonas did not know exactly what was happening to him. Maybe it was all a dream. He strolled leisurely to the bench and sunk into it.

Suddenly, a voice spoke. "Love." Jonas turned his head abruptly towards the voice. There, out of nowhere, was the Giver. His kind, blue eyes and pale, wrinkled skin brought tears of joy to Jonas's eyes.

"Giver. What are you doing here? Where am I?" The Giver tittered and shook his head. "Oh, Jonas. I wish I could be with you. But I have to stay behind and teach the community. I must be the Jonah for the people."

"Who is Jonah?"

"Oh, he is you."

"What? I do not understand."

"Of course. You will be able to read the Bible in your new life. Your new life in Elsewhere."

"What are you talking about? I'm dead. Aren't I? This is like a stepping stone, a stop on the way to….to….wherever I go after death. Isn't it?"

"Perhaps. If that's what you think, Jonas."

"Giver? What is love like?" The new word melted on Jonas's tongue like honey and bounced off his lips like a gumdrop.

"You will find out in given time. However, I will tell you one word that describes it: Happiness. Jonas, you will be loved. Someday, I shall join you in a magical place called Heaven."

Suddenly, the ground caved in under his feet. "No!" Jonas yelped. He groped for the Giver's hand, tried to hold on to the last sliver of a friend that he had. Giver smiled, and the soft edges of his crystalline eyes crinkled in joy. That was the face that Jonas couldn't bear to never see again. "I love you, Jonas."

Jonas blinked his eyes. He felt as if it had been hours since his blackout, but in reality, it had only been a couple of minutes. The Giver spoke in his mind, and Jonas remembered something the Giver had told him, after he received the memory of the delightful family on Christmas. "I couldn't quite get the word for the whole feeling of it, the feeling that was so strong in the room." Jonas had said. "Love," The Giver told him. Those were words of the Giver, his best friend. Jonas wondered what the Giver was doing at that moment. Maybe, just maybe, the Giver was listening to one of Lily's outrageous tales of what might have happened to Jonas. He could imagine Lily bouncing on the Giver's knee, making exaggerated hand gestures, flailing arms and wide eyes, while Giver chuckled to himself grandfatherly.

One corner of Jonas's mouth went up into a weak smile. It was hard to do that when his face was pressed against the spiky, bristly texture of the Welcome mat underneath him.

Welcome mat…..

Welcome MAT?

Jonas hastily propped himself up onto one elbow. His gaze traveled from a metal threshold, up a red-painted door, past a snow-powdered, beautifully decorated wreath, to a dainty, oval-shaped, blue porcelain plate hanging beside the door:

This is the place where I love you.

Hey, everyone! Thanks so much for reading. If you have any constructive criticism, comments, etc., do me a HUGE favor and review! I luv you guys.

:)

P.S. If ya didn't like, please don't start cussing at me in your reviews. I know it's not that good, but I'm only in sixth grade in middle school, don't blame me!

P.P.S. Thanks again for reading!