The Last Garden

by J C Gilbert

  “A couple more days,” I said. “I don’t want to take any risks.”

  “I like that you worry about me,” said Elaine, “just as long as you don’t worry too much. I can handle myself, trust me.”

  “Yeah, I know.”

  When it came time to take Elaine back to the last garden, Lilly insisted on coming along. She met up with me at my house, and we retreated upstairs and into my room, shutting the door quietly so as to not disturb Mom whose headaches were getting better, but still caused her some distress.

  “Daniel is still in the hospital,” said Lilly as we walked through the halls of The Library. “Carl says that he doesn’t remember anything about what happened, but I don’t believe it. I can hardly blame him, though, a good memory in such cases is unforgivable.”

  “Seems like everyone wants to go back to normal,” I said, my brother in the forefront of my mind. I had asked him several times about what was really going on with him, but he always had some way of evading my questions. “I’ll tell you soon,” he would say, “but not yet.”

  “So, have you changed your mind about Elaine?” I asked.

  “Well, I still don’t like her, but I’m easing up on the whole ‘thinking she is evil’ thing.”

  “That is very good of you,” I said teasingly.

  Stepping into the temple was always disorientating. Once you were there, it appears that you are surrounded by green countryside. The temple itself was Grecian by design, and it always seemed to have just the right temperature and light levels for whoever happened to be recovering. Elaine was sitting up in her bed. She was smiling, but it seemed to me that the smile did not reach her eyes. She did not want to go back to the garden, I was sure of it.

  “Wasn’t expecting to see you here, Lilly,” she said.

  “I thought it was best to see you off, you know, make sure that you left.”

  “You are too kind,” she said.

  “I thought so,” said Lilly. “Should probably do something about that.”

  Elaine frowned at her. “There is something in your mind, I just noticed.”

  “Harsh,” said Lilly.

  “No, I mean there seems to be a blockage to the flow of energy. Allow me to-”

  “Elaine, no!” I said, but it was too late.

  Lilly frowned, her lips parted, her expression froze in confusion.

  “What is it?” asked Elaine.

  Lilly looked at me, her eyes searching mine.

  “Lilly I–”

  But then she disappeared, sucked into the Cheathr Ark.

  “What was that? What was wrong with her?”

  “Some of her memories had been suppressed,” I said. “She didn’t know. Darcy was supposed to tell her, but hasn’t yet had the courage.”

  “Shoot, I’m so sorry.”

  “No, she needs to work through this. She will be OK.”

  “Well then, that’s just me, isn’t it? Causing chaos right to the last.”

  I took out the lilac book and opened it. “You’re not all bad,” I said.

  “You will visit me when I’m gone, right?”

  “As often as I can,” I said.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

  I found Darcy in the Upper Vault where he had been reading. “There is something we need to talk about,” I said, closing the door carefully behind me.

  “Can it wait? I’ve been trying to find out what happened at the Elven Court. I had met Laertes before, and he wasn’t acting at all like himself. I am afraid that something tragic has happened.”

  “I don’t think it can wait,” I said.

  “There you are, Keeper,” said the Librarian, gasping for breath at the entrance to the vault. “We cannot delay any more. Things are coming to a head in the Seas of Baast, and we must take action.”

  “The Seas of Baast?” asked Darcy, his face draining of blood.

  “Something is waking up,” said the Librarian. “Things have been uncertain for a while, but have taken a sudden turn for the worse. We must put aside the other stories for now and focus on this one. The rest will still be here when you are done.”

  “All right,” I said, wondering how long Lilly would need in her silent dimension. I couldn’t imagine what she was going through.

  “Good,” said the Librarian, handing me a heavy thick book. Its cloth cover was deep blue-green and had an ocean depicted on the front. Its title was engraved in silver lettering.

  The Librarian left us there, off on some other urgent errand.

  “Do not go to that place,” said Darcy. “I know that world. There will be nothing but ruin for you there.”

  “What do you know about it?”

  “It is where I was first attacked. It was where I was made what I am. Please, do not do this.”

  “I have no choice, Darcy. I am the Keeper, and I can feel the book calling to me.”

  The End.

  I hope you have enjoyed your time with Alex, Hank, and the gang.

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