by Jason Letts
“Mira, where you gone to?” Clara called, standing on the fine soot that coated everything like a blizzard of black snow. The air was dusty, making it impossible to see. Nothing seemed to move other than the swirling dust particles.
Suddenly an arm emerged through the packed dust, and the sounds of coughing and gasping sputtered through the air. Clara shuffled over, standing on the silt. Mary’s face ascended through the ash. Instantly, the others started to claw through the surface. Chucky took off his pack and cleaned up Knoll. Roselyn and Will helped each other up. Mary reached into the debris and pulled out Aoi, who looked at her with a soft smile.
They all waded through the dust until they’d found Mira, who had tears streaming down her face. Instead of taking a moment to compose herself, she waded up to where the final confrontation had been. Her hands sifted through the silt, and when she found something everyone crowded around. They pulled Fortst out and set him on his back against the soft debris. He gritted his teeth, straining to fight off the pain coursing through every muscle in his body.
“We did it. We’re OK. It’s all going to be OK,” Mira said, wiping the dust from his neck and settling her hand on his chest. Fortst coughed, hacking violently. Whatever had entered his body had not passed through completely.
“It’s over for me,” he wheezed. “I lost my friends here, and I never shoulda left ’em. I just hope…hope they can forgive me.”
“You’ve done them proud, Mr. Fortst. You came through for us when we needed you,” Vern said, choking up. Aoi too was already in tears.
“I could try to do something. I must be able to help you,” she gabbed, but Fortst released a long sigh.
“You did, you all did help a loner like me so much. I made this mess, and I thought it was the end. But you showed me how to keep fighting no matter how bad it gets. Thank you.”
“No, thank you,” Will cried.
Sputtering, Fortst struggled to take a breath. His eyes glazed over, and his tense expression faded.
“Looks like you caught me sleeping on the job again,” he muttered, forcing a pained chuckle.
“No, no, you did fine,” Mira said.
The last twinkle in Ogden Fortst’s eyes went out as the injuries that plagued him wrought their final toll. The group stared down at their fallen comrade, the one who had taught them through their final year at the academy. He’d always had the tendencies of an isolated wanderer, but in the end he found company enough to mourn him. Weeping, they buried him in the ash.
“Seems there’s nothing left from our past we have yet to lose,” Vern observed, his arm around Will, who covered his teary face.
“Then let us look to the future,” Mira replied. “There’s solace in all those things we love that have yet to be.” She had the carafe in her hand. Rolling her wrist, every speck of dust just fell away until it sparkled and shined.
Losing Fortst made for a bittersweet march down the hillside. Grainy dirt billowed through the air and prevented them from seeing anything in front of them. They waded through silt up to their waists, often falling into it and sliding down whenever they met a sudden drop off. Everyone looked exhausted, as though the monumental triumph hadn’t happened at all.
“I feel like I should’ve been able to do more,” Aoi confided, walking next to Mira. “Maybe if I’d had a better understanding of my gift, Fortst would still be with us, maybe even Arent too.”
Mira sympathized with her friend. They’d succeeded in doing what they set out to do, but it came at a great cost. She hadn’t given up hope for Gloria and Jeremy, but she had lost them as well. If the carafe could’ve made Arent change his ways, then it surely would’ve helped them. Now all three were gone, and there’s nothing any of them could do about it. Still, there was no reason for Aoi to bear the guilt over it.
“You’re not invincible, Aoi,” Mira said, comforting her. “Without you, he would’ve turned us all to dust. You saved us, all of us. I think I could see it in his eyes, that Fortst was happy it turned out as it did. He needed us, and more than ever we needed him. The three of you worked together, so you should appreciate their sacrifice without feeling remorse for surviving.”
“I guess you’re right,” Aoi said, her head down.
A pleasant thought struck Mira, one she was sure would cheer everyone up.
“You know, there might be something you could do if you wanted to help. We’ve still got someone with us who is far from whole,” Mira hinted, drawing Aoi’s curious gaze.
“Who are you talking about?” Will asked from in front of them, walking beside his girlfriend.
Mira already had a big smile on her face, and it spread to Aoi quicker than a bolt of lightning. Stopping suddenly, she reached out for Roselyn’s shoulder and spun her around. Roselyn had a puzzled, apprehensive look on her face, her lips parted ever so slightly.
“If I can make us young again, this should be easy,” Aoi considered, fixing her eyes on Roselyn’s neck. She took a few deep, shuddering breaths and extended her fingers to her friend’s scarred throat. Everyone watched, curious and amazed, to see if she could really restore Roselyn’s voice. Even Clara hovered just overhead so she could get a clear view. Appearing perfectly relaxed, Aoi suddenly closed her hand into a fist and jabbed Roselyn in the throat.
“Oww!”
“Actually, it’s pronounced Aoi!” she beamed, and everyone crowded in closer as a look of delight dawned on Roselyn. As ecstatic as she appeared, she immediately put her hands on Will’s shoulders so they could look into each other’s eyes.
“Finally, finally you can hear it from my lips. I love you,” Roselyn said, pulling his cheeks close so she could kiss him. It was sweet and everyone cheered. Mira turned to Chucky, who wore a boyish grin.
“I knew you’d be able to do it. No mistakes!” he said.
“And I love you for it,” Mira replied, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him. Now that she wasn’t the only one who was single, Mary had a new reason to celebrate.
“Yay, I’m not left out anymore!” she snickered, turning to Aoi and Vern. “But seriously though, I’m sorry for wrecking your relationship. I want you to know I love you both, as friends.”
“I love you too. You made me realize something about myself. Thank you,” Aoi returned.
“Aww, isn’t this sweet. Group hug!” Vern called, wrapping his arms around the girls. Their happy embrace seemed so enticing it even distracted the couples, who quickly joined in. Everyone was laughing and smiling. Somehow they’d made it through together.
Amidst the jostling of the hug or because of the ash, Knoll started to cry, and Mira pulled him out of the sack on Chucky’s back. She set him in Chucky’s arms, trying to calm him.
“It’s about time we get you back to your mother, isn’t it? Vika’s waiting for her hero to come home,” she said, and together they continued down the dust-covered hillside and through the soot plume, which appeared to thin and allow more light to enter.
Suddenly Clara stepped out ahead of them, the ground was almost flat now. She turned back, flashing a bright smile. Her projection wore some of the furs Fortst had given her, and her eyes twinkled with all of the gleam of real stars.
“Wanna see a neat trick? Watch this!” she cheered. Walking backward, she pulled away from the curious group. The silt in the air made her more difficult to see, but she stopped and stood still about ten yards away. She took a straight face, and the lines that composed her started to disappear, vanishing one after the other, but no matter how much seemed to fade away, she remained there just the same.
“What?” Mira asked, confused.
Clara walked forward toward them, becoming clearer in the cloud. The luster on her face had become dull and dreary. She looked hungry, cold, and tired. Though only an inch or two of ash coated the ground, Clara made tracks now instead of walking on top of it. She came face to face with Mira, cowering a little, but she spread her arms and put them around her. Mira felt a slight squeeze from her han
ds and forearms pressing her close. Realizing what it meant, she gasped.
“It’s nice to meet’cha,” Clara said, pulling away. The ends of her lips curved upward in a fatigued smile.
Mira’s eyes welled up immediately, and she covered her nose and mouth with her hands. She shook, breathing deeply.
“I’ve waited so, so long. I never stopped trying to find you, and now you’re here. I can’t believe it! There are some joys you can spend a lifetime imagining, but they never move your heart like the real thing.”
“I just hope I’m worth the trouble,” Clara said bashfully. Mira stepped closer to her and brushed away some of her knotted hair. Her face looked like Mira’s but a little different.
“It’s not weird if I say you’re beautiful, is it? Because you are. You’re just how I always dreamed,” Mira cooed, tears trickling down her face. Clara blushed, her cheeks turning the faintest shade of red and her smile glowing almost as brightly as her double’s.
In the distance, a pair of figures became visible through the smoky haze. A man and a woman, one a little taller than the other, ventured toward them. Mira’s mouth fell open when she saw them over Clara’s shoulder. She gawked, putting her hand to her chest.
“Go get ’em!” Clara urged, but Mira collapsed onto her knees after the first step. Everyone had big, excited smiles on their faces, and they waved and called, full of delight. Kevin and Jeana Ipswich started running through the dust to the small group.
Laughing, they swept in and lifted Mira back onto her feet. They looked older than she remembered, but the warmth they offered was as fresh and loving as ever. It had been so long since she had turned her back on them, and that guilt immediately bubbled to the surface. Tears streamed down Mira’s face, and she could barely get the words out.
“I’m so sorry. I was so lost. I wish…please forgive me,” she stammered, but none of her sobbing could dampen her parents’ high spirits.
“We’ve all made mistakes and we’ve all had to learn,” Jeana said, wrapping her up. “Just forget all about it. This is what you’ve worked for!”
“I love you, Mira. We’ve missed you terribly. You’ve done it all, more than we could’ve ever dreamed.”
Kevin, Jeana, Mira, and Clara tangled themselves in an excited and jubilant embrace. Their family was whole and nothing could ever separate them again. Their friends cheered, laughing, clapping, and patting each other on the back. The wellspring of good feeling that erupted was enough to wash away any remaining sorrows. They all had each other, and that was all they would ever need.
“It’s all been worth it, in this instant. That’s what you did for me,” Mira sighed. “But it wasn’t just me, far from it. It was all of us.”
Mira pulled away and rejoined her friends, showering praise on them with a glowing smile. Her hands wrapped around the carafe, she leaned against Chucky, who cradled Knoll. A sudden cry of discomfort erupted from the child until Chucky adjusted his hold. The noise startled Kevin and Jeana, who looking bewilderingly at their daughter and the young child.
“My goodness, Mira! We turn our back on you for a minute and you go and do this!” Jeana moaned, her hand to her heart.
“What? He’s not mine!” Mira defended, her eyes wide and her cheeks blushing. The parents started glancing around at the other girls.
“Don’t look at me!” Aoi squirmed.
“Not me either,” Mary added.
“I can talk!” Roselyn gabbed, and everyone laughed.
Knoll squirmed within Chucky’s grasp and extended his pudgy hand to Mira.
“Momma,” he said, to everyone’s surprise, shocking Mira into yet deeper embarrassment.
“No, I’m serious!” she protested as her parents chuckled, finally clearing her throat to explain. “This little fellow is the one who brought us here. He showed us the way, and now we’ve got to return him home to his mother. He finds like things, and that means a little part of Yannick was here with us, seeing it through to the end. It’s because of him we had any chance of bringing together the carafe’s two halves.”
Mira held up the bright, sparkling cylinder so her parents could see it clearly for the first time. It sat in her hand innocently enough, but it would curb the perpetual cycle of conflict that wiped away one society after another.
“It’s beautiful,” Kevin gasped. “What are you going to do with it? How are you going to keep it safe if someone tries to steal it?”
Shaking her head and smiling, Mira could tell he had only the best of intentions, but he too had to discover for himself what the carafe did.
“It’s been the great misfortune of us all that no one has ever gotten their hands on the entire carafe. I think those inclined to steal it would be perfect candidates for its lesson. That’s the ultimate power, knowing the bonds that join us in humanity.”
Everyone nodded, full of amazement and wonder as they stared at the cup’s shimmering facets.
“So it’s yours, Mira. This can be the gift you never had,” Jeana suggested, but Mira once again had to decline.
“It’s not powers that make people whole, it’s their beliefs and feelings, dreams and hopes. This is the one power that can never belong to anyone. It should never be hidden away. We’ll put it out in a great square next to a fountain, free for anyone to help themselves to a draught of understanding.”
She held the carafe out to her parents, who hesitantly reached for it. Her friends joined in as well, and when they all had a finger on its shiny, studded surface, they raised it high into the air to catch the sunlight.
Chapter 12: Mira’s Outpost
“I’m gettin’ tired just watching you,” Mert Bogger groaned, fanning himself in a lawn chair on the grass. In front of him, the frame of a massive structure stretched across a clearing. It was on the site of old Corey Outpost, but now the rubble had been cleared away, the foundation had been set, and a replacement was being built.
Mira sat on a long wooden beam high in the air. She pounded in her last nail until it fit flush into the wood before responding to the elderly man.
“You’re a never-ending source of support,” she said, rolling her eyes. Mert laughed and looked off to his left. Vika and Knoll played in a dandelion patch. The young child tottered, full of happiness and love for life. His mother chased after him, picking him up and spinning him. They’d obviously not heard the exchange, so Bogger turned back to Mira, who tiptoed across the narrow board to the bag of nails on the other side.
“Be careful!” he shouted, but his warning distracted Mira. She turned her head as she took a step and fell over the side, plummeting toward the ground. Her fall slowed in midair, and she spiraled around until she touched down on her feet. Smiling, she looked over at Vern, who was raising lumber to the top floor alongside Will.
“No sense having you break your neck now!” he shouted.
Mira started for the ladder up to where her nails were when Roselyn approached her from a large tent set up in the center. She carried some papers and a big smile on her face.
“So I finished these drawings for the gate. I think they’d be perfect. I was trying to create something welcoming and elegant, and these platings really capture that. Don’t you think?”
“Whoa, slow down,” Mira said. “You don’t have to make up for lost time by talking twice as fast. Here, let me take a look.”
Taking the designs, Mira immediately felt the soothing effect Roselyn had implanted in them. The gate did have a grandeur she appreciated, but she worried it would appear a little over the top.
“Your drawings are always like a breath of fresh air. The problem with a gate though is that it means there are walls, and I don’t want any big walls along the exterior of our new outpost.”
“Oh,” Roselyn said, pondering. “How about decorative archways instead?”
“That sounds perfect! I’d love to see your ideas on that,” Mira nodded.
“No walls?” Kevin wondered, holding a saw over a piece of lumber. “How el
se are we going to keep the whole building standing up? Aren’t there going to be rooms?”
“Well, obviously there’ll be some walls, but they don’t need to be big and imposing like the old outpost. The last thing we want is to keep people out. We’re building a place everyone can come to from far and wide. There’ll be no more drifters and no more outcasts. We can make something we all can share,” she explained, entranced by the beauty of it.
There was still so much work to be done, but they were working at it each day under the sun and the clouds. Jeana exited the center tent carrying a jug of water and handed her a glass.
“Just as long as we’re not all living in tents out on the farmland for much longer. I’m already snatching lumber for a good bed. Now I need to get my hands on a new carpet and I’ll be set.”
“Mom!” Mira grumbled. “No pilfering supplies!”
Aggrieved, Jeana’s mouth dropped open and she took back her glass of water.
“Oh, right. I guess I forgot who was in charge here. Once again she won’t even allow her mother a few well-deserved comforts.”
Feeling like she was being teased, Mira stewed.
“I’m not in charge,” she whined, causing Will and Vern to start laughing.
“You have to be in charge, Mira!” Will said from up on the scaffolding. “Because I’m certainly not going to do it. Besides, we’ve already decided to rename the new town Mira Outpost and make you its elder!”
Cheering erupted from around the worksite as her friends applauded the new name.
“Now you’re calling me old? This is getting ridiculous,” Mira said, feeling embarrassed about the outpouring of attention. “I’m not old enough to be an elder, and so there’s no way the town’s going to get named after me.”
Mary left the nearby tent and put her hands on Mira’s shoulder. Mira turned to look at her, and in the distance she noticed Chucky carrying over bags of sand. Though the conversation had remained lighthearted, Mary appeared to have something serious to say.
“All of this is because of you, Mira. Yes, we all helped in our own way, but without you we never would’ve made it back home. Now that we’re here, there’s only one person I trust to hold everything we’ve earned together. You.”