Kassy Tayler: Remnants of Tomorrow

“I will,” I say.

Jane turns to Jon, who stands nearby with Beau at his side. “Take good care of our sweet Beau too,” she says as she stoops to ruffle the fur at his neck.

“You know I will,” Jon replies. “Thank you so much for letting him stay.”

“It is his choice,” Jane says. “Dogs know in their souls when they find their person. Beau found you, and there is no denying that he is your dog. I know he is in good hands.” Jane returns to Pace and me. “I cannot wait to see what you make of this brand-new world of yours,” she says as she takes my hands into hers. “I am certain it will be something special.”

“We could not have done any of this without your help,” I say. “You saved us when you came.”

Lyon joins us. “We will be back before you know it,” he assures us. “With plenty of supplies.”

“Thank you, sir,” Pace says. “For everything”

Lyon and Jane leave us, and Levi walks up. “Do you mind if I have a moment with Wren?” Levi asks Pace.

“That is up to Wren,” Pace says.

I nod and follow Levi a short distance away. He takes from his shirt a package wrapped in brown paper, and once again I marvel at the extravagance that I will never get used to. “I wanted you to have this,” he says.

I open the paper and find a circle made of twigs. It is amazing how perfect the circle is for what it is made of. In the middle of the circle is an ornate weaving of different colored threads that leave an open circle in the middle of the larger circle. A loop is on one side and the other has a hanging of beads and feathers that trail down.

“What is it?” I ask.

“A dream catcher.”

“From the story you told me about the talking spider?” I ask.

“Yes,” Levi says with a shy smile. He takes it from my hand and holds it up by the loop. “It catches the good dreams here, and the bad ones fall through the hole,” he explains, pointing. “I only want good dreams for you, Wren.” He glances at Pace. “For both of you.” His eyes return to me, and I see the longing in the depths of his warm brown eyes.

I hate that I hurt him. Unfortunately, someone would be hurt no matter who I chose. All I can do is hope and pray that he finds someone who will love him in return, the way he deserves to be loved.

“Please come back someday,” I say, and am surprised to hear the tears in my voice. “I can’t stand the thought that I might not ever see you again.”

Levi takes my upper arms in his hands and squeezes them gently. I know he wants to do more, and I also know that it would hurt him too much if we did. “I will,” he says. “I promise.”

I smile through the mist in my eyes and nod, because I believe him with all my heart. He will come back. “Time to board,” he says. “When Lyon is ready to go, he’s ready to go. No more dillydallying for anyone.”

We walk back to Pace as I keep a tight hold on the dream catcher. Levi extends his hand to Pace and they shake, and then to my surprise they embrace and pound each other on the back, the way men are prone to do, as if they are embarrassed at their show of emotion.

“Be safe,” Levi says.

“You too,” Pace says. “I’ll take good care of her.”

“You better,” Levi says, and grins at both of us before turning to go up the steps to the Quest .

“I shall miss you terribly,” Zan says. She gives me a bone-crushing hug and moves on to Pace. “I promise to take good care of Alcide,” she adds. She looks back at the group gathered to see them off and then looks beyond, at the trees and the hills rising in the distance. I know she is thinking of James. I hope she will never forget him. I know I will not. Just as I will never forget Peggy.

Alcide is next. His grin is contagious. “Are you sure you can manage without me?” he asks.

“Go and see the world,” I say as I hug him. “For all of us.”

“And don’t eat all their rations,” Pace adds as Alcide hugs him also before practically dancing up the steps to the Quest .

Findley somehow got on board while we were talking to Alcide. Maybe he thought I would embarrass him by hugging him. It doesn’t matter. I appreciate him as he is. In the end, when it really mattered, he came through for all of us.

“Cast off!” Lyon commands. David and Adam untie the lines, which are then pulled in by two of Lyon’s men. We hear the gentle strum of the engine kick on, and the Quest slowly rises into the air.

As the currents lift the ship up and away, Pace and I walk hand in hand out on the catwalk. We can still see everyone waving from the decking around the cabin. Lyon, Jane, Dr. Stewart, Zan, and Alcide, grinning madly, Findley, stoic as usual although I know he has to be excited to see the world, and then Levi, standing off by himself, just looking at me … at us … as the Quest floats farther and farther away. And then Levi raises his hand and touches his fingers to his forehead in a salute to both Pace and me before he turns and goes into the cabin.

I hold the dream catcher clutched in my hand and smile. I will put it to good use because I have so many dreams. Dreams for a wonderful future for all of us, as we set about to tame this brand-new world that surrounds us.

The Quest slowly turns and heads out to sea. We watch until we can no longer make out our friends on the deck. Pace squeezes my hand, and we turn to go back to the enclave and to the home we hope to build in the ruins of the church. Jonah comes out from beneath the catwalk and stretches before trotting off before us.

Levi offered me the world, but Pace showed me the sky, and for me that is enough. Because my world is here, and I am anxious to see how it all turns out in the end. But still I can’t help but turn and take one last look at the Quest , which is now just a dot in the bright blue of the sky. Then a flash of yellow catches my eye and Pip darts in and settles on Pace’s shoulder.

My world, once hollow, is now endless with possibilities. And my sky is so very blue. But not as blue as Pace’s eyes.