With the sound of music flowing through Jonas’s ears, Jonas sped down the hill; anticipating the reaction of the people waiting for him below. Somehow, Jonas knew this would work out. He knew that Gabe would survive, that he would have family and friends to love and that they would love him back. Jonas could feel someone helping through this. Maybe it was the Giver. All Jonas knew was that he could feel love in the air.

Faster and faster Jonas went. It was as if he was gliding on top of the snow. Jonas was steering the sled down the hill when all of a sudden, the sled skimmed a rock and went right towards a tree! Jonas could see it happening in his head before it actually occurred. He grabbed Gabe protectively and through him off the sled gently so he would not end up with the same fate as Jonas. With the tree coming closer, Jonas could see everything that ensued before this. He remembered his mother and father and how they were always there for him; even if they didn’t know what the word “love” meant he knew they did. He thought of Lily and how she would always talk on and on. He recalled all his memories of Asher and Fiona; how Asher would always mix up his words and how Fiona’s red hair glistened in the sun. Jonas remembered Larissa and how he wanted grandparents. But, most of all, he remembered the Giver. Jonas knew that he did this for the Giver. That was the last thing he remembered though, because right then is when he hit the tree.

“Ow. Where am I?” Jonas wondered attempting to sit up to look around at his surroundings before being stopped.

“Hold it up young man. Lay back down.” Some girl said with a strong tone of authority in her voice. Who was this girl? She looked about Jonas’s age and head a head of hair that looked like a lion’s main, but in a good way. Her golden-brown hair swayed back and forth, from shoulder to shoulder. Her eyes were blue too, like his. “Your safe here, you just crashed into a tree. This is the Belltop community. Who are you?”

“I’m Jonas. Where is Gabe?” Jonas croaked. He still felt dizzy, but he began to remember what happened.

“Who’s Gabe? Oh, the baby.” The girl whispered as she said the last sentence. “I’m sorry Jonas, Gabe died. Last night.” She added quickly with her head down as if she was ashamed. “We thought you were going to die too. You have been asleep for a week now.”

“What do you mean Gabe died? He couldn’t have. I saved him. I threw him of the sled gently so he wouldn’t have died. I was supposed to die!” Jonas yelled, breaking into tears.

“Jonas, don’t say that! Everything happens for a reason!” she hissed. She was right.

“I’m sorry. You are right. I loved him though. You do know what love is?” She nodded her head. “He was like a brother to me.” Jonas quivered.

“You must be cold. Here is a blanket.”

“Thanks, um. What’s your name?” Jonas inquired.

“Oh yeah, it’s Larissa. I’m going to go now.”

“Okay. Thank you Larissa, for everything.” Jonas said as she left the room. Larissa. Maybe some people did go Elsewhere, Jonas wondered.

Months passed since Jonas woke up in Belltop and he has not heard about his old community. Larissa and Jonas would always talk about everything. Larissa knew everything. It was a Monday when the most wonderful event happened.

“So, Jonas. What do you want to do today?” Larissa said singing each word.

“I don’t know. I chose yesterday.” Jonas replied. He really didn’t care anymore.

“You’re thinking about him aren’t you?” Larissa guessed correctly.

“I told him to come with me. He wouldn’t though. He couldn’t. He said that he had to be there to help the rest of the community deal with all the memories.” Jonas sighed. “I have to go back.” He concluded.

“It’s about time! I knew you had to. I mean, you love him. My mom taught me to never leave a loved one behind. Go Jonas!” Larissa urged.

“Alright I will go tonight. It shouldn’t be too cold tonight. Let me go pack.”

“Jonas, wait.” She said getting up from the couch and came up to me at the door. And that moment was when it happened; Larissa kissed me! “Good luck. I won’t be here tonight.” Larissa said and then skipped out from the room humming to a tune I did not know. “Goodbye Larissa.” Jonas whispered to himself and headed the other direction to pack up.

It was that night he made the trip. Jonas got a new and an enhanced bike meant for riding over the gravel which he hurt himself the first trip. Larissa left for him in the garage with a note saying that it would help and that the trip would go faster. She was right, Jonas got back to the community in four days. Something was different though. When walking in, he heard something in the background, an owl. The community changed. He stopped right before he started seeing houses. Jonas didn’t want to walk into his house during the night. Everyone thought that he was dead. So, Jonas decided to sleep right under a tree. It was comfortable there and he brought a blanket too.

The morning came quickly and Jonas was up at the crack of dawn. He decided that this would be the right time to walk into the community. He wanted to make sure that everyone was at the ceremony. He kept track of the days and today was the Ceremony of 12, it was exactly four years since he was the one waiting for his name to be called, sitting their anxiously when his name got skipped.

Jonas walked into the room, expecting to see everyone there, but no one was there. Where is everyone? Jonas left where the ceremony was to be held and decided to go home. Maybe someone will be there. As Jonas was walking down the street, he heard some more noises. He looked around the corner to see the whole town in the park. What were they doing here? What about the ceremony? Jonas decided to go over there and see what is happening. He saw everyone there; Asher and Fiona were playing with a Frisbee and he saw Lily playing with something like a jumping rope.

“Jonas!” Lily screamed on the top of her lungs. “Jonas you’re alive!” Lily yelled at me running toward me with the speed of a cheetah. He forgot how fast she was.

“Jonas.” He started hearing people whisper his name to each other.

“Jonas, that’s impossible.” He heard someone gasp in disbelief. He wasn’t sure who those people where.

“Jonas is back!” someone belched out. Jonas knew that voice from anywhere, it was Fiona. He was her running over to him with everyone else. He watched her red hair flow in the breeze, how her skin was so delicate to sun.

“Jonas! You’re alive?” his mother called out to him, sounding more like a question then a statement.

“Mom, everybody listen up. I never died. The Receiver and I came up with a plan to help the community. I’m guessing that you remember memories?” Jonas asked shouting to everyone, there heads nodding. “Where is The Receiver?” Jonas inquired. When asking this, everyone’s head bent down to shame, like Larissa’s head did when she told him Gabe died. Jonas knew what they were going to say, but no one wanted to break the news.

“Jonas, why don’t we talk over here?” Fiona asked him finally breaking the silence that felt like it was going to go on forever.

“Okay.” Jonas replied, thinking that atleast he will be with the one he loves when he finds out about the death of a loved one.

“Jonas,” Fiona hesitated, “Jonas, he died yesterday morning from old age.” Everything was silent for about two minutes.

“Jonas, are you okay.” Fiona questioned me, seeing that my head was down.

“I kind of expected that.” Jonas replied.

“Jonas, he told me tell you thank you if you ever did come back. Jonas you changed our world. We could vote for people to become a governor of the community, we can select our own jobs, we don’t have to take those pills for the stirrings, we can have babies if we want to when we are old enough. The list goes on and on Jonas. We feel true emotions, like hate and fear…”

“And love?” Jonas asked interrupting her.

“Yeah love.” Fiona said looking strait into Jonas’s eyes. “Jonas, I love you.” Fiona spluttered out after about one minute, which felt like one year, of looking into each others eyes.

“Fiona. I love you too.” Jonas told Fiona as they leaned toward each other about to share their first kiss.