Hope in Deep Waters (an AtE story) Ch. 9

Leeli ran as fast as she could toward the Well. Splashing over the edge, she threw her crutch aside and flung her arms around Janner, giggling with elation as tears ran down her cheeks. Janner squeezed her tight, smiling and laughing too. The commotion quickly roused the rest of the camp, and everybody came stumbling out of their tents and squinting in the bright morning light. When their bleary eyes adjusted, they still could not believe the sight before them.

Oskar polished his glasses and then pinched himself. “Ouch! In the words of…in the words of….” Not finding any “words of”, he just stood there in stunned silence with his mouth hanging open. His polishing cloth dropped to the ground.

Kalmar ran full speed into Janner, nearly knocking him and Leeli over and spraying them with water droplets. “Careful!” Janner warned with a laugh as the threesome sloshed to the shore and stepped out onto the soft, mossy ground. Where the water dripped, patches of wildflowers sprouted and blossomed.

Their mother was waiting there for them with her eyes brimming with tears and the most joyful look on her face any of her children had ever seen. Nia scooped Janner up into her arms as she had when he was a toddler. “My baby” she whispered in a trembling voice. “Oh, my dear son.” After all the pain and loss and sorrow she had experienced in the last few months, her heart had felt empty and broken to the point of no repair. But now, as she held her firstborn son who she had thought was gone forever, she found that, though it was still wounded, her broken heart began to piece itself back together and swell again with joy and love and gratitude as deep as the sea.

Artham stood nearby with a broad smile on his face, as if he had expected this to happen all along and waited patiently until Nia set his nephew's feet on the ground again.

“Welcome back, Janner,” Artham grinned as he wrapped him in a rough hug and tousled his hair. “You were magnificent!”

“Well, it wasn't my idea, it was the Maker's.”

“The Maker's plans are good, that's for sure. And I'm proud of you for obeying Him and remaining by your brother's side. You are a wonderful guardian for him, and I have no doubt that you will continue to do so for as long as the Maker wills you to remain here.”

Artham's praise made Janner's ears and cheeks flush pink and a mist of happy tears cloud his vision. He looked up at his uncle with amazement. “Th- thank you, uncle Artham.”

“You are most welcome. And I mean it.” After a pause, Artham added, “by the way, I've brought someone along with me…”

Janner peered over his uncle's shoulder and his gaze locked on a pair of sparkling blue eyes belonging to someone who was kneeling in the moss with Leeli and admiring the new wildflowers. “Sara..?! You saved her! Did you put a stop to the Fork! Factory!?”

“I promised you I would, didn't I?” Artham replied with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Janner grinned and squeezed him harder. “You're the best!”

“Why don't you two catch up a bit? I'll get some breakfast started,” smiled Artham.

“I think I will!” exclaimed Janner, jogging off to see his friend.