Journey to Hope-Chapter 13

Chapter 13 Hope and Healing

     When Artham poured the water in Janner’s open mouth, the company held their breath expectantly. For a few moments, nothing happened. Kal looked up at Artham, who after a moment, poured a trickle over Janner’s head, and another onto his chest, right over his heart. The group watched and waited. After only a few seconds, something began to happen. Kal was the first to see it. He didn’t speak, but tapped Nia on the shoulder and pointed. She gasped. The droplets of water on Janner’s hair, face and tunic began to glow. They made a tiny flash as they were absorbed into Janner’s shriveled skin. The glow continued, but from inside Janner. It grew brighter and brighter and flashes of light went pulsing across his body. Kal’s mouth dropped open in awe as Janner’s shriveled form grew. His arms and face fleshed out to their normal appearance and Janner's large red scars turned thin and white. The light gave a final flash, and all was still. Kal looked up at Artham questioningly. Artham’s face was strained and pale, and his storm-filled eyes shone with tears. After a few minutes, Nia broke the silence with a whisper.

     “Kalmar…Kalmar, perhaps the Water can only heal physically.” Nia’s voice cracked in disappointment. 

     “No! No, that can’t be! Not after we’ve come this far. Janner! Janner, please come back!” Kal knelt over Janner and looked searchingly into his face. Janner was still. Kal rested his head on Janner’s chest as the tears began to come. After a few silent seconds, Kal’s eyes flashed open. He gasped and sat up, for a moment too shocked to speak.

     “H-his heartbeat! I heard his heartbeat!” The group gasped in joy and wonder and Artham called out,

     “Careful! Give him room to breathe!” The group watched in wonder. Janner’s chest rose and fell in a first, deep breath. Nia gasped and covered her mouth, glad tears coming to her eyes. Artham’s eyes grew wide with wonder, and he leaned forward eagerly.

     “Janner?” Kal asked tremulously.

     “Janner, can you hear us?” Nia continued. After a few minutes,

     “Mmmhm…mmmhmhm…”

     “Janner! Come on Janner!” Kal shouted, taking his brother's limp hand. It was warm, and Kal could feel the pulse in his wrist. Then, wearily, shakily, as if waking from a long sleep, Janner sat up and yawned. He scratched his head and opened his eyes, looking around confusedly. 

     “Where…where am I?” There was a collective shout of,

     “Janner!” and Janner was almost knocked to the ground again by Kal, who threw himself into his arms.

     “Janner! Janner, I thought I’d lost you!” Kal began sobbing again and Janner hugged his brother tightly. 

     “I’m here Kal. I’m back. You didn’t lose me. It’s so good to see you again. The real you, I mean,” Janner said with a soft chuckle. Kal continued to sob as Janner held him close and tightly. After a few minutes Kal sat up and looked at his brother, hiccuping as he wiped away tears.

     “Why? Why did you do it?”

     “Because I love you,” Janner responded. “And it was the Maker’s will.” Janner squeezed Kal in a tight hug again and then was submerged in a whirlwind of hugs and kisses and cries of,

     “Janner! Oh Janner!” His heart filled with gladness at the warmth and love of his mother’s hug and the fierce affection and strength in Artham’s. He laughed when hugged by Oskar, and when he went to hug Leeli, his eyes grew wide when she whispered into his ear, 

     “By the way Janner, Sara’s here…” 

     “Huh? Sara? Where?” 

     “Right behind you,” Janner heard a familiar voice say. He spun around and his heart skipped a beat when he saw Sara’s diamond blue eyes. For a moment, he couldn’t think of anything to say.

     “So, Uncle Artham found you in the Fork! Factory!?” 

     “Yes. No child will ever set foot in that place again. And I don’t think the Overseer will have the courage to show his face in Dugtown or Torborro again,” Sara said, and she absentmindedly fingered a long scar that snaked below the edge of her sleeve. 

     “Is that from…” Janner started to ask.

     “Oh, nevermind,” she said, jerking down her sleeve. Janner suddenly remembered something the Maker had said in the Garden. They had talked about many things, one of them Sara. Sara has been a moon in the dark for many people other than you, Janner. She carried on the light you left behind and set the Fork! Factory! on fire for freedom, but she paid a heavy price for her hope. She has grown so much. Healing will take away her scars, those she bears on her body and on her heart. 

     “Sara, you should have some of the Water,” Janner said, bending down to pick up the large nut and kneeling over the Well.

     “Wait, no, I couldn’t…” she said. Janner, remembering how much water Artham had given to Podo, only filled the nut with enough to pour out a few drops.

     “Sara, the Maker told me you were to have some. Just a drop.” Sara sighed and nodded at Janner. He passed her the nut. Sara tilted back her head and the nut, allowing a tiny drop to fall into her mouth. She dropped the nut, and flowers grew through the cracks in the stone where the water dripped. Her eyes first grew wide, then she closed them and a look of perfect peace came over her face. Her scars melted away.  She opened her eyes with a soft smile on her face.

     “Thank you, Janner. That was amazing,” Sara said. Janner smiled. He probably would have stayed looking at Sara forever if they were not surrounded by other people. He turned and saw Leeli picking one of the flowers the Water had grown. Janner’s eyes went to her crutch, then to her twisted leg. Suddenly, a look of excitement came over him.

     “Leeli!” 

    “What? Am I not supposed to pick the flowers?” She said, startled at Janner’s outburst.

    “No, no, pick to your heart’s content, but I just thought of something! We can use the Water to heal your crippled leg! Why didn’t we think of that before?” Leeli gasped and squealed in delight, hopping over to a rock and holding her foot out to Janner. Janner grinned at her and walked to the Well. He filled the nut again and turned to Uncle Artham.

     “How should I give it to her?” Artham looked uncomfortable, but the voices were forgotten at the moment as he filled with joy at the healing of his kin. 

     “Lust a jittle, er, just a little, on her leg,” Janner’s eyes grew sad when he heard Artham’s stutter, and when he looked down at the Water in his hands, his face bore a new determination. But first, he turned to Leeli, smiling again. 

     “Hold still,” he said. He poured a few drops, almost a trickle, onto her ankle, where it was twisted most. Nia took hold of Leeli’s hand and watched, her face a picture of hope and joy. Leeli giggled at the tingle of the Water seeping through her skin. After a moment, she grunted and squeezed her eyes shut as Janner heard a crackle, like he had heard in the dragons’ wings as the bones straightened. Her foot began to pulse with light like Janner had, and slowly but surely,it straightened. Leeli opened her eyes and gaped down at her now straight foot. She slid off the rock she was sitting on and shrugging off Janner’s hand, took a shaky step forward. When she didn’t fall, she put her hands over her mouth and squealed again. She began walking quickly in circles and then began to run towards Artham.

     “Uncle Artham, look!” She cried as she leapt off her once bad foot into his arms. Artham caught her and spun her around in the air, laughing with the Song Maiden. When he set her down, Leeli was still smiling and laughing. She began skipping and spinning, and there was another round of warm hugs. The whole family was delighted at Leeli’s healing. Leeli stood panting, practically glowing with joy. Janner squeezed her shoulder as he passed her headed toward Nia, who was sitting on a large boulder next to Sara. Artham had started edging away from the happy group, and his eyes were getting unfocused. The voices were starting to roar again and Artham winced. Janner glanced at him and bent to whisper quietly to the company. Nia nodded at Janner and said,

     “It will be hard, but we’ll help. He has been waiting for this for many years.”