“And Aimi?” he asked. “How is she?”
“Happy. Content. She misses you of course. Like I said, never give up hope though. Don’t think that what you did went unnoticed. However, be warned that while some things change, others can never be.”
Sam nodded in understanding, fingering the chain and cross around his neck. They stood in silence for a moment.
“What will you do now?” she asked.
“Keep going,” he replied. “There are lots of innocents out there who will need my help. I’ll do what I can.”
Gabriel nodded in satisfaction. “Sounds like a fine plan to me.” She paused. “Anyway, it’s been good seeing you again. I have to go now but we’ll see each other again soon.”
“Ok,” said Sam, lacking anything better to say.
Gabriel took flight into the ashen sky. Sam watched her go, staring after her until she was but a tiny speck in the sky, suddenly feeling very lonely.
He sighed and looked back to the road. The crossroad appeared to give him choices but he knew he didn’t really have any. His path had been set the moment he was born.
He adjusted his pack, and making sure his hood was firmly on his head, he set off to the east again.
He had a long way to go.
