the room without a word.
As the padding of his shoes disappeared down the passageway, Mathew pulled her close, circling his arm around her shoulder. “Go, talk to him,” he said.
“I don’t know what to say.”
“There are no right words. Just be there for him. That’s all you can do. Woody told me that’s what you did for him.”
“Woody?” she asked, surprised. “He was the one who helped me.”
“Did he?”
She thought he’d helped her with feeling her first true loss, the profound sadness, but maybe they had helped each other. A moment shared between two people who had needed comfort.
She went after Rein.
Holding the music box, Rein sat in silence inside Jordan’s holey. He watched as the little dancers twirled to the harmony, forever caught in an eternal embrace. No threat of blond police coming to destroy the only home they’d ever known. No death.
He envied the figurines.
His chest felt hollow. He wanted to scream in anger, bash things, break stuff. He wanted to cry. Nothing came. Empty, he was drowning in a sea of loss.
The emptiness lessened when he thought of Ellyssa. Her soft skin, the scent of her hair. He filled with warmth and yearning…and with love. Then guilt followed for his mind wandering from Jordan.
A vicious cycle feeding itself.
“Can I come in?” Woody asked, pushing the tattered curtain aside.
Rein preferred to be alone, but he scooted over, affording the room. Woody crawled inside and sat with his back toward the entrance.
“I never had the chance to say goodbye,” Rein said.
Woody patted his shoulder. “He knew how you felt.”
“I know.” Tears stung his eyes; he blinked. “It’s just, without his guidance…” He glanced at Woody. “I guess Doc told you guys.”
“About the search parties? Yes.”
“We’ll have to prepare the group.” He sighed, looking down at the whirling figurines. He wished he knew the right steps to take. “What’re we going to do?”
“Survive. Just like we’ve always done.” Woody lowered his head to catch Rein’s attention. “Hey. You know what to do; we both do.”
“Did the others—you know—take it well?”
“They knew it was coming.”
Rein nodded, understanding. Jordan’s failing health hadn’t been a secret. “What about you? How are you doing?”
“I said my goodbye.”
“Our little family keeps getting smaller and smaller.”
Woody reached over and folded Rein’s fingers around the music box. “He would want you to have that.”
“But…”
“You always appreciated it more than I did.”
Finally, the tears stinging Rein’s eyes slid down his cheeks. “Thank you.”
“Rein?”
Ellyssa’s soft voice surprised him. He hadn’t heard the echo of footsteps down the rocky path. Her prowess as a soldier, he was sure.
Woody gave him a sad smile, before he flipped over. “Here, let me out.”
Ellyssa stepped back and Woody crawled into the tunnel. Before he left, he ducked down, eye level with Rein. “We’ll be fine.”
“I know.” Rein said the words, but didn’t really believe them. All that lay before his little community—his family—was an undetermined future. It was up to him to make sure they were all safe. His responsibility, because he was the one who had led the enemy to their door. “Would you call together a council meeting for tomorrow, after lunch?”
“Of course.” Woody squeezed Ellyssa’s hand once before leaving. Apparently, she and his best friend had reached an understanding.
Ellyssa hovered outside of the holey, as Woody’s shoes scraped across moist rock. The sight of her warmed his heart; her hair reflected yellow from the fluorescent bulbs, her sky-blue eyes wide with concern, her face saddened.
Rein wiped away the tears and offered her a sad smile. “Please, come in.”
Ellyssa crawled into the cramped space and sat on her heels. For a few moments, neither of them said anything as the figures danced within their glass dome. Finally, the music slowed, then stopped.
“What’s that?”
“Jordan’s music box.”
Her full lips shaped a small
Despite the sorrow weighing in his chest like an anchor, he grinned at the wonder on her face. “Yes, it is. It belonged to Jordan’s mother. The only thing she brought that wasn’t an essential. It’s Mozart, but he can’t remember the piece.”
“
Rein looked up in surprise. “You’ve heard this?”
“Yes. We learned all about classical music. Hitler believed in the arts, regardless of his shortcomings. Appreciation was not allowed, though; it was just a learning tool.” She leaned closer to him. “I secretly enjoyed the music,” she said, as if the declaration betrayed her.
“I really miss him.”
“I do, too.” She twisted around, crossing her legs and resting her forearms across her thighs. Unconsciously, she wrung her hands together. “I know I am in no position to even say something like that. I barely knew him,” she said, raising her eyes to meet his, “but in a short time, I really grew to like Jordan, much like I did Mathew… and you.” A flash of red colored her cheeks. She glanced down, her blond hair falling forward, obscuring her face, fingers kneading in nervous tension. “I have never given trust so freely.”
Rein thought she’d never looked as beautiful as she did now. The nervousness, the tension, the shyness… the vulnerability. He placed a finger under her chin. “It’s not a competition of who feels worse, or who has the right to feel the way they do.”
“I know. I feel as if I have no right to be sharing your grief, though.” She flipped her hands up. “I don’t know how to explain. I don’t know how to act.” He smiled at the ease with which she dropped her robotic tone. This was the first time she had ever spoken so freely to him.
“For all I was trained in,” she continued, “for all the knowledge I have, I’m childlike emotionally. How am I supposed to comfort you?” She held his gaze, her eyes trying to tell him what her words could not. She blinked and looked away.
“You being here is helping me.” He twined his fingers around hers. Heat flowed from her touch and ignited in his heart, where only minutes ago sorrow had reigned. “I’m really glad you’re here.”
A hint of a grin tugged her lips. “Just let me know when you prefer to be alone.”
“I don’t think that’s going to happen.”
Silence wavered in the air. He enjoyed watching her, her tentative exploration of a foreign world. For a long while, there was no one else but the two of them. No missing family members, no problems. Almost like they weren’t in a cave at all, but were sharing this moment in a place free of worries.
“Ellyssa,” he muttered as he wound the music box, then handed it to her.
Her face lit up as she watched the two figurines. “It really is beautiful. We were never allowed possessions back at The Center. Possessions subtracted from training.”
“I have to tell you something, but when I’m done, you have to promise me we’ll talk about it tomorrow
