The doctor nods, halting their travel. Zee motions to The Family, gathering them close together. She links her arm behind Hawaii’s back, and her other behind Rad’s. The rest of them follow suit, all embracing each other in their small circle.
“This is a new beginning for us, a chance at a real life. I’m so glad I know all of you, and that we’re all here together. I wish Outlaw could be here with us.”
“Me too, he would’ve loved seeing this place.” Sweetie replies.
Rosaline softly kisses her companion’s cheek, then leans her head against her shoulder.
“Damn right he would’ve.” the big framed Rad inserts.
“Then we don’t waste it, right? We do the best we can, and we help grow this place as much as we can.” Hawaii says.
Rad’s head bobs in full agreement, “That’s what he would want us to do.”
Rosaline leans upright once more, glances down to her son, shows a smile, then looks back to the group.
“Then let’s live the best life that we can, for us, for him. He lost his life so that we could be here, and now we live on to honor him.”
“Thank you nena. I’m still sad, I know I will be for a while, but I’m grateful we’re all here.”
The family share gestures and short words of agreeance. Sweetie’s eyes catches Zee's, a gentle flame of compassion holding in the natural caregiver. Zee glances around to her chosen family, her face wet, her cheeks flushed. She exhales deeply, then softly speaks once more.
"Fireflies in the darkness
Gazes falling upon stars
Dreams dreamt by dreamers
Hearts sparking flight
Restless whimsical wanderers
Bound by purpose
Fated in plight
Oh, joyful tears
Oh, silent nights
Oh, lost stragglers
Oh, searchers of light
Oh, home free souls
Oh, innocence stolen
Journeys are meant to end
Rest your weary heads
Dry your glistened cheeks
Feel the wash of calm
Bask in the coming peace"
Doctor Petrosyan smiles to her daughter. KP returns her show of affection, a pleasant gleam resting in her gaze. After another long moment The Family break their crude circle and turn back to the doctor and the Guide.
“That was lovely Zee.” the doctor says, “Was that your own?”
“Yeah, I don't know how to explain it, words just come to me in a unique way.”
“It's a gift dear, and one I think you should share with everyone.”
The young caregiver beams from the compliment. The doctor motions for them to continue, and The Family rejoin her. They venture on into the city once again.
“We operate under a government council that works in conjunction with our military efforts for defense and rescue, that includes the Guide Program. No President or single leader as with days past, a true democracy in which the public vote on every issue.” Doctor Petrosyan says.
“A couple decades ago Daisy Quinn proposed the council, and she resided on the first iteration of it. Another Doctor, Norman Blake, was part of that first group as well. He was a surgeon and helped re-envision our medical program. He saved a lot of lives. His husband, Jack, was the man whose blood was used to create the vaccine. Sadly, he was never able to see Oasis. He was naturally immune, we still don’t know exactly why he was, and we’ve never come across anyone else that is.”
As they pass building after building the doctor continues recounting the import aspects about the history of Oasis. A short time of traveling later they come upon the central hospital. Rosaline gestures to the life size statue of a man placed directly in front of the hospital. It's location leading one to believe the structure should be the first thing noticed upon arriving to the medical facility.
“What’s that?”
KP and her mother direct their attention to the statue, staring at it fondly for a long moment. The doctor tilts her head, then regards Rosaline.
“That’s the statue of our first Guide, Karo Petrosyan. He was my husband,” -she places her hand on KP's arm- “and Kara's father. He was a complicated person. He made mistakes and errors of judgment. He committed a crime, and was exiled for it. He spent his remaining days trying to atone for it. He provided Jack's blood samples that we used to create the vaccine, and he was the inspiration to our Guides program. I loved him, still love him, but he wasn’t perfect. Far from it. I think it’s important to remember people for all that they were.”
KP moves to the statue, gazing at it affectionately.
“I never knew him, he was exiled before I was born. He delivered some people here who proved to be pretty instrumental to our way of life now, such as Daisy Quinn and Dr. Norman Blake. The plaque on the bottom of the statue has their names etched into it as well.”
She kisses her fingers then touches the statue. The Guide pivots back to the new comers. Doctor Petrosyan places her hand on her daughter’s arm, smiling softly to her once more, then directs her attention back to The Family.
“Let’s get you all vaccinated.”
Afterword
Visit my website: NLCARTERWRITES.COM
Thank you for reading my book! It would mean the world to me if you would review this book. I read each and every review and take every bit of feedback, in all forms, to heart. I want to be the best writer that I can, and your opinion is valuable in helping me to achieve that! This book is actually my second completed novel, but the first I have published. I spent six years writing my first novel. It's a labor of love, and it's still not quite where I want it to be—despite me labeling it as finished. The experience of writing that first book helped me tremendously to write this one. I'm so glad that you felt compelled enough to read my story and make it this far!
I took a long, and often unhealthy, route to get to where I am today. I've always written throughout my life, but I wasn't always aware that
