Left Behind -Gally-

Chapter 58

Others were still working, of course—the ones who had been here the last few weeks. Emma wanted to help, but she didn't want to upset Vince. So, she tried to let herself breathe. Let herself accept that the Safe Haven was real. They were safe. WICKED was gone.

Newt was gone. He was really gone, and Emma was not ready to accept that. It took her months to accept what happened to Gally. She suspected this would be the same, possibly worse.

"Hey," Brenda said. "Where've you been?" She was eating a carrot. The sun had risen, but it was still early. Between breakfast and lunch.

"Around." Emma tucked her hands into her back pockets, surveying the area. A lot had been done to prepare for their arrival, but there was still so much more to do. It would take years to build this place. Years that they now had.

It was only then that she realized that. Years. They had time now. WICKED was gone. Everyone was safe. Safe to live freely and without fear. There was no danger, not anymore.

It was the life she pictured back in the Glade. The world she dreamed of and imagined. The something better she told Gally about. It took a while to find, but she did. They all found paradise.

The Safe Haven was the end of their journey. Their final resting spot.

"I've been around."

Brenda nodded, grabbing her arm. "Come on." Emma went willingly, not sure where Brenda was taking her. However, it didn't matter where. Emma would always go wherever Brenda asked.

They sat together on a bench. Brenda crossed her legs, pulling out strands of twine tucked beneath the wood. "What's this?"

"Stuff to make baskets," Brenda explained as if it was obvious. "Figured you'd want to keep busy. Gally said you were good at making baskets."

Emma couldn't help the smile that appeared on her face. Memories came rushing back to her.

Once, she made baskets to help the Builders keep their work station organized. Truthfully, she had only done it to gain Gally's favor. "Yeah," she said breathlessly. Gally remembered. "I'm pretty good at it." Brenda noticed the smile but didn't say anything. Simply pleased to see it. It had been a long time since Emma had smiled.

The two girls chatted quietly as they worked on making baskets. It wasn't long until Harriet and Sonya joined. The four girls sat together, two on the bench and the other two a row behind. They faced each other, creating a square shape with their bodies.

It felt like a box of safety. Emma felt safe with them. With her friends.

Back in the Glade, all she ever wanted was a female friend. When Teresa showed up, she thought she had that. And she did, for a moment. Before Teresa got her memories back and traded sides. There was a moment when they were true friends.

But it wasn't like this. Their friendship was never this deep. Emma had spent most of the last six months with Brenda and Harriet. Sonya had been taken by WICKED, but she fit into their group perfectly, like she had been there the entire time. In a way, she sort of had been. Harriet talked about her so much that it felt like she was there.

It felt normal being with them, sharing stories. Although, Emma wasn't contributing much. They were doing most of the talking. It felt right.

Distantly, she could hear the crashing of the waves against the shore. It was rhythmic. Relaxing. Conversations filled the air as people talked and laughed. There was no rush to get anything done. All they had now was time.

Emma's fingers stopped as she looked up, eyes wandering. There were several structures standing, but more would be added in time. Right now, they had shared sleeping quarters. Emma imagined, in a few years, that would be different. Everyone would have a space of their own.