ABANDON

Chapter 60 -- The End

Josh adjusted the settings of the hibernation pod Jane was sitting in. Evan rested in the pod next to them, completely relaxed, his face serenely calm. As he slept, the corners of his mouth curved up ever so slightly into a smile and the smile reminded Jane of someone else.

John.

She closed her eyes for a moment, overcome by the desire to know how the Akai'nii fared. Had they managed to get everyone underground? What had happened to the Anders? What had happened to the surface of the planet as the rain broke apart the last remaining vestiges of the shield? And above all: what had happened to John?

Jane became keenly aware of the distance between them and her. She was overwhelmed by the loss and the void it made in her. Jane needed comfort, Mother, she cried out.

Akiim, I am here.

Jane let her memories begin to flow, like petals falling into a gentle stream. This was all she had left of her time on the planet and of her brother, and the memories were still bright and alive. Jane knew that if she shared them, they would never die. Mother listened and understood. And Jane didn't need to ask the desire of her heart, Mother wanted to give this to her, one last gift before they separated.

The images came jumbled at first. An image of sheets of rain. The light of the sun coming from around a building. The serene blue sky behind Anders repairing the roof of their building. A dark room with a small amount of light coming from a doorway. The image moved slowly like a cat stalking its prey until Jane, still in the shadow of the room, could see through the doorway. The darkness framed the light, and in the centre of the light stood Soon and John.

Jane felt the light that surrounded them go straight to her heart. The machines she was attached to picked up the changes in Jane's body. Josh's brow furrowed.

Soon's mouth was moving rapidly, her hands speaking equally as fast. She pointed to her hair, then to her eyes, and the words 'other Jane' were decipherable. Soon pointed into her palm and John's eyes widened. Soon continued to gesture with both her hands out, palms up, while John watched enthralled. Occasionally she pointed to her head and Jane understood. Soon was explaining how depression had saved Jane, how it had changed her brain. In an attempt to make sense of the stark truths and save itself from the ever increasing dark world it found itself in, her brain lied to her, condemned her, and sought to destroy the very thing that gave it life. But just as she had been able to separate intricate genetic components, Jane had been able to separate the truth from the lies, had been able to see those things, to accept them, and find her place to live among them. This analysis she learned, this kind of separation within her, saved her brain from succumbing to the mind of the monster.

Next Soon became still and Jane could see the name Eva spoken several times on her lips. John stepped back, he shook his head, but Soon closed the gap continuing to explain. Suddenly John fell to his knees. He put his head into his hands. Soon knelt down beside him. She called to Miriam, and then Miriam was next to John, their arms around him. For many moments they sat there, crying together. Jane could feel empathy for them. Just as John's heart was full, so was hers, and because of Jane, so was Mother.

John sat back and then looked up at the concrete ceiling. He turned to Soon and words passed from his lips that Jane clearly understood: What about Evan? This was the part that was most interesting to Seehoiah. Jane could hear Soon's voice as clearly as if she was there. Evan was the anomaly. Evan was the accident turned miracle, the monsters were proud of him—their adopted son. John listened with his fists clenched as Soon laid out before him everything Jane had told her. When she was through, he closed his eyes for a moment, and during that time, his fists relaxed.

There was one last thing Soon had to explain. A series of events she had purposely saved until last, as it was so distasteful for her and to all her people. Soon explained who created the monsters, how they disobeyed, and why the Akai'nii were really brought to this planet.