The Giver -- Chapter 24 --

As Jonas glided along the sled, the hill’s slope began to level. It became nearly flat land. The ice old wind against his face no longer made his cheeks numb. He was sure it was sure it was not because of the decreasing speed, but of something else. The breeze was fairly refreshing. He closed his eyes, enjoying it. He also noticed that the delightful and cheerful music and singing gradually became louder. Jonas liked it. He glanced down at Gabe, who was fast asleep, with a mile wide smile on his face.

Jonas smiled, too. His ride, which was eventually slowing, suddenly came to complete stop. He felt a slight jerk and looked down at the front of the sled. Plied up, was a large mound of snow. The mound was packer down far too hard for the sled to cut through. So his ride was forced to end.

He looked around and spotted a cabin no more than a few yards away. Jonas realized the music and singing was coming from the inside of the little house. The house seemed so content and cozy. The people inside must have been also.

The mound of snow no longer seemed like an accident, but as if it was there for a reason. They must be waiting for them.

Jonas sprung up from the sled, holding Gabe, and hurried along the small cement path leading to the door, being careful not to slip on the ice. He let the door fly open as he opened it and ran on in.

Inside was a room. It was a cozy, familiar room. He could just remember it from somewhere. It was from the Giver’s favorite memory! There was a warm fire place, a tree decorated with ornaments and bright colorful lights with the same boxes wrapped in shimmering colored paper underneath it, and a sweet aroma coming from another room.

The only difference from the memory was the people. They too, looked familiar to him. They were his family? It was his mother, his father, his sister, and his grandparents. They were his grandparents! They were all singing a joyful tune when they stopped. They stared at him and Gabe then smiled and welcomed them.

“What took you so long, Jonas?” His father asked.

“I had to escape,” Jonas started, but cut himself off there.  Then he realized that had not mattered . He was in a different place. The people were different. The did not know anything of his heartless community. They knew feelings; they had love. "I just had to have one last ride.”

He sat down with them and joined them. He suddenly knew all the words to the songs they were singing. Christmas, he thought, this is Christmas. He could tell that Gabe knew it too.

“Christmas!” Gabe tried to pronounce.

“That’s right, Gabriel,” his mother told him and kissed him on the forehead.

They had been waiting for him. Perhaps they were not really his family. Maybe it was like Lily’s crazy story. Maybe everyone did have an identical twin. These were the twins. These twins have the feelings. They could feel pain, joy, loneliness, sadness, anger, and love.

Jonas did not care whether this was his true family or not. He knew these people loved him the way that they should and that’s all he really wanted. These people would never disown him no matter what.