Divided (29 page)

    
‘Kayra?’
I attempt, trying to contact her despite the headache worsening.

     I wait hopefully, knowing deep down that she hasn’t died, but the anxiety not fading. After several long moments, a sudden flood of Kayra’s emotions fill me. A vast mixture of fear, joy, and mourning flooding through me.

    
‘Arys! You’re okay!’

     ‘Is Kai alive?!’
I beg her, the question burning me as I ask it, tearing me up inside.

    
‘He’s okay! He’s injured, but he’s going to be just fine! There are many losses, but we’re okay. We’re going to be okay!’

     I cry for I don’t know how long. People pass us for what seems like hours as I sit there with my birthmother holding me as tears of joy mix with tears of mourning, built up over the past couple of weeks. Tears of longing for the comfort of home, but knowing it no longer exists, and tears of pain for the Hunters and tribe members that I was too late to save. Lana never leaves my side.

I wake up in my room at North Bridge. Two days have passed since Lee stopped the Hunter attack and my body still hasn’t fully recovered. Exhausted, I rise and leave the messy room, navigating my way through the halls of North Bridge. I pass several faces that I vaguely recognise, before coming face to face with Dan.

     ‘I guess this is goodbye for now?’ he asks, smiling a little at me.

     ‘I’ll be back very soon; I just need to see my Tribe again. We’re having an Old World funeral for all the lost, and burying them in the valley. Even the Hunters; they deserve that respect at the very least. We are no longer being hunted by them, but by the people who controlled them.’

     ‘I understand,’ he replies, extending his hand.

     I shake it formally before he hugs me tightly. I return the hug, knowing that I have a true friend in him.

     ‘I’ll always be
here
,’ he says.

     Laughing slightly, I squeeze him tighter.

I’m flying for the second time in my life. This time I finally appreciate the feeling of freedom as I stand on the balcony of the hovercraft, watching the ground below me shrink while my short hair flies everywhere, out of control.

     ‘It’s funny,’ I ponder.

     ‘What is?’ Lee asks, standing next to me, watching the ground speed below us.

     ‘From up here, the destruction seems to fade. Almost as if like people, in time, even the world can heal itself.’

     ‘You know what?’ he asks, smiling. ‘I think I believe that theory.’

     And as absurd as the theory is, I think that I believe it myself.

END OF BOOK ONE

Epilogue

Phillip

I’m thrown into the chair at the opposite end of the desk in my father’s office. His face a mask of pure anger as I stare up at his imposing figure. Taking me by surprise, he relaxes suddenly, his features slightly more welcoming and looking more like his public persona. Wiping the sweat from his brow, he takes the seat opposite me, no longer looking at me, but at the door.

     ‘You can enter.’ he says firmly.

     ‘Dad?’ I ask timidly, abandoning my confident appearance.

     ‘I’ll deal with you later,’ he spits, avoiding my gaze.

     The door opens and the guard stood outside walks in, his hands behind his back. The shadow partially covers his face and he addresses my father with a firm, authoritative voice that I don’t recognise.

     ‘I have done what you instructed,’ the guard says. ‘I have followed Arys.’

     ‘And those who call themselves North Bridge?’

     ‘They’ve accepted me also,’ the guard grins maliciously.

     ‘And Arys? She trusts you?’

     ‘With everything.’

     ‘Good,’ my father says, rising from his chair and extending his hand formally to the guard. ‘What’s your name?’

     The guard steps into the light, his face lit up with pride. ‘Danny.’

Acknowledgements:

Firstly, I would like to thank my wonderful family for supporting me in my writing from the very beginning when I was writing ‘An Essay on Hearts’.

     I especially thank my Granny Janet. Heather, you have put up with my random letters for years and have never doubted that I could become a writer.

     I thank ‘The Book Club’ for commenting and reading it from the start. Grace Dyson, Charlie Dyson, Rose Dyson, Peter Smith, Mike Smith, and Callum Henderson, thank you for everything. Without The Book Club, I would have stopped writing a long time ago.

     Grace, my favourite older sister, thank you so much for helping me write all of the songs! Without you, I would have written ‘Twinkle Twinkle, Little Star’.

     Peter, thank you for writing the blurb! You worded it in a way that I think perfect, when the rest of us couldn’t!

     Thank you to all my friends who gave me inspiration for some of the characters! You are truly awesome!

     Thank you Pinky, Binky, Tinky, Molly R.I.P, Amy R.I.P, Honk R.I.P, Jeff, Muffin and Archie for always being there when I need a hug.

     And of course, thank you readers! If it weren’t for you, it would just be a dusty book on a shelf!

     Overall, thank you Charlie! Without you, I wouldn’t have started writing! You’ve turned my scribbles into stories with your amazing editing. I have no idea how you do it, but you are my bestest big brother ever! It’s not just the editing you’ve done; I’m also thankful for the songs you’ve written, for designing the first cover, commenting in The Book Club with ideas and even reading the first chapter when I said “Charlie! I’ve written a book!” even though you thought “Not again, I’ll just smile and nod”. You were my inspiration for everything I’ve written. From the Hearts essay, to Jeff the Lamppost. I think you should have your name on the front cover for making my random notes and scribbles into something more.

    *Peace to all aliens apart from ET!*