Where the Sidewalk Ends (the story) - Epilogue

“Jace! Get over here, you old boot!” Kayden laughs as the hound tries and fails to catch his prey. An elusive butterfly.

The tan and white mutt gives him a slobbery look and a half-hearted tail wag before he’s off to explore another patch of greenery. “Alright, but if you get sprayed by a skunk again, you’re sleeping in the shed.”

He’s had three dogs in the past forty years, each one named Jace. Maybe it was silly, but Kayden liked to think his friend would have gotten a kick out of it.

He leaves Jace to his exploration while he continues along the well tended path to a small sunlit grove and the gnarled apple tree he had planted there years ago.

Mira, his wife, had helped him plant and shape the masses of purple flowers that were his favourite until they formed an artful display around the tree.

He smiles when he thinks of Mira waiting patiently for him back at the house. Sometimes Kayden could hardly believe this wasn’t all some dream. The thought of waking up back in his dorm terrified him.

“But it’s not, is it, bud. This is all real. Thanks to you, you know.” He smiles as he faces the tree, the buzzing of bees among the flowers adding a gentle cadence to the air.

“My wife, my two girls, my apothecary… all possible, because you helped me to dream.” He settles onto the wooden bench, the slats slightly mossy from the years. “Yeah, I know. I’ve said all this to you before. But I’ll probably mention it again, so get used to it.”

He tilts his head back, breathing in the air's sweetness and gazing at the painted wisps of clouds that streak the morning sky. “Today's a big day. The last section of Pinnacle’s wall is finally coming down. We’ll be heading to the ceremony there soon.”

Once the drudgers of Pinnacle had organized, the elites hadn’t stood a chance. Luckily, those leading the drudger's cause had agreed to Verdant’s offer of help in how to move forward.

Pinnacle’s transition hadn’t been smooth, but things came together in the end. Many had continued to live in Pinnacle—now called Freedom—choosing to help shape a fresh path for the city.

The massive walls took a huge amount of time, effort and resources to dismantle, so the process had been slow.

He had worked up the courage to visit it a few years ago and could hardly believe the changes. It would never be a place he’d live, but it no longer felt or looked like a prison.

For many years, Kayden helped with the displaced youths, offering support and guidance. It wasn’t until the situation had calmed that he’d let himself follow his growing love of herbalism, attending a school in Verdant. The thought that everything a person needed to heal themselves grew in the world around them, was humbling to him.

It was also where he met his wife. Mira’s love of all things growing had matched his own, but it took him a few years before he courted her. A wife, family… it wasn’t something he’d had experience with growing up.

A wavering whistle sounds from the house, and he glances over his shoulder to see his wife waving at him. Lifting his arm in response, he rises.

“Guess I’m dawdling. But she’s right, we should get going if we’re to make it in time. They want me to give another speech… can you believe I'm famous, Jace?" He laughs at himself. "My girls are meeting us there, and Astra and Dove said they’d be there too. It’ll be nice to see everyone. Even old Bowden,” Kayden chuckles. “Just wish Einith had lived long enough to see this day.”

He stoops to pluck one of the purple flowers sprouting around the tree. Inhaling its subtle scent, he tucks the stem through a buttonhole of his shirt, twisting the end gently to secure it.

Kayden turns, issuing a sharp whistle. “Jace! Come on, let’s go bud. We don’t want to be late.” The hound leaps out of the shrubs, tail wagging vigorously as he bounds down the path.

Before following, Kayden glances back at the tree. “Thanks again, my friend. Who knew the sidewalk never actually ended?”

Author's note: I hope you enjoyed this series! Please leave a like and comment if you did! Please check out my profile page for more stories and poems. I've included the links to a few below as well as a link the the first installment of this story.