Salvation Island

Lily sat at the top of the hill and closed her eyes. She felt the warm summer breeze on her flushed cheeks and smiled, as she inhaled the sweet scent of lavender and lilies of the valley that were her mother’s favorite flower and her namesake. Wisps of her long chestnut curls caressed her face and her billowy yellow dress hugged her drawn-up knees, as she savored this perfect day from her hilltop perch above the calm, crystal waters of Freedom Lake.

Birds chirped happily to one another all around her and, off in the distance, she heard children laughing and imagined them chasing each other through the meadow or playing hide-and-seek among the trees in the apple orchard – just like she and her brother, Jace, did as children. Such innocent, almost-forgotten memories of another lifetime.

The brightness of the sun made the inside of her eyelids appear red and she squinted against the rays, as she opened her eyes. It was such a hot day and the cool waters of the lake were just too inviting to ignore. Lily slipped off her sandals and stood up, feeling the soft, cool grass under her feet. She strolled down the hill, as the soft breeze caused her dress to hug her curves with every step. As she stepped into the cool water, she noticed Mr. Avery, across the lake, sitting on the dock and baiting his hook in anticipation of a good catch for dinner.

At that moment, he looked up and tipped his fishing cap to Lily in greeting: Mr. Avery had been an old man for all of Lily’s life, it seemed, but he had always been kind and friendly to her and her family, rowing across the lake to bring them fresh fish whenever he had a successful haul or warm apple dumplings and pies from his orchard harvest.

Lily waved back to Mr. Avery and ventured deeper into the water, wishing she had the foresight to wear her swimsuit underneath her dress. Oh, well, she thought, it’s only water and the light cotton fabric will surely dry on her walk back to the house.

“Lily!”

Lily looked up to see her beautiful mother standing on the shore, shaking her head at Lily’s carefree decision to take a fully clothed swim. She laughed.

Lily swam to shore and ran to her mom, wrapping her soaking wet arms around Grace Vincent’s neck and kissing her cheek. Grace was not amused.

Grace looked at her only daughter and smiled. As accomplished an artist as she was, the most beautiful things that she ever created, in her eyesight, were her adored son and daughter – and they were her greatest accomplishment.

“Your father was wondering where you were – he’s putting together quite a feast for Jace’s birthday dinner and he wants everyone there when it’s piping hot. You know how he is when he puts on the chef hat.”

“Tell daddy I’ll be there – just a little longer out here.”

“Don’t lose track of time, Lily, this dinner is important to your dad – and to Jace: twenty-one only comes around once and Jace’s guests will be here soon. I need you to help greet everyone when they arrive.”

“Ok, just a few more minutes, Mom.”

Grace kissed her daughter’s forehead. “Twenty minutes, love, and I want to see you walking through that door.”

Lily smiled. “I’ll be right there – I promise.”

Grace gave her daughter a withering look and turned to walk away. She stopped, blew Lily a kiss, and headed back to the house to change clothes and get ready for tonight’s festivities.

Twenty-one only comes around once.

The sun was starting to dip lower in the sky as Lily looked back out across the scenic lake and marveled at the idyllic setting that she was so blessed to witness.

“Lily!!!”

Lily sat straight up, startled out of bliss, by Jace’s voice.

Jace looked at his younger sister and knew that he had torn her from The Dream.

He sat down on the pallet next to Lily.

“Dreaming about mom and dad, again”

Lily looked at her brother. “Yeah, it just seems so real, so vivid. I remember that day and how happy we all were. I had no idea that would be the last day we ever saw them alive.”

Jace hugged his sister. “I know, I think about them all the time, too.” Jace stood up and looked at Lily. “But we have to get moving before the Trackers find us. No time to rest now, sis, we have a long way to travel. Dent and I already have everything packed up – it’ll take us about two days to get to the shore and get on that boat. Let’s go.”

Lily reached into the collar of her shirt and pulled out a dented, heart-shaped locket and opened the tiny clasp. She smiled as she looked at her parents one more time. Lily kissed the locket, dropped it back into the safety of her shirt, and stood up.

Lily was grateful for the survival expertise of their cousin, Denton – she noticed that they had already packed up all the food and water they could carry and loaded the weapons into the truck.

As she stepped out of the dilapidated shack and into the perpetually-gray day, with the constant odor of sulphur and death in the air, the acrid black ash falling from the sky, she adjusted her respirator and climbed into the cab of the truck, next to Jace. She couldn’t wait to breathe fresh air again.

Two more days to get to the shore. God willing, they’ll be able to avoid the Trackers and the cannibals. Dent met a man who told him of a group of islands, off the coast of Africa, that are still inhabitable and free from the Plague and the Turning – that man is Hez Lucas, the owner of the boat headed out to sea in 2 days. That ship will take the group to Salvation.

Lily turned around in her seat and watched the sad shack, that used to be her beautiful childhood home, fade into the distance. The escape to Salvation is only two days away, and Lily could feel the shift in the air. Very soon, they would be free!