Hope II

Epilogue

Standing like a ruler atop it's faithful servants that live only to support their king at the top, glistening underneath the sun amongst thousands more overlooking the green grass through their yellow petals, sprinkled by the water that came from a green can held in the grasp of an elderly man, a morning smile stretched across his face as he carried out the morning gardening, washing the plants and digging the soil, picking the weeds that manifested the crops. 

I tilted my own watering can over the daisies and daffodils, shining under the warms summer sun, and then I heard my neighbour speak to me from over the picket fence. 

'Good morning Aisling' he said with a great big smile. I glanced over to him and greeted him cheerfully, placing my watering can down upon the freshly cut grass. 

'How are you Mr. Murphy?' I asked him, walking along the grass towards the waist high fence. 

'Still above ground' he laughed 'That's all that matters these days' 

We shared a laugh and reached the fence at the same time. 

'You look beautiful today Aisling. What a fine young woman you turned out to be' he smiled, the wrinkles on his cheek broadening. 

'In my view, I'm not a woman until I turn twenty five. Another three years' I joked and he laughed, drying his wet hands upon his shirt. 

'Debbie is making pancakes for breakfast, would you care to join us?' he offered, and it was not the first. Our first day inside these walls was the toughest, we all slept in the same house together, but eventually we learned this place was safe, and now I live with Samantha. A home all to ourselves. And almost every morning, Mr. and Mrs. Murphy invite us over for breakfast. Holly lives in the same home and Alex and Gemma further down the street. Bryan lives on a separate street... only recently have I started talking to him again.

His words always make me feel happy. Always optimistic about everything, never a frown on his elderly face despite the trauma he suffered at the death of his daughter seven years ago.  

'I'd love to' I smiled, but just then I heard my name called from a far in a loud and panicking tone. 

Just then a jeep came flying up the road, coming to a sudden stop outside my front yard... it was Leo. 

'Aisling' he said out the window 'Get in' 

I dared not argue. It was rare to have Leo pick me up at my front door, something happened. I instantly ran for the jeep and jumped inside where it was only the two of us and he instantly took off down the street, drawing the attention of every man, woman and child he passed.  

'What is it?' I asked. 

'We have it' he instantly replied, looking in the rear view mirror to make eye contact with me 'The cure'

Haven is a beautiful place where everyone is free to go about their own daily business, to live a life worth living, one free from the outside world... but there is one place that is off limits, the very place we are driving to. A home closed off by security tape and constantly guarded by armed men. Nobody would dare go near it, but they need to take precautions. 

We reached the driveway and were aloud entry, and standing at the doorstep I saw Bryan, Holly and Sam all together... they want me to experience this with the people I survived with all those years ago, the people who brought me here.

Leo jumped out of the jeep and immediately he opened my door. I looked at him curiously, and then I stepped out into the morning sunshine. The guards were watching me, my friends were watching me, Bryan was watching me approach.