The Last of the Old Ones

Colin

Chapter Twelve

Several movies and bags of popcorn later, we decided we had watched enough movies for one day. Amber threw her arms up to stretch and I kicked my legs out in front of me from the seat. I looked over at Amber and asked her, "Hey I have something I really want to show you, okay?" and of course she nodded yes so, we cleaned up our trash and headed out of the theater. I turned down a dim, winding hall, making sure to walk slow enough that she could keep pace with me and Amber began asking where we were going. "I can't tell you or it'll ruin the surprise," I kept answering every time she asked.

Eventually I took a hidden turn and led us down a semi- narrow stone staircase, it was different from the rest of the house and not for just anyone to go down. Honestly, no one really had any interest in being down here other than the staff that prepared all the iodine and laundry for the rest of the house. I stopped after the last step and moved to the side so Amber could see, her eyes widened as she peeked over my shoulder and took in the machines before her, they looked huge compared to the room, but they were actually more compact versions of this machine. "This is where all our iodine comes from. When the Blank Faces began killing off our people, we had to learn how to get large amounts of iodine safely and quickly. So, we learned to build and maintain the machines that extract the iodine. Iodine is originally found in the seas but after the nuclear war, all our seas were no longer growing the seaweed needed and they began to become depleted of pure Iodine over the next 500 hundred years or so, so we, well your parents mainly, learned a way to grow the seaweed and manufacture the iodine ourselves to sustain our people once we ran out of our current supply." I explained to her while she investigated the machines. She looked in the first holding tank where seaweed grew, then followed the machine as it led to a basin that dried the seaweed out. She walked to the end of the machine where iodine dripped rhythmically into holding tanks before it was siphoned into IV bags.

"This is incredible Colin," Amber started, "My parents really made these?" She asked, taking everything in with curiosity. I nodded and explained how her parents had done incredible things for our people.

"Okay, there is one more thing I want to show you for tonight. I do not want to overwhelm you though, so let me know if you want to wait." I told her and she shook her head.

"No, I'm okay, I'd like to see it." She confirmed and I took her back up to the office where we had used the secret staircase to go down in the first place. I walked over to the dark, wooden desk and pulled my necklace over my head that contained a vintage key, I used that key to open the top right drawer.

I shuffled some papers around until I found what I was looking for. It was an old photo that we had tried to keep like new for when Amber finally rejoined us. I handed the photograph to her and saw her eyes tear up when she realized what it was. "I thought you might like something to remember your parents by..." I trailed off as she hugged and thanked me for the picture. She looked back down at the picture taking it all in.

She turned it around and read the writing on the back:

Jonathan, Margaret and Amber. Amber, we have loved you since before you were even born, you are the most amazing thing we could have ever asked for, we did not give you up because we don't love you, just the opposite, we love you so much we will do anything to protect you. We are proud of everything you have become. We have always been there in the shadows looking over you, even if you did not know it or see us.

We love you.

-Mom and Dad

It was a photograph of her parents, her mom holding her as a tiny baby. Her parents had the biggest, proudest smiles people could have, all because they had been blessed with a healthy and beautiful baby girl. They always wanted to make sure Amber knew the love they had for her, that was why they had started all the videos and leaving notes on old photographs in hopes one day she would see the notes and forgive them for giving her up. The guilt they had always felt, knowing they had pushed her away, even if it was for her safety. They never would have wished this pain on her; Jonathon and Margaret had been like second parents to me. It was not fair; I had gotten to experience life with her parents in a way she would never get to, and I was not even their child. They had always told me to find her again and be with her, keep her safe if they could not.

"They really did all they could to protect you, you were their whole world." I added and she nodded as a lone tear ran down her face. I lifted my calloused thumb to her soft cheek to wipe it away. I turned back to the opened drawer and pulled out another old picture, it was one of her and I as kids, she was about four in the picture, which made me eight at the time. The photograph had our names on the back, also in her parents' writing. It was the day her memory was wiped before being placed with her foster family. The last memory she would have had with me. I don't really know what compelled me to give her that one at that moment, but I did anyway.

"Thank you." She whispered and gave me a grateful smile. I left out the story behind to photograph, that would be an explanation for another day. Arms out, she leaned into me for a hug. I held her tight until she loosened her grip, I would never be the one to let go first.

After that, I took Amber back to her room and decided to give her some space, she hugged me once more at her door and then I continued to my room. I hoped she felt like she belonged a little more after today though, I could tell she was very captivated by our history. My heart hurt not being able to fully understand the pain she was going through; there was nothing I could do to help other than be there, and I was never very good at that with other people. I thought about how I would give her the tapes her parents had left for her. They had made video diaries for her once she had to live with her foster family, they never forgot about her or stopped caring. They missed her and you could always tell something was missing from their lives. They tried to think of it as if she was just going away for a while, like summer camp, but it still took a toll on them. Unfortunately, I also didn't want to overwhelm Amber with everything her parents had filmed and written for her right away so I would give it to her on her birthday which was just next month, the same day she would graduate from her classes she had to finish up. She would not be going back to Skymoore High but would be finishing her studies and testing here at the house. She did not know that yet, my parents had wanted to give her some time to adjust before they dropped that on her.

I decided I would go to the office tomorrow and find the old publications about Amber's parents and copy them to make her a book to remind her how wonderful her family was and how special she was to our people. I knew everyone would agree about this. Then I headed over to the room I knew I'd find Astrid in, studying the galaxy as usual.

"Hey Astrid, can I ask a Favor?" I said walking in the door, finding Astrid in the corner of the room with the galaxy projector shining across the room, I shut the door behind me in case Amber happened to be exploring more.

"Of course, Colin," Astrid replied, "What can I do for you?" She asked.

"I want to make a birthday present for Amber, but I need to make some copies of old newspapers for it, so I was wondering if you could keep her busy tomorrow if she decides she wants to go in the office. I think I'm going to tell her that my dad just needed me to do some research, which is technically what I'll be doing anyway." I explained to her my whole idea, and she agreed to keep Amber away long enough for me to make her surprise present.