Chapter - 21.

Chapter – 21.

The whole day the more Jonas thinks about the plan, the more assured he is of the success of the plan. But that evening at his dwelling something happens that makes the plan fall apart and he runs away.

During the evening meal, Father informs about the decision they took in the afternoon regarding the future of Gabriel, who made life hell for the night workers at the Nurturing Center, when in Jonas’ absence, he was sent there. Gabriel is to be released. Jonas acts normal, despite this shocking disclosure, and cleverly learns from his father that the release is to take place next morning as the people at the Center have to get ready for the Naming Ceremony in December.

Jonas leaves right after dusk with the community quite still. He cycles past the Central Plaza on his way to the river stealthily. He has no fear or regrets, but only sadness at the thought of leaving behind his best friend. He knows it in his bones that with his ability to hear beyond, the Giver can hear the final good- bye.

Jonas on reaching the other side of the bridge, stops to look back at the place of his childhood. A place where everything is orderly and where nothing unusual ever happens. He hurries on thinking about the rules he has already broken and the punishment awaiting him if he gets caught. Firstly, he has come out of the dwelling at night. Secondly, he has stolen the left-over food kept at the doorsteps for collection. Finally, he has stolen though reluctantly, his father’s bicycle with the attached child-seat, for he has also taken Gabriel!

Jonas gave Gab a very soothing memory of a swinging hammock under palm trees on an island with the sound of languid water lapping against the beach. Gab slept soundly after Jonas had taken him from the crib and strapped him into the attached seat.

He knows that he has the remaining hours of the night before people of his community become aware of his escape. He has to rely on his own courage. He stills himself not to tire as the distance between the communities grows. His legs start aching and become numb. At the break of dawn, he finds himself at a strange place with trees dotting the fields here and there on either side of the road. As Gab stirs, Jonas unstraps him and feeds them both with the food and with water from the stream across the bumpy meadow. Then in order to restrengthen his weary limbs, in a place hidden in the trees, he goes to sleep after cuddling Gab tightly and letting him fall asleep with the memory of exhaustion. The fugitives sleep through their first dangerous night together.

Their flight becomes rountined in the course of the next few days: sleep in the day and the endless ride at night. But what frightens them the most are the searching planes. Sometime they fly so low overhead that looking through the trees and underbushes, Jonas can see the face of the pilot. In order to avoid getting caught by the heat detection devices of those planes due to their body warmth and heat, like he has learnt from his science and technology studies, Jonas transmits the memory of snow to Gab. Both of them will shiver after the planes are gone and go back to sleep.

Jonas wishes that he had received the memories of courage and strength from the Giver before fleeing. Gab will sometime during the night warn him about an approaching plane when they come unannounced. At such times Jonas will rush to the nearest trees and make themselves cold with the memories. As the signs of human habitation lessen, Jonas will be constantly on the watch, readying themselves for any oncoming plane. But the frequency of the planes becomes few and far between until the day when there is not even a single plane.

To be continued .....