Chapter 11 - The People Beyond the River
The journey west took nine days.
Naelli grew quieter as they approached the river.
Elias understood.
Every mile carried memory.
When they reached the settlement where survivors had gathered, Naelli stopped her horse.
An older woman emerged.
For several seconds, neither moved.
Then the woman whispered Naelli’s childhood name.
Naelli ran.
Her aunt embraced her.
Elias turned away to give them privacy.
That evening, stories filled the firelight.
Naelli learned who had survived.
Who had died.
Who had disappeared.
Her brother had indeed been killed protecting others.
But he had saved three children before returning to help Naelli escape.
She wept.
Not alone.
Elias sat beside her.
Later, her aunt approached him.
“You are the boy.”
Elias blinked.
“What boy?”
“The creek boy.”
Naelli groaned.
“Auntie.”
The older woman smiled.
“She spoke about you for years.”
Elias looked at Naelli.
Naelli suddenly found the fire extremely interesting.
Her aunt continued.
“She said she would find you.”
Naelli muttered something.
Elias smiled.
“What was that?”
“Nothing.”
“Sounded like—”
She elbowed him.
For the first time, grief and happiness occupied the same space.
Naelli's past was no longer something she carried alone.
And Elias discovered that loving her meant accepting all of it.
The pain.
The people.
The history.
The future.
Before they returned to Dry Creek, Naelli’s aunt gave Elias a small braided band of grass.
“She told us what she gave you as children.”
Elias stared at it.
The original had disappeared decades earlier.
He held out his wrist.
Naelli tied the new one.
“Now you must remember.”
Elias smiled.
May you like
“I remembered the first time.”
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