She sniffled and then straightened thin shoulders that had borne more than they had ever had to before, but she still needed to be strong for her father’s sake.
“He’s dying. We have to go.”
Golden’s expression quickly turned from concern to disbelief. “Aapeli dying?” but then her voice became sharper. “Don’t joke with me, child. Aapeli is the healthiest person I know. How could he be dying? The both of you were here just a few months ago.”
Liberty grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the open doorway. “After the fever set in Father insisted I set course to come here. All he has said for days now is that he had to see you. He must think you can help.”
Golden shook her head. Blonde curls fell from the bun on the back of her head. “I can’t help if I don’t know what’s wrong with him.”
“He broke his rule about going into Forbidden after dark and fell into a collapsed tunnel.”
“What are his injuries?” Golden said as she hurried them out of the cabin.
“I found him on top of an old rusted subway car. He had a huge open wound in his back. For a while I thought he was getting better, but then the spasms started. They’ve been awful, racking his body until he falls down, thrashing around on the deck. Neither of us has rested since. The first few days he did nothing but pace and curse. I’ve lost count of all of the times he’s fallen when his muscles have seized up, and then the spasms would start again. Each time they’ve lasted longer and longer, and each time I think he’s not going to live through it, but he hasn’t given up on me yet.”
Liberty stopped them as she grabbed Golden’s arm. “I’m going to lose him and I’ve no idea how to help.”
Golden hurried them on again and then Liberty warned, “He’s horribly bruised from thrashing about on deck. I’ve tried my best to stop him hurting himself, but he’s too strong and often pulled himself out of my arms.” Liberty’s own arms and face were also black and blue from the effort.
Her voice rose as she remembered her feelings of helplessness. “He’s just so strong and the spasms are only getting worse.”
Golden stopped and forced Liberty to face her. “What about his face and jaw?”
Liberty shuddered. “It’s awful to describe. We have to get back before he hurts himself more.”
“Can he eat or swallow?” Without waiting for an answer, Golden dragged Liberty on at a brisker pace, her face flushed as she intently studied the path before them.
“The stiffness is only getting worse,” Liberty told her. “Do you know what’s wrong with him?”
Hearing this Golden took off at a run, Liberty racing after her. It was such a relief at last to be able to turn her worries over to an adult. Now there had to be a chance of saving her father, surely. If anyone could help, it was Golden. Maybe all her father needed was to see her.
Although Liberty had worried about getting him to Golden’s in time what had each day worried her more was that the spasms had progressively got worse. What she hadn’t told Golden was that the night before her father’s jaw had finally clenched shut and there had been nothing she could do to reopen it to relieve his thirst. He’d writhed in pain and she’d worried all night that he was going to die.
Liberty’s hopes soared as they climbed the ladder. Golden would know how to fix Father. She had to. Liberty needed him. He was her world.
Once aboard, Golden asked, “So where is he?”
Liberty motioned for her to follow. “I finally got him off the deck and into his room. I had to tie him to his bed before I left to get you. I was afraid he would fall and hurt himself.”
Even though Liberty knew what to expect, the sight of his batter face and twisted limbs still took her breathe away. Golden drew in a sharp breath and ran to Aapeli’s side, her face somehow keeping its usual composed calmness. She looked across the bed at Liberty. “Go fill a basin with warm water and we’ll wash him off,” but she reached across the bed and took Liberty’s hand. “I wish I could do more for him.”
She released Liberty’s hand and brushed her fingers lightly over Aapeli’s contorted cheek. “The best we can do is to try and make him as comfortable as possible.” For a fraction of a second Golden’s composure slipped and her eyes revealed a sadness.
Liberty’s hopes plummeted. To steady her heart she ran her fingers through her father’s hair. He was such a factious man, he would hate how tangled it had gotten over the last few days. A tear slipped down her cheek but she impatiently brushed it away. There was no time for tears or sadness now. She couldn’t give up because he needed her to be strong. Liberty nodded and ran out to gather what they needed. Her father had taught her that she could only lose if she gave up.
Chapter Twelve
Moonlight filtered in through the open doorway, offering the only light in the cabin. It was all the light Liberty needed, though, to see her father. After hours of him fighting against whatever had taken over his body, he had finally settled, the only movement now his eyes lids fluttering. His fingers gripped hers, and she placed her other hand over his so he would know she wasn’t going anywhere. Golden was doing the same on the other side of the bed.
They both sat in silence and waited for death to come, something Liberty now welcomed. After such a courageous struggle on all of their parts, there was no doubt in her mind that it was the only thing that could save her father from his agonizing pain. She had been selfish her entire life but now she had to let those childish ways go and not think of herself. She couldn’t curse against what fate had handed her, but only plead that her father might find peace. That was clearly no longer possible here with her, but maybe it was elsewhere.
Liberty tried not to think about her life after his death. Any time her mind wandered in that direction she saw only loneliness, but she was thankful for the way her father had raised her. Each one of his rules had been drilled into her over and over again. He had known this day would come and he had tried to prepare her for it. And even though he told her not to love anyone, she suspected he had loved her.
Liberty had always wondered what love was and here it had been, right in front of her all this time. This man had found her alone in the middle of nowhere, had saved her and then raised her as if she were his own daughter. He had brought her up the only way he knew how and had given her his whole life and heart.
Tears ran down her cheeks onto their entwined fingers. How long they sat like this Liberty didn’t know, and even though she had thought herself prepared for her father’s leaving, when his last breath came and his fingers relaxed around hers, her heart froze with fear and pain. Liberty couldn’t say if it was she or Golden who had called out his name, but they both kissed his cheek.
Liberty might have stayed by his side for days had Golden not wrapped her arms around her and hugged her.
“It’s okay to love him. He would understand.” Golden pulled back and pushed the hair out of Liberty’s eyes.
“Aapeli was a good man. In spite of all of his hard and fast rules, I know he loved you. You were the joy of his life.” Golden now leant over and stroked Aapeli’s cheek. His expression was at last serene, no more pain to fight against.
Golden lowered her voice to a whisper. “You became his reason to live, so it’s okay to love him back.”
Liberty touched his hand and closed her eyes. “But if I give up following his rules, I’ll have nothing left of him.” If that was all it took to keep him close, she would pretend she didn’t love him. Maybe that would get her through the coming days and years without him.
Liberty opened her eyes and found Golden studying her. There was pity in her eyes but also understanding.
Golden placed a hand on Liberty’s. “Bring me more water and we’ll clean him up and brush his hair.” She tucked a long strand of it behind his ear. “We’ll put him in his best clothes. He’d like that, don’t you think?” The thought of burying her father beneath the cold earth made a shudder run through Liberty, but she nodded toward her father’s wardrobe.
“His clothes are over there.” She hurried out to get the water before she could break down. She would grieve when her duties to her father were over, and only then would she decide what her father would have wanted her to do next.
The only thing Liberty did know for certain was that her father was right about love. It might not lead to hate but it most certainly led to pain.
Epilogue
Liberty walked under the apple trees and shut everything out of her mind. She listened to the birds singing and just took in the beauty of her surroundings.
This was where Golden found her.
“Are you certain you have to leave today?” Golden slipped her hand through Liberty’s arm and fell into step beside her.
“Yes. I need to keep Father’s regular schedule. People depend on us.”
Liberty stopped, leaned against a trunk and drew in a deep breath. “It’s what Father would have wanted me to do. I need to try and make him proud.”
Golden smiled. “He was always proud of you.” She looked around her orchard before settling her gaze back onto Liberty. “I wish you would stay here for a while longer. I worry about you being out there by yourself. I don’t think your father would have wanted you to be alone. It’s too dangerous.”
“That’s very sweet of you but I feel safer on Airus and in the sky. It’s my home. There’s safety in the sky. No one can hurt me there.”
Liberty drew in a deep breath. The truth was she had no idea what she was going to do with her life. She had always thought her father would be with her for many more years to come.
“If you ever change your mind, my offer stands.” Golden hugged Liberty before heading back to her cabin.
Liberty looked around once more at the peaceful grove of trees now heavy with fruit, but refused to look over at her father’s grave. For just a little while longer she wanted to pretend he was on board Airus, waiting for her to return. To dwell on her bleak future was too disheartening. In time she would decide how she was going to go on without Father, but for the moment it was enough to remember the tales he’d told her about how he had found her out by Big Lake. How thankful she was for his decision to make her his daughter. He had given her the gift of his love, even though it had been unspoken, and he had also given her the gift of the skies. So the best thing she could do would be to take those gifts and cherish them, and so she would.
The End
The Making of Boy
Prologue
Tinker waited until Airus had ascended and disappeared into the billowing white clouds before turning toward the homestead. He had hidden any outward signs of his failing health whilst Liberty had been here, but now there was no one around to witness his unsteady gait and heavy breathing. Tinker limped his way toward what had been his and Mary’s tiny cabin, although now only his alone.
The thought of returning to an empty cabin saddened Tinker. He was ready to be with his Mary again, but there were things he needed to do, things he couldn’t give up on until he’d finished. He’d made a promise to Liberty’s father, and so Tinker would fight to stay alive at least long enough to finish the task. But then, as soon as there was no longer anything keeping them apart, he would give up his difficult fight to remain in the land of the living.
Tinker paused and again looked up, seeing nothing but clouds. He remained this way as he pondered his decision not to tell Liberty the very thing she had stopped here to inquire about. Oh, how he wished his sweet Mary had been here to help him with the girl’s questions. His dearly beloved wife would have known what to say and how to comfort her.
Liberty’s grief and farewell kiss had almost made him break his promise to Aapeli. What would it have hurt to tell Liberty that her father’s last thoughts had truly been for her own happiness and welfare? It had been so tempting to let her know that her father had asked him to complete the project he’d begun years earlier for Mary.
Tinker dropped his eyes to the pathway that led to his home. He stared at the well-worn path without really seeing it, his voice barely above a whisper. “Mary, I do so miss you. You were always the best part of me.”
He kicked at a loose clump of dirt, missing it by a mile. “I’m just an old fool. I should have told the girl what she wanted to know. What could it have hurt?”
The longer Tinker studied the problem the more certain he knew what his wife would have said. “Go finish what you’ve started. You did make a promise, after all.” He dearly missed hearing her sweet voice.
To build a brother for Liberty was a tall order, but he well understood why his friend should want a companion for his daughter. Once Aapeli had realized he was dying he hadn’t been able stand the thought of leaving Liberty behind, not without someone to keep her company. He had been a constant presence in her life, and so after his death she would be left feeling completely alone.
“Alright, Mary. I will.” He stopped and gazed up again. What would Liberty think of her new brother? The sad part was that he would never find out. Time for him was fast running out, a thought that soon pushed him on down the pathway again, but with renewed haste. Having never had a child of his own, he now looked forward to the birth of Boy.
Chapter One
“I love you, Father.” Boy patiently followed behind his father, trying to see everything at once.
“I love you too, Boy.”
“When do I get to meet my sister?” Boy almost plowed head first into his father’s back, having not realized he’d stopped.
Tinker turned and reached out to steady Boy, so he didn’t tip over. “I don’t know. Liberty comes and goes as she pleases. She’s still trying to keep to her father’s trading schedule so she’ll only stop here if she has the time.”
“Do you think she’ll like me?” Boy watched a bird hop by, chasing after a moth. Why did they do that? The question was answered a second later when the bird caught it.
“Of course she will. She’ll love you as much as I do.” Tinker patted Boy’s head and smiled.
“But what if she doesn’t?” Boy held his fingers in front of his face and wiggled them. “I’m different.” He reached out and took his father’s hand. “Your fingers are soft and mine are hard. Why?”
“Your fingers are covered in metal and mine are covered in skin.” Tinker patted Boy’s head again. “Besides, there’s nothing wrong with being different. The world would be a dull place if we were all the same.”
“Does my sister have metal covering her fingers?” Boy rubbed his father’s arm. Skin was a wonderful thing. It was so soft and warm. He wanted warm skin.
“No. She has skin too.” Tinker knelt to Boy’s eye level. “You worry too much. Liberty will love everything about you.”
“But what if she doesn’t?” Boy didn’t want to leave his father and go live with someone who didn’t love him like he did.
Tinker rubbed the top of Boy’s head. “You worry too much.”
“But why can’t I stay here with you, or maybe you could come and live with Liberty too? You said her airship was big enough for her and me. Surely Liberty has room on Airus for you too.” Boy studied his father without blinking. Boy had discovered that if he blinked too much he missed important things.
Tinker opened his mouth to answer but was racked by a fit of coughing.
It was at times like this that Boy felt helpless. Father was slipping away from him. He could feel it.
“Father, are you okay? Would you like for me to go fetch you a cup of water?” It was hard to watch his father suffering so, but he had no idea how to fix him. Why didn’t he know more? There was so much to learn. Who would teach him everything he needed to know if his father didn’t? Would his sister teach him?
Tinker reached out and used Boy to steady himself, so he could stand straight again. “I’m fine.” He pointed toward Little Lake. “Come. We have much to learn today,” but those words ended in another fit of coughing.
When Tinker was able to get his breath back, Boy asked. “Why can’t I breathe as you do, Father?
I would very much like to breathe.”
Tinker laughed. “Son, sometimes I wish I was more like you.” He patted Boy’s head yet again. “These days, breathing don’t come as easy as it once did.”
Boy fell into step next to his father. “What if Liberty doesn’t wind me up every night like you do? Will I die?”
“And here you are, worrying again. Why wouldn’t your sister wind you every night? Liberty has a kind heart and is a good person. Besides, she’ll love having you there to keep her company on her long voyages.”
Tinker stopped and leaned down, face to face with Boy. “You’ll get to see the world from her airship. Only she and her father have seen The Forbidden Lands.”
His expression turned pensive. “I would have liked to have seen them too but Aaepli had a hard and fast rule about no one setting foot on his airship – only he and Liberty could. He always said it was an important rule, to keep his home safe.”
Tinker looked off toward the lake. “I’m sure Aapeli was right, but it would have been such a great adventure.”
Boy watched his father in wide eyed wonder. Surely, if his sister was as wonderful as Father said, she would allow them to travel on her airship together. Father would then get to have his great adventure, and he would have both a father and a sister to teach him about the world and to love him. Love was such a wonderful thing.
Tinker grabbed Boy’s shoulder, his eyes large and imploring, but after only a moment, he closed his eyes and sank to the ground.
Boy touched his father’s shoulder. “Father, are you okay?”
Tinker finally opened his eyes. “Please help me get back to the house. There is much we need to discuss before I leave you.”
Chapter Two
“Stop looking at me with those big metal eyes of yours. You’re making me nervous.” Shatter handed Boy a broom and waved toward the back of the store. “Go make yourself useful and sweep the storeroom.”
The Liberty Series Page 5
