Interdependence
For this installment I used: Zoom.
As you see, I end the title in a question mark. I an myself a sucker for happy endings, and do not like the story to end here. What do you, my faithful readers say?
Also I have some words left over yet for my happy ending.
After the mouse incident, life went on much the same. Even greater care was taken to leave nothing lying around for the mouse to get into. Day by day Allan grew more sure that he was right, The coastline looked as if it could be the eastern coast of Zealand, and when they passed some cliffs still standing tall and white over the water, he was sure. "Of course, I could be totally mistaken, and this could be the white Cliffs of Dover or somewhere else, but I'm sure, or at least as sure as humanely possible, that this is the Cliff of Møn." He took a deep, steadying breath and continued: "For sentimental reasons I'd like to stop here for a while. It was the first place I ever went with my Mary, we went camping as newlywed, biking trough Denmark. And our first stop not visiting friends and families was here. On Møns Klint."
Tom placed his hand on Allan's shoulders. "Yes. I would have suggested a day or two of rest soon anyway. We are all getting restless and a day or two of walking and doing something but sitting inside the plane would sure do us all good."
They tied the plane to the cliffs and hoisted a tall mast with brightly coloured rags on it on the most prominent spot. The twin boys Adam and Benny chased one another, zooming along the top of the cliffs where they were broad sand fairly flat. Allan walked slowly, all by himself all the way to the top of the cliffs. There he stood for a long time looking out over the brownish-grey water and the relentlessly falling rain. Then he turned around, seeing the slowly drowning hills and islands, that once was his and Mary's home. He wept. He sat down and hit his face in his hands. Now, he admitted to himself, there was not anymore much hope of finding survivors, even his dear Mary. When he had no more tears left, he wiped his eyes in his sleeves, to no avail, he was wet allover. He stood up, and let the rain, now colder by several degrees than his skin, wash away all traces of his tears.
It is beautiful.
SvarSletI well remember at a difficult time weeping in the shower each day because people would expect me to be red in the face and a bit damp when I emerged.
It is possibly one end - but a red-herring 'fake end' is equally likely (perhaps because we know that there ARE other survivors?)
How they can connect is a whole other story.
It would be lovely to see all the survivors find each other. The larger the group, the better off they all are over the long run.
SvarSletI (selfishly) would like a happy ending for Mary and Allan . . .
SvarSletYou really have been spoiling us with a new chapter every day! Are you getting anything else done at all??
@ EC you're right. It is a 'fake end'. Because we know, what Allan does not, that Mary is out there somewhere.
SvarSlet@ Messymimi: Exactly; and I like happy endings too
And @ Jenny, You're right, I have spent lots of time writing. But as I've caught some bugs, writing (and reading) allows me to forget my misery. Lots to catch up when I get better.