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Jonas was so, so, so tired. The climb was wearing away his body almost as fast as it was building his hope, and if he did make it to Elsewhere, he was sure he would need immediate medical attention. Still, even if that was the case, a little part of Jonas knew that should it come to it, he would’ve most definitely insisted Gabriel get the help he needs first. That’s why, on the sled ride down, as Jonas was filled with elation, he hoped that Gabriel could feel what he did.
That’s why when he felt like he was floating, he thought it to just be a sensation.
That’s why when Gabriel was found, held tightly by a young boy who succumbed to the cold, his rescuer recognized the expression. She knew it was one of peace, and knew that the boy had died in pain, but also knew the sense of contentment that had enveloped him. She supposed the world had a way of protecting young souls, even in death.
So, when she returned to her house, she made sure she brought both boys, one by hand and the other via the sled she had found him in.
“Errebelle! I’m back, and I need your help.” Her friend showed her face around the corner, holding tinsel and glancing wearily at the sleigh and the baby.
“Saphia, what mess have you gotten into now?” She dropped the tinsel and rushed over, freezing a few feet away, as if debating which child to tend to first.
“Merry Christmas?” Saphia tried, before sighing and letting her shoulders drop. “Tend to the baby first, sis. I’m sure the other one has passed.”
Saphia hadn’t seen someone come from that direction before. She had heard tales from her parents, which they had heard from their parents, but after they passed it was never really something she thought about or questioned. She regretted it slightly, after finding the boy. Saphia knew the trek was dangerous beyond that hill, with little agriculture or manmade structure, and she wondered what was so terrible that the boy made it all the way here, with a baby no less. Would she have been able to help him, if she had gone outside for the garbage earlier? Would he still have been alive?
“Where did you find them?” Errebelle asked her, taking the baby into her arms and grabbing a pitcher to put out the fire in the fireplace. Saphia followed her into their living space, cozy and decorated with Christmas decorations.
“Outside at the base of the hill. I don’t think they were day for long, it’s still snowing but the tracks of the sled were still there. The boy looks like he had frostbite and hypothermia,and like he was fond of the baby. I plan on going back out there to see if we can find anything with his name on it-”
“Gabriel.” Saphia jumped at the voice behind her. It was so weak and quiet, more of a mumble than something that could be directed at anyone. Still, if the boy had enough energy to say that, then maybe he could be saved as well. After all, Saphia had been sure he was dead before, but look. He had just spoken.
Errebelle wrapped the baby in a blanket, having seemingly put it to sleep, before motioning to Saphia to follow her. When they reached the sled, they were both surprised to see the boy looking around, his breath shallow and shaky, but there. Gently, Saphia approached him.
“Hey, kid.” She started gently, kneeling down to look him in the eye. Errebelle had disappeared, presumably to get water to warm him up. Despite never really needing it, their parents had insisted on them learning first aid and how to treat most ailments. Even after their parents died, Saphia and Errebelle had taken it upon themselves to keep studying, learning how to treat more severe things as well. Saphia wasn’t the best at it, with her sister being much better, but she still had a vague idea of how to deal with this. “How do you feel?”
“Gabriel.” The boy just insisted. “I need to see him…”
So Gabriel is the baby’s name. “You will, you will, but first we need you to tell us your name, honey, ok? We need it so we can help you.” Saphia was stretching the truth a little, so what? It really did help to treat the patient and keep their attention when their name was known.
“Is he ok?” The boy asked, looking to her for reassurance. She stood up and looked back at the baby, swaddled in a blanket, dirty with mud, but sleeping peacefully on the couch.
“Yes, he is,” She reassured him, guiding him gently to sit up instead of lying down on the sled, which if he stayed on would inevitably cause him discomfort. “Now your name, please?”
The boy looked at her, partially with suspicion, partially with exhaustion, before answering, still in a small voice, “Jonas.”
Finally, Saphia had something to call him other than “the boy”.
“Alright Jonas, thank you for telling me that.” Errebelle chose that moment to return, blankets and pitcher of warm water in hand.
“Let’s get him to the couch, the one across from where Gabriel is.” Errebelle instructed, motioning to the other room. Saphia gently guided him up, having Jonas lean on her shoulder to walk. She took it slow, using her arm to give him support and catch him when he tripped. When they made it to the couch, they took to dipping both his hands into the warm water before they left them there, and after a couple of minutes, wrapped a blanket around him. They couldn’t make him warm all at once, or else that might actually kill him, so they just added a blanket every half hour, until he had four blankets and stopped shaking, falling asleep. After another half hour they relit their fire, believing it to be safe.
When the warmth filled the room again, and the boys were sound asleep, they started their music again, putting it at the lowest volume they could while still hearing it. They had a gramophone sitting on their coffee table, playing a record of classical music, with orchestras making their appearance every once in a while.
Finally after what seemed like hours, they finished decorating their living room and Christmas tree, just in time for the sunset and Gabriel to stir awake again.
Saphia picked him up this time, and sat down where he had been laying, placing him on her leg and bouncing him up and down. “Shh, Gabriel. You’re ok.” Eventually, he calmed down and just babbled as she remembered her sister doing when they were young.
At that thought, a new problem occurred to her. “Errebelle?”
“Hm?”
“What are we going to do with them?” Saphia looked at Gabriel, and he looked back at her, with such childlike glee that it was adorable. Still, she wasn’t sure if they were ready for such responsibility.
“We can leave soon.” Jonas rubbed his eyes, rising off the couch, awake, but anxious. “If you want- If you want us to, that is. Is there a town near here?”
“Saphia, don’t worry the kid with an obvious question like that.” Saphia rolled her eyes, and took Gabriel to say gibberish at him.”Of course we're keeping them.”
At that, Jonas looked up at her. “Really?”
“Yeah. It’s not like we don’t have space here. In fact, I’ve been looking for a way to use it. We have a lot of food and water, and we’re two grown adults. I’m pretty sure we can handle you two.”
Saphia looked at her younger sister, surprised, but happy. She didn’t want to have to send them away. So, she turned to Jonas and asked, “So? What do you say?”
Saphia didn’t even have to hear him say it to know what the answer was, but she still smiled when she received an enthusiastic, “Yes!”
She didn’t know where he came from, or why he ran away with a baby in his arms, but still, she was happy to have met Jonas and Gabriel, if only to fill the space in her big and empty home.