The Jungle

Deidre put her hand on his arm and smiled, “It’s alright. They knew that one day it would happen. They were prepared for it. They will fight these devils until their last breath. They will nearly destroy them before that happens. And when it does, the prophecy says there will be a great explosion from the heavens that will kill the rest of them.”

Her mother looked at her with surprise. “How do you...”

“I’m sorry I had to keep it from you, Mom. All those times you thought I was flirting with Pablo, we were actually planning and scheming. We feel too much like brother and sister to flirt! Yuck! But, I knew you wouldn’t believe the stories, so I thought it best to keep you in the dark about them. We knew the time was near, but we never dreamed the camp would be attacked. I’m sorry now that I didn’t warn you.” She ran to her mother, laying her head in her lap and wept for the loss of her friends, whom she had been working beside and learning to love as a family.

Gathering her into her arms, Autumn rocked her daughter and felt her heart swell with pride and love.

“You are a very brave girl. How could I possibly be angry?” She looked over at Pablo. “You will need a home and you are more than welcome to share ours.”

He was speechless at her generous offer, for the profits had said that the Golden One would take him in and raise him as his own. Then he looked at Lugus and then at Autumn and knew it to be true. He would be with both of them. They would soon all be a family, together.