Keely tumbled onto the ground, feeling cold stone on her face. She looked around. The scenery was familiar. They were back on top of Pilot Rock. She could see the city lights in the distance. Keely smiled, helping Howie up. “We’re home.”
“I wonder if Chuggies is open,” Howie said, rubbing his stomach.
Keely’s smile grew bigger.
A man rose from the shadows, an Umatilla.
“Father!” Leo cried, leaping to his feet and throwing himself into the arms of the man. “But how did you know we were coming?”
Chief Pate-Wa’s eyes glistened with tears of joy as he gathered them all in for a hug. “Tonight, there was green lightning over the rock. We hoped it would bring good news. Come, we have a truck waiting.”
They took Howie home first. Even though Leo’s father had assured the large Vogelstein family the boy was okay, it was heart-wrenching to watch them hug him and hold him. Mr. Vogelstein kept patting Howie on the back while his mom squeezed him so tight his face turned red. Even his siblings were whooping with joy. Keely had a feeling they would never take their overlooked son for granted again.
Then they were outside her familiar brick house. She could see her father through the window reading the paper in the den in front of the fireplace. Her legs were stuck in place. She couldn’t walk up the steps.
“Do you want me to go with you?” Leo asked, touching her arm.
She shook her head. “No. It will be okay.”
Keely gave him a quick hug and walked to the porch. She could hear the TV on inside. The door was unlocked. She slipped inside, shutting the door behind her. On the table in the entry was a glass case, something she didn’t recognize. She picked it up, looking at it curiously. It held a small object, shiny and white. She looked closer. It was the Moon Pearl!
Ymir had kept his promise. He had let her father know she was okay.
“Dad, I’m home,” she called out.