Good-byes
“Everyone looks so happy,” Beth said.
The four children and Tarek were in front of Tarek’s home in the village. They sat on cushioned benches beneath a canopy.
Everywhere she looked, people were dancing, singing, or clapping. Every shop in the village was open. Marvelous foods and drinks were freely shared on every corner. The carcass of the saber-tooth hung on poles in the square.
“Silene hasn’t been this happy in all my life,” Sabra said. She snuggled up next to her father.
“What happened to Aazan?” Beth asked.
“He was arrested. Aazan will sit in prison for a long time,” Hazi said.
“Yes,” Tarek said. “But we must be certain that Silene never again turns on itself. Georgius said he will establish a Roman outpost here. It will help to keep the peace.”
“Where is Georgius?” Patrick asked.
“We’d like to talk to him again before we leave,” Beth said.
“You’re going so soon?” Sabra asked.
Beth nodded. She expected the Imagination Station to appear at any moment.
“For that, I’m sad,” Tarek said.
“Georgius has gone to the cells,” Hazi said. “He’s showing our builders how to construct more sturdy prison cells.”
Patrick and Hazi laughed. Beth wasn’t certain why.
“Well, then, my friends,” Tarek said, “we must give you something to remember us by. And to express our thanks for all your brave help.”
“No, you don’t have to do that,” Beth said.
“Don’t be silly,” Sabra said. “It’s our custom.”
“What will we give them, Father?” Hazi asked.
“I would offer you the saber-tooth carcass. But it has already begun to stink,” Tarek said. He reached into one pocket of his robe . . . then another . . . and another.
Beth wondered just how many pockets the man had.
“Ah, here they are!” Tarek said.
Tarek held out his hand to Patrick and Beth. In his palm were what looked like two oval pieces of metal. One gleamed blue in the rising sun’s light. The other shone green.
“What are they?” Patrick asked.
Beth recognized them. “Scales from the dragon,” she said.
Tarek said, “You may recall that Georgius struck the creature a hard blow. These scales broke free. They’re yours now.”
“Whoa!” Patrick said. He admired the blue scale. “This is amazing.”
Beth stared down at the purple scale in her hand. She thought about all that had happened. She’d trusted God and tried to defend Sabra. That decision almost cost her life. But God had taken care of her. He even used a dragon to save her!
Beth and Patrick found Georgius at the cells just as Tarek had said. The Roman soldier had a trowel in his hand. He was smoothing some kind of plaster on a new cell wall.
Patrick said, “You’re fixing the wall we broke?”
“Of course,” Georgius said. He placed the trowel in a bucket. “I broke it. Now it’s my responsibility to fix it.”
Patrick picked up a trowel. “I guess we’ll get to repay you after all,” he said.
He and Beth helped finish the wall repairs. The three of them worked silently. Soon the wall was fixed.
After they were done, Beth said to Georgius, “Thank you for everything.”
“I’m honored to have been found worthy to help you,” Georgius said. “God often takes me on adventures. But I never thought I’d face a dragon and a saber-tooth. And all in one night!”
“You’ve taught us a lot,” Beth said.
Georgius bowed slightly. “No more than you’ve taught me,” he said. “I’ve never met such brave children.”
Beth heard a low hum. The Imagination Station was nearby.
Patrick nudged her gently. “We have to go,” he said.
“Do you want me to escort you to wherever you must go?” Georgius asked.
“No, thank you,” Beth said. “We’ll be safe now.”
“In that case, go with the Lord,” Georgius said. “He is Maker of heaven and earth.”
Beth and Patrick went to the Imagination Station. The cousins took their places inside. Beth was just about to close the door. But something outside caught Beth’s eye.
Patrick had seen the same thing. “Look!” he said and pointed at the sky.
The sun had risen close to midday height. But the sky was a deep blue. In the distance flew two creatures.
Too large to be birds, Beth thought.
“The dragons,” she whispered.
Patrick pulled on a lever. The door closed the dragons out of view.
He pushed the red button. And everything went black.
