is the decision of this court that the sentence should be suspended indefinitely and Tiembe be put on probation until this court sees fit to remove it.”
Shanaea blinked the tears out of her eyes.
“YES!” She said aloud.
She turned and smiled at Tiembe.
“Tiembe,” Blaize continued. “…you are hereby placed on probation, and warned that the slightest action that makes this court believe that you are a danger to anyone in this community will result in the suspension of this sentence being vacated and said sentence will be carried out with extreme prejudice, without trial or chance for mitigation… do you understand?”
Tiembe smiled and nodded.
“…yes I do… thank you.”
Blaize smiled.
“…with that, this court is adjourned. Please be careful returning to your homes.”
Blaize stepped down from the platform.
Tiembe smiled at Shanaea.
“You did it!” He said.
She smiled back at him.
“We did it.” She said.
He nodded and nuzzled her.
“Yeah… we did it…”
Shanaea smiled as she and Tiembe walked out of the old mill, one of the last to leave.
“I’m glad I was able to help you Tiembe.” Shanaea said.
“…believe me, so am I.” Tiembe said. “You saved my life… again.”
Shanaea smiled and leaned on his shoulder.
“…well you saved me too.”
Tiembe sighed.
“Yeah… but I shouldn’t have had to.”
Shanaea smiled at him again and started to speak, when she was cut off by a familiar voice behind her.
“…Shanaea?”
Shanaea turned and saw her brother standing on the steps at the front of the old mill.
“What is it Josh?”
“We need to talk.” Josh said.
“Okay,” Shanaea said. “…let’s talk. What’s up?”
Josh glared at her.
“…alone.” He said.
Shanaea sighed and nodded, then she turned back to Tiembe.
“I’ll meet you back at the shed… ‘kay?”
Tiembe nodded and walked away.
“What is it Josh?” Shanaea asked. “Is there a problem?”
“Yes there is Shanaea!” Josh said, walking briskly toward her. “There is most definitely a freakin’ problem!”
“What is it Josh?” Shanaea asked. “…talk to me.”
“How could you do that?” Josh said.
“…do what?” Shanaea asked.
“What you just did in there!” Josh yelled.
“What did I do?” Shanaea asked. “…all I did was save his life.”
“That is exactly what you did Shanaea and that is why we need to talk!”
“So you’re saying I should have just let him die?” Shanaea asked. “I should have just let Blaize sentence him to death?”
“I would have!” Josh yelled. “I was this close to killing him myself!”
“Why Josh?” Shanaea asked.
“…why?” Josh asked. “…why! I’ll tell you why. He tried to kill you Shanaea! He tried to kill you and he almost succeeded! You’re my sister and I love you Shanaea!”
Shanaea smiled.
“I love you too Josh…”
Josh shook his head.
“I just… I just don’t understand it... and how are you going to drag me into it, huh? How are you going to make me help defend his worthless tail?”
Shanaea sighed.
“I’m sorry about that Josh… you were the only witness to that event, and that event proved my point.”
“…which was?” Josh asked.
“That Tiembe isn’t mentally stable… that he needs help and care… not to be killed.”
“He deserves to die.” Josh said.
“Josh… I… I…” Shanaea said, but she fell silent and looked away.
“...you what Shanaea?” Josh asked.
Shanaea looked back at her brother.
“I love him Josh.”
“He tried to kill you!” Josh said.
Shanaea nodded.
“I know… but the Tiembe that attacked me is dead now, the Tiembe that I love is alive and well.”
“…and since when did you become a psychology expert?” Josh asked. “How do you know that this won’t come back, that this “other” Tiembe you’re talking about won’t come back and kill you?”
Shanaea sighed.
“I don’t.” She said.
“You just told everyone you did.” Josh said.
“I had to say what I had to say to help him.” Shanaea said. “I don’t think anyone else is in danger… as for me? I don’t know.”
“Then why would you hang around him?” Josh asked.
Shanaea put a paw on her brother’s shoulder.
“Josh… I… when Tiembe brought me back, it showed he loved me. He could’ve left me in the outskirts, where I would have bled to death, and he would have been able to get away… but he didn’t. He had to know that bringing me back here meant turning himself in, and he knew he’d probably be killed for it… but he brought me anyway.”
“We’d have found you.” Josh said. “It would’ve been too late.” Shanaea said. “The only reason I’m alive is because of Tiembe… and if he can risk death to save me… well I figure I can risk death to save him.”
Shanaea paused.
“That’s what love is Josh… it’s caring so much about the other that you are willing to risk death for one another… and I love him, with all my heart and soul.”
Josh sighed.
“I just… I just don’t want anything to happen to you.” He said. “I love you Shay… and… I’m sorry I yelled at you… I guess I was just frustrated… but that’s no excuse…”
Shanaea smiled.
“It’s alright.” She said. “I understand Josh, and I love you too. I always will. You’re my big brother. You’ve always been there for me, whenever I needed a helping paw or a guiding light there you were… and I appreciate it very much. “
Josh smiled.
“That’s what brothers are for Shay.”
Shanaea nodded.
“…yeah.” She said.
“Well I guess that I’ll let you get back to him then Shay… just be careful okay… promise me. If he shows any violent tendencies… report it, okay?” Josh said. “Don’t try to keep it quiet so nothing happens to him… if you’re in danger again… let the law do what it needs to… promise?”
Shanaea sighed and nodded.
“I promise Josh.”
Josh smiled.
“…get on out of here then. I know you’re anxious to get back to him.”
Shanaea nodded and grinned.
“…bye Josh.”
“…see ya sis.” Josh responded.
Shanaea turned and started walking down the street.
Epilogue:
The sun was just beginning to fall over the tops of the trees, seemingly melting their silhouettes in a brilliant orange glow.
Tiembe and Shanaea sat on the top of a hill, far from Nome.
The two of them had left Nome early this morning and journeyed over the mountains outside of Nome until they had come to the last one in the range.
Here they sat and talked, talked of the future and what Blaize’s decision meant for them both.
Shanaea lay exactly as she had for hours now, her head leaning heavily on Tiembe’s shoulder, her nose resting just below his ear.
Tiembe stared out at the beautiful sunset and sighed.
Shanaea turned her head slightly to look at his brown eyes.
“…something wrong love?”
Tiembe sighed again.
“I just… I don’t know… I don’t know if I can do it.”
“…do what?” Shanaea asked, concern reflected in her blue eyes.
“I don’t know if I can just forget what I was… what I did…”
He sighed and a tear came to his eye.
“Shay… I killed three dogs, three girls. They had lives to live. A mother or father is missing their daughter, a brother or sister is missing their sister… all because of me.”
Shay sighed and snuggled up closer to him.
“Tiembe… I know it’s not going to be easy… but I know you can do it too. The Tiembe that did those things was an evil Tiembe… like an evil twin… and we killed him. You’re you now… you weren’t then.”
Tiembe sighed.
“How do you know that we killed him? How do you know that he’ll never come back… that I won’t try to hurt you again?” Shanaea sighed and nuzzled him.
“I guess I really don’t.” She said. “I hope so, and I’ll do everything I can to help you Tiembe… but it doesn’t matter to me. I love you for who you are. If you have a problem, it’s my problem too. We’ll work together, and we’ll overcome this… together.”
Tiembe smiled.
“Thank you.” He said. “I don’t know what I’d do without you… I wouldn’t be able to go on Shay… I love you.”
Shay smiled and nuzzled him again.
“I love you too.”
Just then the evening sky was split by the northern lights. The red, green, and red snakes wrapped around each other in a beautiful display of color and light.
“…guess we’d better start home then… huh?” Tiembe said.
“Why do you say that?” Shanaea asked.
“Well, I thought what you said last time was…” Tiembe started to reply, but Shanaea cut him off.
“…actually, what I was thinking was that we’d spend tonight out here on this mountain top together.”
Tiembe smiled and Shanaea snuggled up closer to him.
Shanaea watched the sun dip lower and lower on the horizon, seeming to melt into the rocks and trees.
…and for once she was unafraid.
Shanaea was no longer afraid of the dark.
THE END
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emotion and slight sorrow. But, like all the rest, it has a great
ending. But I have to wonder about the Talbourne's future under Saba,
not to mention Josh and his extreme hatred for Tiembe. Ah, well, I'll
have to read on, something I will do gladly. Again, Amazing work!