Perfection

Cars zoomed and honked. Music was being played in the next apartment. Tama was getting out of her bed and threw off the covers. For the first time in her life, she wore something other than a floor length skirt: sweatpants. With a tiny smile, she reveled in the comfortable fit. She shook out her recently cut hair. It only reached her chin instead of reaching to the middle of her back. Her hair was the first thing Tama had gotten rid of when she reached Beyond.

Tama looked back on that day, almost a year from now, and could barely grasp how they were able to do it.

The Seven and Aria were guilty. Not one of them denied what they did once they realized no one was going to believe their lies anymore. However, it was what their Punishment should be that had the people divided. Kill them, torture them. . . what?

Tama put that aside. She fast-forwarded to the day before she was to leave Tay. People were also divided about that. Some wanted to leave immediately, some wanted to wait, some just wanted to stay because they knew nothing else. It was agreed very quickly, however, that everyone had their own choice in the matter. The majority of families with smaller children decided to either stay or wait while some with older or without any children couldn't wait to leave. It all depended on what their situation was and what the people were like.

But before anyone left, there was a Celebration. A new one. They called it, A Celebration of Liberty and everyone was invited. They hunted for the best meat the day before and the people that were especially skilled in the culinary field prepared all day.

Those who liked to sing finally sang in front of everyone and it was beautiful. Those had once danced only privately, had then danced publicly, getting everyone up and dancing along with them. Those who were afraid to before the fall of The Seven kissed their true lovers with cheers resounding in the crowd. Warren told stories of Beyond. It seemed there really was a whole new world out there and it was amazing. It was inventive, ingenious, imaginative, and beautiful. "Not perfect," Warren had said, in the middle of a story about a particular city, "but better than this." Everyone laughed a little of relief and hope.

Tama walked into the living room. The buzz of the TV made her smile every time she walked past it. Her father was sitting on the couch, reading a newspaper called Wall Street.

Before the night was over, Finn came up to Tama and asked her to dance. She accepted with a true smile.

He still had ghosts haunting his eyes, even though he was smiling at Tama. "You're beautiful." he told her.

She looked away. "Why don't you leave with us?"

"I want to, but I need to help people here." He gently spun her around. "They need somebody."

"Yes, but, you don't need to do anything. You could leave. No one would think any less of you." When Tama realized she wasn't getting through to him, she added, "You don't need to be forgiven."

Finn looked at her with a face filled with revelation.

"You're not your grandmother."

The couple stopped and Finn grasped Tama into a tight embrace. The two of them stayed there for the longest time but to them, it only lasted an instant.

"When did you say you're going back to school?" Warren asked, lowering his newspaper to look at Tama. There was a twinkle and a smile in the man's eye. He knew how important this was to Tama.

"Tomorrow." she said with a smile forcing its way onto her mouth. She shifted on the couch to face her father.

"I'll wake you up. Bright and early." he said, smiling at her one last time before he lifted his newspaper again and continued reading.

The day after the Celebration of Liberty was the day most of the Travelers decided to begin their journey. Everyone said their good-byes and promised to send news. Warren had with him a map and a contraption he called a GPS. Everyone in the First Traveling Party, which consisted of about ten people, carried enough supplies for everyone to last for two months. There was a point at which Warren could get the Travelers safely to Beyond by using other means of transportation. At the time, Tama didn't know what "helicopters" or "Rescue Squads" were but now, living here for almost two years, she couldn't believe she had been so. . . isolated.

Before they left, Finn quickly kissed Tama on the cheek and said to her, "Maybe we'll see each other again."

But Tama only laughed and said, "You're going to have to look for us because once I leave here, I won't be looking back."

They stood there just watching each other, remembering each other's faces when Tama hugged him tightly, whispered "Good-bye" and left.

Tama stared at the television, one of her favorite New Things, as she liked to call them. Some movie about a killer with a mask, knife, and bone-chilling theme song was playing and she was mesmerized.

Warren had gotten up and went to the kitchen where Linda was making pancakes, another New Thing. He grabbed a pen and a pad of paper and wrote something down. "Tama." He called and waved her over. Tama got up, glad to not see one of the teenagers being killed in the movie and went over to him. "Will you go to this address?" he said, giving her the piece of paper.

"Why?" she asked. It was a grocery store that she knew she passed a few times.

"I need you to get me a few things. Just ask for the manager." he said. Tama looked at him warily, wondering if this is a joke. He stood there in an unfaltering look of innocence. Without another word, Tama nodded to him and walked out the door.