Chapter 16

CHAPTER 16 But he couldn't forget. Even back on the farm, surrounded by friends from school and neighbors from town, he felt like he was still drifting on the dark ocean. And each day that went by, he felt himself drifting farther away. At night, when he got into bed, he'd see the faces of all those scared people on G deck. He'd see the ship disappearing into the sea. He'd remember the stabbing cold, and the screams of hundreds of people crying for help. He didn't bother trying to fall asleep. Each night, after Phoebe and Papa were in bed, he went out into the woods.

He was heading back to the house one night when he heard a noise through the bushes. Something was there. He could sense it. The panther? He took out his knife, fighting the urge to run away, and peered through the branches. George stared in shock. It was Papa. He was sitting on a large rock, looking up at the sky, smoking his pipe. He looked like he'd been there for some time. Papa turned. He didn't look especially surprised to see George. "Sorry to give you a scare," he said. "What are you doing here?" George asked. "Don't know," Papa said. "Sometimes I just come here, when I can't sleep." George couldn't believe it. How many nights had they both been out in the woods at the same time? Papa eased himself off the rock and began walking back toward the house. "I'll take you up to your bed." "No, Papa," George said. "I come to the woods too."

Papa looked at him with a very slight smile. "I know that," he said. Papa knew? What else did Papa know about George? What else didn't George know about Papa? He and and his father looked at each other. Really looked, for the first time in a long while, maybe since Mama died. Suddenly George started to cry. They took him by surprise, his tears, and he couldn't stop. He cried for all those people who didn't make it out of the water. He cried because somehow he did. He cried because he knew that no matter how much time went by, a part of him would still be out in that ocean. He would never forget. Papa held George's hand and didn't say a word. And then he led George over to the boulder, where they sat together under the stars. George stared up at the sky. Were those really the same stars that had burned so brightly above the black ocean that night? Was he really still the same boy? George, who couldn't stay out of trouble. George, who didn't try hard at school.

George, who found the escape ladders. George, who pulled Marco to that lifeboat. Who didn't give up. They sat on the boulder for a long while, and as the sun started to peep over the trees, George told Papa about Mr. Andrews. "He said he thought one day I'd build a ship." Papa didn't laugh. He puffed on his pipe, looking thoughtful. "How about we build one together?" Papa said. "A nice little boat. For the pond. I've always wanted to do that." "That's a good idea," George said. A great idea. "We could start today," Papa said, standing up and holding out his hand. They walked back to the house together. The birds were singing softly. The chickens were squawking for breakfast. A breeze was whispering through the trees. And a voice seemed to sing to George, very softly: "Awake, awake. It's now daybreak! But don't forget your dreams…."

Papa looked out into the woods, like he could hear it too.