Suddenly, I realize how much of a jerk I’ve been to Ben. I’ve been pushing him away for months, unable to deal with his detached, grief-stricken ways. I’d run to Ryan like a moth to a flame, wanting to be with someone who wasn’t so damaged, to have a friendship where for once I didn’t have to be the strong one. Bree’s right. I am an idiot.

I fly into Ben’s arms and hold him tightly, so tightly I can feel his heart beating against my chest.

“Come with me,” I whisper into his ear. “Please.”

He shakes his head. “I wish I could,” he replies, his voice tremulous. “You have no idea how much I wish I could.”

I pull away from the embrace, feeling like my heart is splintering into a thousand pieces.

“Look after Bree,” I say, quickly wiping the tears from my eye.

Then I turn and head back to the boat.

“You ready?” Ryan asks, offering his hand to help me into the boat.

I don’t take it, just step onto the boat beside him.

“Let’s do this,” I say.

We raise the sails together. I yank on the coarse lines and already my palms are burning; it takes more power to raise the sails than I’d imagined. They rise slowly, one foot at a time, and I must use all the leverage of my body to get them up. Molly helps beside me, while Ryan leans over the hull and raises the anchor. Zeke secures the lines and turns the rudder, and a moment later, I experience the most incredible feeling: we are moving. The wind catches our sail, and foot by foot we begin to leave shoreline and gain momentum.

I look back, taking one long, last look. I wonder if I will ever see this place again. My heart aches from my goodbye with Ben, from knowing I can never come back.

“Look, Brooke,” Molly says.

I see all the people amassing on the shore, standing on the banks, saluting. The four of us salute back. I wish my dad could see me now.

We stand there, saluting each other, as the boat drifts farther and farther away. Then, farther down the shoreline, we see another group of people. It’s the Forest Dwellers. They wave, clap, and cheer. I see that Trixie is there at the front, her giant bunny in her arms. The sight of her reminds me why I am doing this; to make the world safer for everyone.

We wave back, feeling like superstars. The sounds of the cheers make me smile.

That’s when I notice that one person isn’t waving or smiling like the others. It’s Bree. She’s standing beside Trixie, with Charlie clutching her arm on the other side. She watches me, silently, her chin tipped up.