Chaos Walking Childhood One Shots

Jenny Hewitt - The End of New Elizabeth

Warning: This chapter contains descriptions of death, similar to the more disturbing moments of the Chaos Walking trilogy. This is how I imagined New Elizabeth becoming Prentisstown in the eyes of Todd's mother, including her final moments.

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But then there's you, son, as of right now the youngest boy in town, maybe even in this whole world, and yer gonna have to be the one who makes it come right, you hear? Yer a native born New Worlder, so you don't have to repeat our mistakes. You can shake off the past and maybe, just maybe, you'll bring paradise to this place.
But that's probably enough responsibility for one day, huh? I have to leave now for that secret meeting Mayor Elizabeth's called.
And oh, my beautiful boy, I'm afraid of what she's going to suggest.

I take a deep breath and shake off my worries as I close my Todd's book. I know I can't leave it off there, confused and afraid, so all I tell myself to do is go to this meeting, get my askings answered, and make sure my son knows that all is well.
I promise myself to write again as soon as I know we are safe.
But, of course, that promise ain't meant for me, is it?
I stand from my seat at the table and find my son, still sleeping in his cot where I left him moments ago.
My beautiful little Todd.
I know he's young, just a few months old, but I look at him and already all I can see is his father.
A wonderful man left us behind, but who am I to question the ways of God?
I lift Todd into my arms and hold him close to me, knowing that I can't take him along to this secret meeting.
But I hold him close for just a little longer before I begin the walk to Ben and Cillian's farm next door.
Todd's Noise hasn't properly developed yet, there are no words to be heard. All I get from him is his love and his needs, and even without the words, not a secret of his can be kept.
His openness is so unlike the way the women of New Elizabeth have been acting lately.
Just earlier today as I walked through town, a friend of mine passed a note into my hand without even exchanging a greeting:

You are to destroy this after you read it.
Changes need to be made. Meet me at the abandoned Spackle habitations in the entrance of the swamp. No man hears of this, bring only yourselves. Sundown.
- J.E.

Jessica Elizabeth.
That woman is a natural born leader, but I question her ways sometimes.
I make myself forget this as I come closer to the sheep outside of Ben and Cillian's home.
As my husband's health declined, the two of them contributed greatly to the production of our wheat farm. Once he had passed, we agreed to switch farms so that I could raise sheep while the men took over the more difficult work. The walk isn't always convenient, but I could never run that wheat farm by myself.
I owe them so much, but today, I need to ask a favor.
I knock on the door, keeping Todd close to my chest.
Ben greets us.
"Jenny," he says, surprised, eyeing a sleepy Todd in my arms. "Is everything alright?"
"I'm sorry," I say, "I usually give more notice but I haven't been feeling much like myself today and I think it would do me good to take a quick walk. Would it be too much to ask you to take care of Todd for a while? I could never leave him at home by himself-"
"No, not at all," Ben interrupts before I become any more stressed. "We can keep him for a while. You get yerself feeling better." They've done this for me before, but this time I can hear the worry for me in Ben's Noise. I ignore it for now.
"Thank you," I say, unable to keep the relief out of my voice.
He watches me closely as I hand my son over to him.
"You sure yer alright?" He asks.
"Yes," I say, "I'm so sorry about this, I just need a moment."
Ben can see clearly that I'm not acting like myself.
I never was the best liar, but this time it's important.
(So please, if there's an ounce of believably in my story-)
"You be careful, okay?" Ben says. "Don't go too far."
"Course not," I say, nodding. "I couldn't leave him for too long anyway."
I smile as warm as I can, and it's enough for him to head inside and leave me to my walk.
I take a deep breath as I head off toward the river, which slowly expands into the swamp.