CHAPTER TWENTY TWO!
( RECONVENE. )

JO PEERED THROUGH the crack between the wall and her door. Her father clicked off his reading light and trudged up the steps to his room. Jo had the same feelings of anticipation that she did the very first night she snuck off into the woods for the very first Dead Poets Society meeting.

She waited a moment before carefully closing her door. She tip-toed down the stairs and carefully made her way to the back door, which was the furthest door from her parents' room.

Jo slipped out into the winter night. She scurried down the back alley to the next street and waited patiently for a boy in a car, hoping everything went to plan.

"Hey there, strange wanderer!" A voice came from her left. "Hop in."

Jo smiled and swung the door open to sit in the passenger seat. She noticed a saxophone stored in the back seat and grinned to herself.

"I'm surprised you actually managed to take the car," Jo laughed.

"Oh baby, you still underestimate my power." Charlie then began to drive at a terrifying speed down the road, laughing all the while.

Jo couldn't help but laugh with him. "Slow down you lunatic, you're gonna get us killed."

"Okay, okay fine. I just can't wait." They drove until they finally saw the misty figure of Welton. Good memories and bad flooded Jo's mind. They parked a little ways away in a secluded area as not to be spotted.

"Let's go!" He reached behind him and grabbed the saxophone before opening his door and running through the snow, childlike excitement in his voice. Jo opened her door and locked the car.

"Hold on, Jo, Grab the wine!" Charlie called, tossing her the keys.

"The wine?"

"Yes, the wine. Hurry up!"

Jo turned the key and opened the door. Low and behold, in a black bag was a high-end bottle of wine that she was sure he stole from his father as well as a few glasses wrapped in paper. Ho took it, then locked the doors again. She ran up to Charlie and tried to match his speed as pillowy snow filled her shoes. She didn't even care about the twigs that were getting caught in her hair and sleeves as they tore through the forest. A familiar light was coming from the cave.

"Wanna scare them?" Charlie asked.

"Go ahead," Jo laughed.

She stood behind as Charlie ran and jumped into the cave, yelling like a madman.

She was sure she heard a scream, and she were sure it was Meeks. Jo followed right after Charlie. Everyone was sitting around a small fire in the middle of the cave, staring at her and Charlie with their beautiful smiles. Once she saw everyone's faces she immediately felt like crying. It had been only days, but it felt like years. She saw the god of the cave that Neil had brought, standing in the corner. Todd stood up and stepped towards her with a smile, his eyes were a mix of emotions, but predominantly sad.

"Todd." Joran to him and engulfed him in a tight hug. "How have you been?"

"I've been... I don't know," he replied sadly.

"I get it," she hugged him a little tighter before letting go.

"Hey, Jo, I think you owe me a hug," Knox grinned, pulling her in.

"I think so too," she hugged back.

She smiled at Chris who was at Knox's side and hugged her too. "Nice to see you again, Jo."

Joan turned around to see Violet, who was the one to run up to her and hug her. "It's so lonely without you as my roommate," Violet said.

"I'm sorry, I miss you too."

"It's okay, if anything I respect you even more now," she smiled.

"You better write to me, and call too once my grounding period is up."

"I promise I will," she nodded. Jo circled around the cave, giving her hugs to everyone else. She was a little sad to see that Cameron wasn't there, which perplexed her since the way she saw it, he really didn't deserve any redemption for what he did.

"Did anyone say anything to Cameron?" Jo asked, taking a seat between Charlie and Todd. Charlie hadn't wasted any time in opening the bottle of wine, he was already drinking out of one glass and held another out Jo. She shook her head and he just shrugged, taking a sip out of that one too.

"I did, but he didn't want to come, I think he's too ashamed. He hasn't really spoken to any of us at all since it happened," Violet explained.

"I mean, I'm pissed at him, but he was a part of this too," Jo said. Everyone, even Charlie, begrudgingly agreed with hers

"He's still a lowlife coward though," Charlie said, taking another sip of wine.

"Yeah," Jo laughed, "I guess I've gotta agree with that one."

Just then Keating poked his head into the cave. A chorus of cheers came from the students who looked up at him in surprise. Charlie quickly hid the wine and glasses behind a ledge, acting natural. In an instant everyone was at their feet, eager to give Keating a personal greeting.

"Good to see you again, Ms. Levy," Keating smiled once he got to Jo, pulling her in for a hug.

"Good to see you too, Captain," she smiled.

Jo sat back down and Keating stood thoughtfully at the mouth of the cave for a moment before speaking again. "'I went to the woods because I wanted to live deliberately. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life.'"

Silence. The words cut so much deeper now. Todd put his head in his hands and let out a small sob. Jo tried to comfort him but Charlie stopped her.

"Let him be," he whispered. Jo nodded and put her head on Charlie's shoulder while he rubbed her back.

Keating spoke again:

"dive for dreams
or a slogan may topple you
(trees are their root
sand wind is wind)
trust your heart
if the seas catch fire
(and live by love
though the stars walk backward)
honour the past
but welcome the future
(and dance your death
away at this wedding)
never mind a world
with its villains or heroes
(for god likes girls
and tomorrow and the earth)"

Keating paused then looked around. "That was Mr. E. E. Cummings." No one spoke. "Now, who else would like to read?"

"I have something," Todd said. "I finished writing this for Neil, but he never got to read it." A tear ran down Todd's cheek that he quickly wiped away.

He stepped forward and took some crumpled papers from his pocket, passing slips of paper to each of the others.

"Everybody read this between verses," he said, holding up the slips of paper.

Todd opened his poem and read:

"We are dreaming of tomorrow, and tomorrow isn't coming;
we are dreaming of a glory that we
don't really want.
We are dreaming of a new day when the new day's here already.
We are running from the battle when it's one that must be
fought."

Todd nodded. Everyone read, "And still we sleep." Todd continued:

"We are listening for the calling but
never really heeding,
Hoping for the future when the future's only plans.
Dreaming of the wisdom that we are
dodging daily,
Praying for a saviour when salvation's in our hands.

"And still we sleep.
"And still we sleep.
And still we pray.
And still we fear ..."

He paused sadly, "'And still we sleep.'" He folded up the poem. Tear stained face and quivering lip, he stared at the fire. Everyone in the cave applauded.

"That was great!" Meeks cheered. Todd almost smiled, modestly taking in all the praise. Keating smiled with great pride at his student's enormous progress. He plucked a spherical icicle hanging from the roof of the cave and peered into it.

"I hold in my hand a crystal ball. In it I see great things for Todd Anderson," he intoned. Todd faced Mr. Keating, then suddenly, powerfully, they hugged. "It's gonna be okay, Todd," Jo heard Keating whisper.

AUTHOR'S NOTE.
❪ ⋆࿐໋ 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒑𝒆 𝒅𝒊𝒆𝒎. ❫

Hi guys, home stretch here.
Almost done. I love you if u
made it this far because seriously
only like 20% stuck with me,
you are amazing if u did and i'll be
manifesting good vibes for u lol.