Chapter One-
One year later?

Ms. Long poured the kernels into the small opening. We crowded around, breathless with anxiety.

The time passed slowly as the wheels turned and creaked. Finally, a small pile of off-white powder
appeared in the bowl we had placed in the mill.

I screamed with joy. "We did it!" I hugged Jake, then Ms. Long, then Cassie, and then Tobias. I lost track
of how many people I hugged. Everyone was hugging everyone.

We danced around and cheered. Immediately plans were made to make a cake.

We had done it! All that work had paid off. The mill worked.

I felt a hand on my shoulder. It was Marco.

He痴 eyes were dancing. "Rachel, do you know what this means?"

"What?"

"Electricity! Using the same concept and the right material, we can generate electricity!"

I stared at him. "Really?"

"It would take time, and a lot of work, but we can do it. We can do it! I talked to Ax and Dr. Cornwell. I
could work. It could really work."

I hugged him. "That would be wonderful, Marco."

I could imagine what electricity would bring. Light bulbs, heating, a stove, maybe even a refrigerator.

Marco could see my happiness. "The river won稚 make enough. But we could tap into the waterfall.
Maybe solar, or wind."

"Marco, this could take years."

"Yeah, but it壇 be worth it! What would you give to see a TV before you die?"

"A TV? You池e crazy!"

"It could happen, Rachel. A lot of things could happen." Marco ran of to discuss techno stuff with his
friends.

"He certainly has aspirations." Tobias said behind me.

I turned. "You heard."

"Yeah."

"You think that could really happen?"

"Maybe. I mean, jeez, Rachel. A year ago we came here with nothing but the clothes on our backs. Now,
we have houses, a farm with irrigation, the mill. Not to mention all the other stuff. We致e come a long
way with what we know."

"I guess we have."

Tobias pulled me close and gave me a light kiss. "I have some thing for you."

"What痴 that?"

"Close your eyes."

Giggling, I did so.

He took my hand in his. I felt a cold metal band slip onto my finger. I opened my eyes and stared at the
golden band on my finger.

"Will you marry me?" Came the whisper.

I didn稚 need to think about my answer. "Yes."

Chapter 2

We ran to tell everyone the news. It was a happy day. The one year anniversary of our arrival, the
success of the mill, and Tobias and mine engagement.

But there was something I wanted to do. I had worked on the project for the past month, hiding it in the
small cabin I shared with my family. If it worked, it would change our lives forever.

I had done it once before, but that time I did not need to make my own pulp. Still, it should work.

The mesh was in the cabin where I left it. I ran my fingers along the dry surface. It was not as smooth,
and not quite white. But it would do.

I smiled to myself. I had done it. I had made paper.

I ran outside. "Jake!"

"What is it?"

"I did it, Jake. I did it!"

He ran over, as did many others who hear my cries.

I held the precious piece of paper before his eyes. "Paper, Jake. Paper."

Jake痴 eye痴 danced with wonder. "We can record everything. Who we are, what we did. Our
knowledge."

I nodded. "We know so much that we can稚 do. Now, we can save it for the future. Everything we know,
everything we致e dreamed. We can have it forever."

Jake gave me a hug. "Thanks, Rachel."

"We池e a team, remember?" I grabbed his arm. "Come on! We have to make more."

Chapter 3

That night, we celebrated the year that had passed.

Jake stood in front, behind a small podium. "Today is the anniversary of our arrival. One year has passed.
This date marks a new phase of our lives. I do not know how the name began, but we have all come to
call this day Genesis. Quite appropriate, I think. It means the beginning of life. One year ago today
marked the beginning of our new lives. We left behind everything we had and came here. But today is a
day of celebration. And we have a reason to celebrate. We are going to make it."

There was applause. Everyone began to dig into the food we had prepared.

I pulled Jake away from the crowd. "I need to talk to you."

Jake sat down on the side of the hill and I sat next to him. "Go ahead."

I paused. "Jake, remember a year ago, you said Earth would always be home. And I asked you what this
place was. You said you did know. You told me the next time I asked you, you might have an answer.
D-do you?"

Jake sighed. "I think, I do." He bit his lip and searched for word to answer me with. "Ma-," He paused.
"Maybe I was wrong when I said Earth would always be home."

I stared at him. "What?" I whispered.

"Home is where the heart is, Rachel. This...I love this place. I love everything about it. And know you do
too."

I nodded silently.

"Earth will always be special to us, but it痴 not the same anymore. I mean, if you could go back, right
now, would you?"

I let my eyes wash over the green grass, the tall trees, the blooming flowers, the fertile ground, the
sparkling river, and the setting sun. I took everything in, and formed my answer.

"No." Tears dripped down my face. "I couldn稚 leave."

Jake nodded, understanding. He too felt guilty for wanting this planet more than Earth. Jake stared into
the darkening sky. I knew he was looking for the star from which we had come from. Finally, his eyes
lowered back to the world we stood on.

"So this is home." I whispered.

"Yeah, this is home."

Chapter 4

Jake looked at me. "Will you write it, Rachel?"

"Write what?"

"About us. About the Animorphs. What we did. And why."

"One year. It seems so much longer."

"It does." He admitted.

"I知 almost beginning to forget."

"We池e human. Our memories fade."

"But I don稚 want to forget Earth." I whispered. "Even if it痴 not home anymore."

"Then write it. That痴 how you値l always remember."

I nodded. "I will."

Jake smiled and left me to think on the hillside.

Amid the festivities, I slipped into the cabin and lit a small candle.

I placed the paper on a small table Ax had made for me and pulled up a chair. I took out the other two
secret treasures I had made to use with paper.

I picked up the feather pen I had crafted and dipped it into the jar of berry juice. The ink drew a straight
line at the top of the paper, and then another, and another. I wrote a few words, and then looked at
them. My name is Rachel.

I smiled. And then, refilling the feather-shaft with ink, began to write our story.

Epilogue-Two years later?

I stared at the small bundle in my arms. "Oh, Tobias. She痴 so beautiful."

His lips brushed my cheek. "Just like her mother."

"What do we name her?"

"Rachel Jr.?"

"No!" I laughed. "Let痴 name her...Hope."

"Hope in a new world." He smiled.

I nodded. "The first daughter of New Gaia."

                                                                      The End
 
 

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