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Jonas went horeeted his parents, and lied easily about what a busy, pleasant night he had had

His father smiled and lied easily, too, about his busy and pleasant day the day before

Throughout the school day, as he did his lessons, Jonas went over the plan in his head It seeone over it and over it, late into the night hours

For the next teeks, as the time for the December Ceremony approached, The Giver would transfer every th that he could to Jonas He would need those to help him find the Elsewhere that they were both sure existed They kneould be a very difficult journey

Then, in the ht before the Cere This was probably the erous part, because it was a violation of a major rule for any citizen not on official business to leave a dwelling at night

"I'll leave at ht," Jonas said "The Food Collectors will be finished picking up the evening-meal remains by then, and the Path-Maintenance Crews don't start their work that early So there won't be anyone to see ency business"

"I don't knohat you should do if you are seen, Jonas," The Giver had said "I havefrohout history But every situation is individual There is no memory of one like this"

"I'll be careful," Jonas said "No one will see , you're held in very high respect already So I think you wouldn't be questioned very forcefully"

"I'd just say I was on some important errand for the Receiver I'd say it was all your fault that I was out after hours," Jonas teased

They both laughed a little nervously But Jonas was certain that he could slip away, unseen, fro Silently he would take his bicycle to the riverbank and leave it there hidden in bushes with the clothing folded beside it

Then he would h the darkness, on foot, silently, to the Annex

"There's no nighttime attendant," The Giver explained "I'll leave the door unlocked You si for you"

His parents would discover, when they woke, that he was gone They would also find a cheerful note fro for an earlythe river; that he would be back for the Ceremony

His parents would be irritated but not alarmed They would think him inconsiderate and they would plan to chastise hier, for hi Lily to the Cere to anyone, though," Jonas said, quite certain "They won't call attention toAnd anyway, everyone is so involved in the Ceremony that they probably won't notice that I', I don't have to sit with roup any more So Asher will think I'm with my parents, or with you--"

"And your parents will assued "It will take everyone a while to realize that I' on our way by then"

In the early , The Giver would order a vehicle and driver from the Speaker He visited the other co with their Elders; his responsibilities extended over all the surrounding areas So this would not be an unusual undertaking

Ordinarily The Giver did not attend the December Ceremony Last year he had been present because of the occasion of Jonas's selection, in which he was so involved But his life was usually quite separate from that of the community No one would comment on his absence, or on the fact that he had chosen this day to be away

When the driver and vehicle arrived, The Giver would send the driver on so his absence, The Giver would help Jonas hide in the storage area of the vehicle He would have with him a bundle of food which The Giver would save fro the next teeks

The Cerein, with all the community there, and by then Jonas and The Giver would be on their way

By midday Jonas's absence would become apparent, and would be a cause for serious concern The Ceremony would not be disrupted--such a disruption would be unthinkable But searchers would be sent out into the co were found, The Giver would be returning Jonas, by then, would be on his own,his journey Elsewhere

The Giver, on his return, would find the community in a state of confusion and panic Confronted by a situation which they had never faced before, and having no memories from which to find either solace or wisdom, they would not knohat to do and would seek his advice

He would go to the Auditoriuathered, still He would stride to the stage and command their attention

He would make the solemn announcement that Jonas had been lost in the river He would iin the Ceremony of Loss

"Jonas, Jonas," they would say loudly, as they had once said the naether they would let Jonas's presence in their lives fade away as they said his name in unisonfrom them, until he was no more than an occasional one forever, not to be ain

Their attention would turn to the overwhel the memories themselves The Giver would help them

"Yes, I understand that they'll need you," Jonas had said at the end of the lengthy discussion and planning "But I'll need you, too Please come with me" He knew the answer even as he made the final plea