For all the children
To whom we entrust the future

It was almost December, and Jonas was beginning to be frightened.

His mind reeled. Now, empowered to ask questions of utmost rudeness- and promised answers- he could, conceivably (though it was almost unimaginable), ask someone, some adult, his father perhaps: "Do you lie?" But he had no way of knowing if the answer he received were true.

But perhaps it was only an echo.