I can feel a spark in Armina as it ignites a rage within her – "WAS I WITH CHILD?" she bellows at Ali.

Ali raises her head, "Yes, you were," she says, quietly.

Jethro puts his arm around my waist and pulls me into him as we await her explosive response – he did say it would be bad.

But it doesn't come.

Instead, Ali's calm seems to extinguish her rage. Armina lowers her voice, "And you were going to keep that fact from me, you were having me believe in the falsehood of infection?"  Ali lowers her head, "I thought it best to have you believe that, until I felt you were ready for the truth." 

Armina turns to me, "You inadvertently spilled the truth, and I thank you for that Lavender." She looks from me, to Jethro and settles back on Ali, "Truth and trust are to be the things that bond us." She lowers her head, takes a breath and says, "It was Petros, wasn't it?"

Jethro glances at me, and we both remain silent, knowing the answer has to come from Ali.

Ali puts a hand on Armina's shoulder, "Yes, it was Petros," she says.

Jethro and I exchange glances and I know we are both thinking the same – Armina is taking the news of her violation with a quiet dignity rather than the vengeful rage that we both expected.

She places her hand on top of Ali's, and gives a wistful stare as she speaks – "So my nightmare was real. I recall Carola giving me the cup of Sarsaparilla and my remarking on its bitter taste, 'Drink it up, it will do you good,' she said. Soon after I felt sleepy, my legs became heavy and I had to lie down in the Cutter Collective# 2 dorm. I succumbed to the deepest sleep with a nightmare so vivid – a man violating me whilst girls watched and chanted, 'Destroy her disorder and create new life.' They chanted this over and over with a fervent zealotry. The following morning I awoke with a thumping headache and such was the lucid memory of my violation that I recounted it to Carola. She laughed, 'Oh Armina, your dreams are most vivid, I can assure you no man came into our dorm last night.' She was so convincing in her dismissal, that I dismissed this crime as a bad dream."

When she pauses, Jethro asks, "Do you not feel vengeful towards Petros?" She thinks for a moment, places her hand on Ali's stomach and says, "We shall avenge him positively, by raising his child to be as the very antithesis of its biological father." She looks at Jethro and I, "I shall give that monster no further thought, for he does not deserve anymore of my head space," she says, with a gentle smile.

I am impressed with the maturity of her attitude and vow to try and adopt her thinking for myself.

It is then that I see Ali is crying, softly. Armina wipes away a tear that trails here cheek, "Why do you cry, we have happy times ahead of us," she says, continuing to wipe Ali's falling tears. Ali smiles, weakly, "I cry for I am conflicted: I feel happy, yet guilt-ridden for withholding the truth from you."

Armina embraces her, "I understand you did it to protect my welfare, which proves the depth of your feeling for me – I am grateful to you, I am grateful for our future family." She undoes her embrace, puts her arm around Ali's shoulder, turns to Jethro and I, and says, "We four are blessed, truly we are blessed," she says, with a positive, pumping arm in the air gesture.

I feel the tension in Jethro's body fall away as he tightens his hold on me, "Let us go down and mingle with the crowds in the freedom tunnel, it will be good for us to absorb the excitement that is in the air." 

Armina and Ali light up, "Yes, medic Lea has told us of the great expectation that permeates our Sanctuary, we must go and partake of the festivities on this day that will be forever known as Reveal's Eve," says Armina. Ali pulls back a little, "I take it Petra, Petros and Carola are securely locked-up?" 

I jump in, "I hope so..."

...Jethro immediately cuts me off, "You know so, Lavender."

There is a lift in his tone, like he can feel my impending pessimism and is countering it. I react with according confidence, "Yes, yes, they are all imprisoned," I say, through a forced optimism.

###

Jethro and I walk hand-in-hand, along with Ali and Armina; their hands are also clasped in love and solidarity.

Ali and Armina chatter with an exhilarating canter, "I just know the new world will be everything I have dreamt of," says Ali. Armina responds with enthusiasm, "Tell me of your dream, so I can visualise our new world?" 

Ali speaks, her words dancing to the rhythmic beat of our footfall on the Sheroa's wooden ramps, "It is sun-filled and flush with lush meadows, abundant with fruit and berry laden trees and bushes. Crystal-clear waters flow, replenishing the land whilst providing transport and sustenance for the people of this Utopia." She pauses to let out a loud sigh, "Aaaaaaah, the people – they are free from tyranny, lead by a fair and equal governance who encourage an equal, supportive status amongst its men and women. A governance that sees the love that you and I share, as the same that Jethro and Lavender covet. A governance that respects and supports its women's decisions, in every capacity." When she pauses, Armina jumps in, "It looks and sounds like heaven," she says. Ali replies with a song-like soprano, "It will be our heaven, here on earth!"

Jethro squeezes my hand as we approach the gangplank, "Their enthusiasm is so sweet, isn't it?" he says, his face beaming.

"Yes, it is," I say, through a forced smile.

For the reality is, I worry that Ali's dream could become a nightmare, and our journey may bring us to our heavenly end.