The Boy's New Family

After the man's death, the boy is taken in by a kind family, finding a new sense of belonging.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

Meeting the Good Man

The Encounter The Figure on the Road A man with a shotgun appears, dressed in a gray and yellow ski parka. He asks where the boy's father is. The boy says he died. The man says he is sorry. The Question The boy asks if he is one of the good guys. The man says yes. He asks if the boy is carrying the fire. The boy says yes. The Decision The boy agrees to go with him. He takes the suitcase and the pistol. The man leads him into the woods, where his family is waiting.

The Embrace

The Warmth The Woman's Arms When the woman sees the boy, she puts her arms around him and holds him. She says she is so glad to see him. The boy feels a mother's love for the first time in years. The Family They have a little boy and a little girl. They do not eat people. The boy feels safe. He tells them about his father. The Talk of God The woman talks to him about God. The boy says he talks to his father every day and does not forget. She says that is the breath of God passing through all time.

The Final Image

The Memory The Brook Trout The story ends with a memory of brook trout in the mountains, a world that cannot be put back. The boy has found a new family, but the loss of the old world remains. The Boy's New Life The boy is now part of the good guys. He carries the fire. He talks to his father. The woman's words comfort him. He is not alone. The Hope Though the world is dead, the boy carries the memory of his father and the fire. There is a glimmer of hope in the human connection.

after the father's death

immediately after

the end of the story