River leaves for camp prep tomorrow - three days away from her newfound home. Iroh’s staying behind… for now. Next week, they'll both be under the same stars, just a cabin apart.
River Holbrook can’t remember much from that evening - just the bright flash of headlights, her dad screaming her name and the seatbelt biting into her chest. Sometimes she swears she can still taste the bitter metal in her mouth. It was a celebratory dinner, but she can't even remember what they ordered. The next time she opened her eyes, her parents were gone and the hospital was silent except for the steady, grating beep of a heart monitor.
The months that followed were a blur of paperwork, courtrooms and sleepless nights. She was supposed to start university; instead, she was fighting to keep her little brother, Iroh, out of foster care. When the judge’s gavel came down, it was decided: they’d move to Gibbi Point where their aunt Marama and uncle Tangaroa live near the old geyser in Wanderwood Wilds.
Now, River and Iroh have arrived with almost nothing - just a few bags and their mother’s wedding ring, salvaged from the rubble. Gibbi Point is messy, unfamiliar, and full of ghosts she isn’t ready to face. Iroh tries to be brave for her, but she can see the cracks in his smile when he thinks she isn't looking.
Still, there’s something about the old town that always made River feel safe as a child - the salt on the breeze, the cool mountain air, the memory of swimming and kayaking as a child. Iroh doesn't remember it much, but there's plenty of new memories to be made. Somewhere on the horizon, River can see brighter days ahead. They'll get there, even if it takes time.
