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I doubt Ethan knew that Ty and Kate were getting to know each other, so I’m guessing it was Ayden’s suggestion. It speaks highly of him because I can see how touched Kate is by this gesture. She carefully closes both hands around the keyring and nurses it like a treasure.
“Uh, I’ll get back to it then. Like I said, if you need me, you know where to find me.” He waves.
Holding the box in both hands, I ask Kate, “Do you want to come too?”
She hesitates, then shakes her head. “Read it in private first. It was meant for you.”
I know it must be hard for her. She cared for Ty too. But I guess she’s right. I can always show her the contents of the box later.
So I hurry back to my room, sit down, and place the box on my desk. Before I open it, I take a few deep breaths. Ty’s face pops into my head, his voice, his laugh. It hurts so much to think that he’s gone, and tears well up in my eyes.
I slowly reach out and grasp the lid of the box. When I lift it, I find nothing inside but a sheet of paper. I take it out and begin to read the short letter.
Teresa,
You’re probably wondering why I’m writing you a letter instead of just saying this in person. Maybe it’s because I’m afraid I may not be able to find the right words – or the courage to tell you everything. But it’s time.
I’m still so sorry about you and Ayden. I keep asking myself if there was anything I could have done to change the way things turned out. Maybe I should have interfered less. At the very least, I think we can agree that I shouldn’t have orchestrated the whole movie thing. In retrospect, I can see that was a really bad call. But I honestly meant well. I still believe you guys are good for each other. But unfortunately, Ayden can be a total knucklehead and hard to draw out of his shell. You’re not so different in that regard, by the way.
Anyway, I guess he prefers to cling to old patterns of behavior, and I can understand why you don’t want to play along with that anymore. And I’m sure that’s what’s best for you. Still, I’d like to explain a couple of things to you, which definitely don’t excuse anyone’s behavior, but which might shed some light. You’ll find the items for this in the box.
I look up and check inside the box again, but it’s empty. I feel around with my fingers for a hidden compartment – nothing. What’s going on here? Has someone already removed the items?
I read on and find the answer.
Okay, so I’m not going to make it too easy for you. I often think back to the experiences we’ve shared, and there’s one thing I’ll never forget: your disgusted face when I told you about blood seals. It was priceless. And so, to your absolute delight – or rather mine – I’ve created a blood seal for you. And not just an ordinary one – it’s a double blood seal.
Enjoy,
Ty
P.S. When you’ve taken a look at the contents, come see me and I’ll explain it all to you.
I wipe the tears from my cheeks and take a few deep breaths to get a grip on my emotions. I keep looking at Ty’s flowing handwriting, his last words to me. He wanted to tell me something and never got the chance. I wonder what it was and whether the contents of the box will actually help me figure that out.
I reread the part about the blood seal and can’t help smiling. It’s typical of him to turn that into a game. I have no idea what a double blood seal is, but I guess I’m about to find out.
So I prick my finger with a needle and wait for a drop of blood to form. I let it drip into the box, but nothing happens at first. I try a second drop, but the result is the same: the box remains conspicuously empty. Is more blood required? Or does the drop need to fall on a different spot? I try that too. Nothing. I look at the letter, and then an idea occurs to me. Ty left me two objects: the letter and the box. So I spill another drop on the sheet of paper. As soon as my blood touches it, the inside of the box begins to glow. The light gets brighter and brighter, and something appears to be forming at its center. I can’t make out what it is until the light suddenly disappears, leaving behind a pile of photos.
I take them out, and at first, I’m not sure what to make of them. The first photo is of Vicky, Ty, and Ayden. They look younger than they are now. They’re sitting close together; Vicky has her arms around the other two, and they’re all grinning at the camera. There’s a fourth person in the next photo: Ethan. The four of them are seated together on a sofa and Ethan’s pulling a goofy face. Vicky appears to be laughing raucously at it, which seems really out of character. I never figured she was someone who could be amused by such antics. The other photos are similar – the four of them by the sea, hanging out in the mall, generally spending time together and having fun. I never realized they were such a tight posse that apparently did everything together. But I still don’t understand what Ty’s trying to tell me with these. And then, I see the next photo and catch my breath. Ethan and Vicky. They’re standing on the pier, the wind in their hair, bathed in the light of the setting sun, holding one another and kissing.
“They were a couple?” I ask into the silence of my room. Or did she just have something casual with him, like with Ayden? I’m not sure. But when I find two more photos of them holding hands or cuddling, my suspicion is confirmed. “They were together.”
Vicky looks so relaxed, so carefree. In every photo, she has a broad smile on her face. She looks happy. So why isn’t she anymore?
I look at the last two photos and feel the knot in my stomach tighten. This is the Vicky I know. She’s sitting on a park bench, against a rich background of red and gold leaves. Her expression is stony, her lips thin, her eyes gazing pensively into the distance. In the last photo, she’s lying in Ayden’s arms on a sofa. She’s snuggled up to him, and he’s kissing her hair. This scene reveals such a deep bond between them that for a moment I ask myself how I ever thought there was a chance we could betogether. Vicky will always be around. Is that what Ty was trying to tell me? She was evidently with Ethan for a while, but I guess that didn’t last long. At some point, Ayden and Vicky became close, and I expect there’s nothing that can destroy that bond. I swallow hard, put the photos back in the box, pick it up, and carry it out of my room.
Chapter 10
The door to Ty’s room is open, but I knock before hesitantly stepping inside. Ethan is standing by a shelf, packing two notebooks into a box. The room is almost empty, apart from a couple of items of furniture and a handful of photos, DVDs, and books. The sight of it makes my heart ache. Ty’s gone, and soon there’ll be nothing left here to remember him by. Another hunter will move into the room, and the last traces of Ty will disappear.
“Teresa, is everything okay?” Ethan asks.
He comes to me with a look of concern and puts a soothing hand on my shoulder.
I nod slowly. “Yeah, I’m okay.”
“I get it. This is hard for all of us.” He glances around the room. “It’s almost as if he were never here.” He rubs my arm. “But we’ll never forget him, and as long as we remember him, he lives on.”
