Page 83 of The Keeper

“And then there’s the really great drunk text I sent him in the middle of the night.”

I rolled my head back, looking up. Hitting send seemed so wise at the time. When I woke up this morning I thought it was just a dream. Then I looked at my phone. Nope, I actually sent it. The most disingenuous sounding text ever. In my inebriated head, it sounded soft and caring. On the phone, it came off as dismissive.

“No wonder he didn’t respond,” I muttered.

Birds chirped in the distance, interrupting the solace of the cemetery. I folded my arms, aware that I sounded like a jackass.

“I wish you were here. You were always so much smarter than me about this shit.” I sighed. “Oh. Your diary. I sort of found it at the house. Well, I didn’t find it. But you know that already. I haven’t read it. But I am curious…”

Talking out loud to her gave me a false sense of peace. And I needed that more than anything right now.

“Excuse me,” an unfamiliar, shy voice sounded near me.

The sparrow took off.

I looked up into the curious brown eyes of the boy with the sketch pad. “Yes?”

“Sorry to bother you but is this a relative?”

I blinked. “Yes. My twin sister.”

“Oh,” he said softly. “I drew this the other day. Would you like it?”

He handed me a beautiful drawing of Charlotte’s gravestone. Hovering above it, a red butterfly.

“I had to use the red for the butterfly. It was so pretty. I’d never seen a red one before. I hope you don’t mind the rest of it is still black and white.”

“It’s lovely. Thank you.”

The boy’s shy smile radiated warmth. “I’m glad you like it. I hope it captures your sister’s spirit.” He wandered off to another part of the cemetery.

Seconds later, the sparrow returned. It could have been a different one for all I knew but I had a weird feeling it was the same one. I glanced from the bird to the drawing and sighed.

“I’m fully aware you can’t actually give me your blessing to read the diary but,” I gestured around, “I feel as though…it’s almost like you wanted me to find it. I never would have gone up to your room in a million years if I hadn’t been chasing him.”

I paused, looking at the drawing. And then at the bird. And then up at the sky.

“Right. Of course. That was the idea. I want to know what happened. Why you were so upset. And now I might have the answer.”

The sparrow hopped in a circle, twitched its head back and forth, and flew off.

Xavier

“Open up, Maddox,” Bennet yelled, pounding on my front door.

I’d rather not, thanks. Sitting here on the couch will do just fine. I closed my eyes, leaning my head back. Sundays are for football, not brute force entry.

Knock, knock, knock.

Pause.

BANG, BANG, BANG.

My phone started ringing. He wasn’t going to let up.

“Alright, fine,” I yelled. “I’m coming. Knock it off, for fuck’s sake.”

I shuffled to the door, opening it in frustration.

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