by Aki_kaze
“Keith,” Diane called him from behind. She rested her hand on his shoulder “You sure about it?”
“Yes.” He nodded, his face free of worry.
“What changed your mind?” She studied his face, trying to find out if he forced himself to make that decision.
He remained silent. But when he was about to reply, Hector told them to come inside the house.
“Never mind. It’s a good change.” She gentle squeezed his shoulder. “Bring your clothes with you too. I think we must spend the night there.”
“Okay,” he said, leaving to his room.
He stood before the room door, wondering if he would see Sam inside. He felt excited like never before. A simple act of entering one’s own room shouldn’t make one feel like this.
He opened the door slowly. The light coming from outside the window brightened up the room. He could see the spirit standing in his usual spot, looking out of the window. Normally, the other wouldn’t know if he was back. But this time he quickly turned to greet the boy with a smile.
“You are back already?”
“I… I’m back.” He suddenly felt nervous. He closed the door, looking at the figure walking towards him. In his nervousness, he swallowed a big gulp.
“How was the trip to the sea?”
“How did you know?” he asked back, walking to take a seat on the bed. He felt much better after relieving himself out of the camera’s weight. The boy massaged his neck.
“Who wouldn’t? John talked out loud about it.” Sam pulled an annoyed face, but Keith could detect a hint of playfulness in his expression.
If Sam wouldn’t talk about what happened in the kitchen the other day, neither would Keith. The spirit’s facial expression back then flared up his wild imagination. Keith didn’t know the spirit’s intention. But he knew his. And if it wasn’t for Diane’ intervention, he would have…
“You took some pictures, right? Can I see them?” Sam’s voice snapped him out of his thought. His blue eyes were so earnest Keith couldn’t help smiling.
He turned on the camera and showed the other the photos one after another. The sea view. The restaurant. The seafood. Diane and Hector. John. Alice. He told the other what he’d done and what he’d eaten.
“I never thought John would get so excited about it.” Keith talked about that time when he saw John dash to the beach. “I mean, if it’s Alice, it’s understandable.”
“You weren’t excited?”
“I was more excited about seeing other people getting excited.”
The spirit laughed softly. They continued to view the pictures.
“The lighting is good today,” Sam said.
“You’re never going to compliment my photography skill, are you?”
“Nope.” The answer came lightning fast.
Keith snorted. He moved on to another photo, and then another. Sam’s eager voice came up from time to time. The spirit never went to that sea before. So, this was his first time seeing it. Keith learnt that Sam was allergic to seafood. He could eat some certain fish though.
“Even shrimps were no good?” Keith asked, “they are delicious. I ate a full plate of them today.”
“They give me hives.”
The blue eyes examined the other for a while.
“What is it?” Keith asked, seeing Sam’s eyes fixing on him.
“Nothing.” Sam turned to looked down at the camera screen. He said, his voice light, “I’m happy to see you being happy.”
Keith blinked in surprise.
“Happy? Me?”
“You didn’t realize?” The spirit raised his eyebrows, shaking his head. A faint smile appeared on his lips. “When you were telling me about today, your voice sounded… happy.”
“I would be much happier if you were there too,” he blurted out, then realized what he said. “I…”
Sam leaned in, resting his head on Keith’s shoulder. Although he felt no weight from it, he could feel the cold presence. The boy suddenly held his breath for a moment. He then found himself increasingly concentrated on his heartbeat and his breath. He never knew breathing could get so hard. It was different than when he was having a convulsion. That time, he had no control over his body. Right now he did, but still could do nothing about it.
“You still got more to show me, right?” Sam’s voice pulled him back to the present. Keith looked at the sea photo on the screen. He remembered the next one.
“I don’t know if you want to see it.”
The spirit sat up, not getting what Keith meant.
“It’s yours,” Keith said. The word gravestone lay dead heavy on his tongue.
“I want to see it.”
He pushed the button and Sam’s gravestone appeared on the camera. He studied the other’s face, trying to find a hint of something in those two blue eyes now fixing on the photo. He was a bit taken aback when a faint smile flickered across Sam’s face.
“It looks so simple. Unlike those I have seen on TV.”
“There’s another one.”
Keith changed the photos until he reached one with the flower bunch. Sam let out an oh.
“I don’t know who put it there. I thought perhaps it was your family.”
Sam rose to his feet immediately. He then went through the door without saying another word. Keith was astounded. He put down the camera and quickly followed the other boy but stopped at the door. Maybe Sam wanted to be by himself, he thought. But he didn’t want to leave Sam alone. Pacing back and forth in the room, he decided that he’d go after the other if he didn’t return within 10 minutes. He was positive that the other must be in the attic.
He went back to sit on the bed, nervous, thudding the floor with his heels. He should neither have told Sam about it nor have shown Sam the flower picture. It must be from his family. He didn’t know Sam’s cause of death, but, of course, seeing that photo would make Sam miss them.
“You’re such a fool, Keith Derringer.”
He reproached himself, biting his fingernails, the old habit long abandoned. A sudden pain prickled at his thumb. He saw blood collecting on the nail grooves. He then grabbed a piece of tissue paper to mop it. After that, he turned to look at the time on the smartphone. Only 3 minutes had passed.
Why must time pass so slowly every time he felt anxious?
When the boy had had enough waiting, he grabbed his phone and walked out the room, heading to the attic. Even though it would be 7 pm soon, it was still bright outside. The attic hadn’t got so dark that he needed the phone flashlight.
Keith saw Sam sitting in the corner, his knees up. He couldn’t see the other’s face, so it was hard to guess what the other was feeling. His eyes rested on the other for a while before he decided to break the silence.
“I was waiting for you to get back. You didn’t.”
“Sorry.” The boy became aware of his friend and changed into a cross-legged position.
Keith walked towards the spirit and slowly sit down next to him, his eyes scrutinizing the other’s expression. He wanted to ask if Sam was okay, but that didn’t sound right. There was no way Sam was okay. So, he simply sat there in silence.
“I never thought they would visit me,” Sam said at last, “It’s a shame I couldn’t meet them.”
“If I get to meet them, I can bring them here. Only if you’re fine with it.”
A smile tugged on the other’s lips.
“You don’t have to ask for my permission.”
“I’m sorry, Sam,” he blurted out.
“Why are you sorry? You didn’t do anything wrong.” The spirit lifted and moved his hand over the boy’s head, as if he was stroking it.
“I’m not a kid.” Keith tried swatting the other’s hand away even though his hand hit nothing but air. Sam laughed at it, and that helped ease Keith’s worry a bit. The living boy changed the topic to change the mood. “I’ve made up my mind. I’ll visit my parents’ grave.”
“That’s good.”
Just a l
ittle compliment from Sam, and he was happy.
“What changed your mind?” Sam asked.
“I miss them,” Keith admitted, “maybe it won’t make me stop missing them. But at least I will be there. And I’ve never seen them. Since the accident, I haven’t got to return to my old house. I know it will be a hard journey. But I’ll give it a try. Maybe I’ll take the sleeping pills, so I won’t get panic during the trip.”
The spirit put his hand on the back of Keith’s hand. A chilling sensation rushed from his limp to his heart.
“I can’t go with you. But I’ll wait for you here.”
Keith stared at the hand he yearned to touch but couldn’t. He looked up and his eyes met the other’s. He was holding his breath again. It felt like time had stopped, like everything had gone still. Their faces leaned to each other, closer and closer. It was as if they were picking up where they left off in the kitchen. If Sam could still breathe, Keith would right now feel the other’s warm breath. The boy’s heartbeat was so loud he could clearly hear it in his head. A chilling sensation met his face, so cold that he shivered.
He quickly bent his head down.
“I should go to bed,” he said, “I also need a shower first. It was hot today. And the sea breeze, too.”
His face heated up, his heart pounding like a hammer in his chest.
“Of course.” A gentle voice replied.
Keith looked up to see Sam’s face again. The other gave him a smile, and Keith returned it without delay. They understood the meaning without having to say a word.
Chapter Nineteen
The Aunt and the Nephew
Morning light shone through the window into the room. Keith woke up with mixed feelings. He was excited getting to return home. Nonetheless, he was afraid something might happen during the journey. He went into the bathroom as his mind raced through his stuff he’d prepared last night.
When he finished getting dressed, he checked his backpack. Sam was also in the room, watching him from the desk.
“It’s your third time already,” the spirit said.
“Maybe I forgot something.”
“And that’s the eighth.”
“It’s just a one-night stay. So, don’t worry about me,” Keith told Sam. The spirit raised his eyebrows in question, seeing that Keith was the only worrywart here. “Is there anything else I need?”
“Keith.”
“What?”
“Take a deep breath.”
He complied and stopped what he was doing. He breathed was in accordance with Sam’s words.
“Okay. I’m fine now,” Keith assured.
“God. You’re making me the worried one now,” Sam complained, taking a few steps towards the boy.
Keith was putting the backpack on his back as he turned to see the spirit up close. He was so surprised he stumbled backward, almost falling. Sam held out his hand to catch him, but it went through. Keith stiffened his legs, trying to maintain the balance.
“Sorry. You okay?”
“I…I’m okay,” said Keith, tightening the bag strap. “I’ll be away for only one…”
“You’ve said that too many times,” Sam intervened, “don’t worry. I’ll still be here when you come back.”
Keith’s heart stammered. He could only look down at his own feet.
He left the room to downstairs with Sam following him. In the kitchen, Diane was preparing him sandwiches to eat during the trip. Alice was also there, eating her breakfast. It was quite unusual for the girl to get up early in the summer break.
When she noticed Keith, she ran to hug him.
“My sweet summer child,” Diane said.
Keith had a hard time trying to stroke Alice’s arm for comfort as his two arms were encased in her hug.
She wished him a safe trip before going back to her meal.
Only Diane and he would travel to the cemetery. She didn’t think John and Alice needed to be there. Hector therefore had to stay home to take care of the kids.
“You ready?”
She handed him the meal box. Then she walked to kiss her daughter on both cheeks, bade farewell to her husband, and glanced upstairs. She shook her head seeing John hadn’t woken up yet and went to pick up her baggage in the living room. Before leaving, she repeated to Hector what needed to be done in a day. The man reassured her that she didn’t have to worry.
Keith looked at Sam who came to see him off at the house door. He waved his hand and smiled so brightly that Keith couldn’t help but smiling back. He felt at ease. Tomorrow he would be back home. Even though Sam wouldn’t be with him tonight, he would be fine.
“Are you alright, Keith?” Diane asked as she started the engine.
“Yes,” he replied. He looked out of the window and saw Hector and Alice waving them off. Sam was not there.
“Tell me if you need something,” she said, “thanks for coming with me.”
“Okay. Thank you for taking me there, too.”
She gave him a smile before stepping on the accelerator pedal. The car left the house and entered the main road. She turned on the radio to make the car not too quiet. She liked country songs, which Keith didn’t get to listen to much. He suddenly remembered that hadn’t asked Sam about his music taste yet.
After a 30-minute car ride, Keith opened his meal box and picked out a sandwich. It was tuna and cucumber, surprisingly a good combination despite his distaste for vegetable.
“Did your dad ever tell you he used to make me breakfast?”
He shook his head; this was his first time hearing about this.
She smiled before resuming her story.
“That day Mom and Dad had to leave home early. Usually Mom would prepare us food, but your dad insisted he’d make it himself. He said he was going to make sandwiches. It needed no stove, so Mom said okay.” Diane’s eyebrows started to knit together as she reminisced her past. “When I got down to kitchen, I saw him enjoy his sandwich. Mine was on the plate, cut in triangles. It looked colorful and tasty enough. But just when I gave it a bite.”
“What was it?”
“Mayo, tomato, pickle.”
The mere thought of it stopped Keith from taking another bite.
“How could he eat that?”
Diane burst out laughing.
“His was tuna and mayo.” She shook her head and let out a sigh. “He made delicious tuna mayo sandwiches though, I must admit. After that he made me another one.”
Keith regarded his dad as a kind and warm family man. He never thought his dad would have this playful side, too. A small smile tugged at his lips as he continued to finish his food.