Epilogue

I am standing here, the wind whipping my dirty blonde hair in my face. They all lie. I can prove it. They say that if you stare at the sun longer than 30 seconds, you lose vision. You’re blind. Maybe that’s because I’m already blind. But I am standing here, staring at the sun for over 30 minutes. Or that’s what it feels like. But it doesn’t hurt, doesn’t burn at all. The pale light is shimmering with blots of pastel watercolors, a blurry rainbow suspended in the sky. I am standing here alone, calmly letting go. Of all that’s happened, all that is, all that’s coming. It is cold. So very cold, with that cold white sea surrounding me. Puffs of air escape my lungs, little strings of hope fleeing my body. I collapse into the sea of white, and lie there, thinking. I am now not so cold. It is quite warm, heavenly, pristine. I am closing my eyes, it’s too much to take in…

1.

It is 5:00 p.m. when I get the phone call.

“A girl is missing, around 5”4, dirty blonde hair, light green eyes, teen years. Her mother seems to think she ran off past Pembrooke, not near Pennington High. We’re searching on the east banks, you go search the woods, Tyler.”

With a huff, I run out into the cold January blizzard and hop into my pick-up, gunning the old engine. With a sputter, it roars to life, sending a chill down my spine. I drive down about 10 miles past Pennington High, near the brink of the woods referred to as “Turning Point” with the locals. Mainly, I believe, because many don’t enter these parts of the woods, unless you’re on your death wish. Stepping over the muck that gathers on the brink, I carefully tread through a expanse of gnarly, twisted branches of dead fallen trees. The snow seems to be slowing around these parts, but still the shadowy gray forest is under a spell of silence. I search through the dizzying maze of tall trees, endlessly calling, “Hello? Anyone? I’m here to help you! Before you freeze in here! Please?” It starts to make me feel pointless, like searching for a piece of glass on a skating rink surface. Giving up hope here, I decide to make the trek far up into the woods to the clearing I found sophomore year. Well, I suppose I should say last year, but it makes me feel more knowledgeable to be less specific about age. So, I hike up to the clearing and look upon a barren tundra. It is just pure white, without a footprint marking it. Just as I turn to go, I see just the tiniest bit of color far into the clearing. I almost could’ve missed that speck of purple; then again, this clearing was pretty large. I ran until my legs burned across the clearing, and still had to pause before I reached her. This would be the girl; the one reported missing as a pretty average teenage girl. My heart skipped a beat when I realize, one, she is pretty pale to be alive; two, she wasn’t average, she was the prettiest girl I’ve ever met; and three? I had to do something, and quick. So, I pick her up and find out she’s quite light weight, and run carrying her to my pick-up, which takes a lifetime. It’s hard to be careful when you’re in a panic. As soon as I put her in the car and start racing back to Pembrooke, I realized I haven’t checked for a pulse.

“IDIOT!”

I shout to myself. Luckily, as I steer one handed and check her carotid artery. I somehow knew that she would still be alive, knew that it would be okay for this beautiful girl that I just met. We speed into the hospital section of the ER and I get her situated. After filling out the report, I go to check in on her room. She’s lying there, already flushed. Opening her eyes, she screams. I jump back.

“Wh-what’s wrong?”

I stammer.

“Are you the freakin’ doctor? Wait, no, stupid!”

She mumbles, and then turns back to me.

“The problem is that I’m ALIVE. I’m supposed to be dead right now, whether in heaven or hell I don’t know, but somewhere. Somewhere that is NOT in Pembrooke.”

She sighs, and turns away.

“Just go. Leave. Vamanos!”

I laugh nervously.

“Sorry, but I can’t do that. I’m the one that rescued you, and therefore I need to see you delivered safely.”

She turns towards me once more, light green eyes opened wide.

“You… rescued me?”

She narrows her eyes.

“Listen! I DID NOT want to be rescued, I want to be out of here right now, and you need to GO before I KILL you!”

Now I narrow my eyes.

“Not until you tell me why you didn’t want to be rescued before you froze to death!”

She sighs.

“Ugh. You must be a shrink or something. Fine! I’ve had a lot of stuff going on lately; my Grandma has cancer, Libby’s pregnant, my mother isn’t even around to take care of July… Laurie and Willa have been ignoring me for no apparent reason, and now YOU!”

With a sneer, she looks at me.

“There! Ya happy?”

I smile.

“Sure! Well, I’m still staying here for a while. I’m Tyler Bronte.”

She rolls her eyes.

“So, now we’re going be brilliant buddies? Fine, Bronte. Hi, I’m Halley. Halley Klien. And, to be honest, I really don’t usually have this type of attitude. At all. It’s just… all this, that’s been going on…”

Halley sighs.

“It’s just… frustrating. Overwhelming. So, I thought I’d be one person out of the way if I, well, committed…suicide? Is that what you’d call it?”

“Attempted suicide.”

I say, point-blankly,

“And you’d probably have made things worse, when it comes to actuality. There’s funerals and stuff, and then the grief…oh, sorry. I’m not being very sensitive or comforting, am I?”

“I’m used to it.”

Halley says quietly,

“Why don’t you leave and let them give me some nice pain killers? I believe I might have frost bite. Then, when you come back, we can start over how I normally would’ve. ’Kay, Bronte?”

“Okay, Klien.”

With a satisfied smile playing on my face, I close the door and walk confidently down the immaculate hall to the waiting room.

2.

I wake up at first with blurry vision. Just pastel smears and fuzzy white light, just like when I was looking at the sun. Then I realize what happened once again and almost start to cry. Well, that Bronte was a pretty nice guy; even though I didn’t catch his first name. With a grunt, I prop myself up against the floppy hospital pillows. I am going to give this another try, a second shot. I promised to behave and act normal for that guy, so I’m going to give it my all. I buzz the nurse.

“Oh, good, you’re up, sweetie.”

She says a bit tiredly. Her hair is a bit static-y, and her nametag is askew.

“Hi—”

I squint.

“— Melissa. I was wondering if you could send a visitor up here? He should be in the waiting room, Bronte, I think?”

“Sure, hon.”

She smiles quickly and leaves the room, but not before I hear her mumble,

“Thank God. Only two more miserable hours.”

And I can’t help but giggle.

Almost immediately, the guy pops through the door.

“Hey.”

He says a bit quietly.

“Hey!”

I bounce on the bed, and pat the seat next to me.

He shuffles over a bit awkwardly, and takes his time sitting down.

“Hi, then, and thanks. My name is Halley Klien.”

I stick out my hand, and he shows a tiny smile.

He clasps my hand. His is a bit cold and clammy.

“Hey, Halley. I’m Tyler Bronte. And, you’re welcome.”

“For saving my life, I mean.”

I say quickly.

“I know.”

He grins,

“Not like it’s a big deal, though. I do that type of thing before breakfast! And then, during the afternoon, I’m trying to move buildings and save the rainforest.”

Tyler nods enthusiastically.

I laugh. This boy is so quirky, yet in a good way. Only he can make light of the weirdest jokes.