Chapter 14 - The Clearing Sky
The morning sun broke over Blackwood Lane like a golden blade, scattering the storm clouds and painting the autumn trees in shades of brilliant orange and red.
A yellow moving truck sat idling in the driveway of the Victorian house.
Ryan stood near the open rear door of the truck, wearing a clean grey jacket and black trousers. His face was pale, marked by faint scars near his temple, but his eyes were clear, focused, and calm.
A real estate agent, a tall woman holding a clipboard, walked down the front steps of the house toward him, looking nervous.
"Mr. Vance," she said, her voice hesitant as she looked back at the house. "The contractor finished replacing the flooring in the kitchen and hallway. They... ah... they said there was extensive water damage beneath the subfloor from an old pipe leak. They had to replace the entire ventilation duct network."
Ryan turned, looking at the house one last time.
The white metallic vent near the baseboard had been removed. The dark oak floorboards were brand new, polished, and sealed, reflecting the bright morning sunlight streaming through the windows.
"Did they find anything else down there?" Ryan asked quietly.
The agent blinked, shifting her feet. "Just... old insulation and damp soil, Mr. Vance. Nothing else."
Ryan nodded slowly. "Good."
He turned back to the truck, closing the heavy rear metal door and pulling the latch shut with a firm, decisive click.
He reached into his pocket, pulling out his phone. He scrolled through his contacts until he reached a name he hadn't called in six months: Sarah.
He pressed the call button, bringing the phone to his ear as he walked toward the driver's seat of the truck.
It rang three times.
"Hello? Ryan?" Sarah’s voice came through the speaker, hesitant, tired, but clear.
"Hi, Sarah," Ryan said softly, watching the morning sun reflect off the windshield. "It's me. I'm leaving the house today."
There was a long pause on the line. "Where are you going?"
May you like
"I'm going to visit her grave," Ryan said, his voice steady and completely free of fear. "And then... I'd like to see Toby, if that's okay with you."
On the other end of the line, Ryan heard Sarah catch her breath, followed by a soft, trembling exhale. "She'd like that, Ryan. Toby would like that too."
