Letters from the Dead pt. 17

For the first few minutes Ashtyn and I caught up. 

We were old friends.  We had known each other for years.

She had known Cherish.

I told her about the school.

She told me about her trip to HeartSong Island, and the fact that she was seeing someone.

A woman, named Rita. 

She seemed happy. 

I was jealous.

The tone of the conversation shifted, and I showed her the letters. 

She read them, but didn’t speak.

“Can I keep these?”

I told her of course.

“I can’t give you answers right now, but give me a couple of days to do some research, and I’ll let you know what I find out.”

I mention Sebastian. 

She asks if she can talk to him. 

I tell her I’ll run it by him. 

We part with a hug, and Ashtyn heads towards her office. 

I head down the steep stone steps towards my car.

For a brief moment I could swear I saw Cherish watching me from the bottom of the steps.

She looks just as I last saw her.

Her neck, red and ragged from the rope, her face bloated and purple. 

I blink, and she’s gone.