The anniversary of my parents’ death crept up on me, buried under layers of work. There wasn’t much mourning anymore; they had passed when I was very young. Mel also raised me, and his home contrasted sharply with my childhood. After over two decades, this annual visit had become a routine, more of an obligation than an act of heartfelt remembrance. 

Avery and I walked in silence, our footsteps scuffing the uneven dirt path. The colorless surroundings, the tired villagers, and the workers we passed seemed to mirror the somber nature of our visit. Avery had been joining me each year since we became friends, stepping in whenever Mel couldn’t. It wasn’t strictly necessary; I’d made the two-hour commute alone countless times, but having a familiar companion was a quiet comfort. The drive from the city, leaving behind its chaos for my parents’ small hometown, always felt like a brief escape. The village had warmth to it, but it also felt oddly unfamiliar, like a place I couldn’t quite reconnect with.

Avery’s long strides kept pace with mine, making sure I stayed beside him. I glanced at his side profile, his familiar features unexpectedly reminding me of all the time we’d spent together. College seemed like ages ago, but I couldn’t forget the fun times we had together with his brother. 

There was a slight tug at my memory. His brother? Did he have a brother? My thoughts tangled as we continued toward the hill where a few gravestones stood, the last resting place of my parents.

We reached the hill’s lone tree, where my parents’ tombstones rested.

Here Lie

Tyler and Erin Monroe

Two Kind and Caring Hearts

Whose Hard Work Graced Us All

May Peace and Liberty Be Yours.

I traced their names with my fingertips, reading the familiar epitaph once again. Fond memories of my parents were few, nearly nonexistent, but I never wished for their deaths. Others, knowing how they treated me, might scoff at my yearly visits. Sometimes, I even wondered why I kept coming.

I knelt, clearing leaves from the grave. The bouquet’s plastic wrapping crinkled as I placed it gently on the grass, the petals settling in their new home. After a moment, I stood and turned to Avery. He knew this trip was just a tradition, but his eyes held a sadness I couldn’t ignore. He cared for me, truly, like an older brother cares for his younger sister.

As we walked back down the hill, my phone buzzed in my pocket. Almost immediately after, Avery’s ringtone echoed through the air. It had to be a work call. We both answered the call, already expecting to be pulled into something urgent. 

“Selene,” Eric’s deep voice came through. “I need you to come to the address I’m about to send you. There’s been another murder.”

Without hesitation, I agreed, glancing at Avery, who had already ended his call and was waiting for me. We started jogging down the hill toward the village entrance. That’s when I saw him, a hooded figure trudging up the hill toward the graveyard we’d just left. His hood’s shadow concealed his face, and he stared at the ground ahead.

We’d left enough space to avoid him, still our shoulders brushed as we passed. My purse slipped off my shoulder, falling to the ground and spilling its contents across the worn steps. I immediately apologized, unsure who was at fault, but he barely reacted. He shook his head and bent down to pick up my purse.

“Thank you,” I said, trying to gather the scattered items. Avery had returned up the steps to help me as well.

“Are you okay?” His eyes glared at the hooded man, but I reached for his arm, shaking my head. This was no time for a confrontation.

The man handed me the purse without a word, then turned and continued his ascent. I stuffed my belongings back into the purse with haste. Just as I finished, something caught my eye: a bright orange note that had fallen to the ground. Could it have dropped when we bumped into each other?

I picked it up and dusted off the dirt. The note was crumpled, and its edges showed wear from too many folds. The ink was faint, barely legible, but the words were clear:

Did you forget?

I scanned the hill, but the man was nowhere to be seen. How could he have disappeared so quickly? Only a few seconds had passed since our collision. 

“What is that?” Avery had been busy on his phone, inputting the address to our destination when I picked up the note.

I shook my head and leaned it over so he could read it.

“I don’t know. I think the guy I bumped into dropped it, but I don’t know what it means. Do you think this was on purpose? It seems too on point to be a coincidence.”

His eyes slightly widened at the words on the note, mimicking my earlier actions by looking around for the man, but it was useless. He was already long gone. Besides, there were more pressing things to take care of than a mysterious note.

I folded the note and shoved it into my pocket, then quickened my pace with Avery down the hill. Our breaths were heavy by the time we made it to the village entrance. An old bus was already waiting as if it knew we were coming.

----------------------------------------------------

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Art: Petra Eggert