Whispers Carved Into the Wind 5

Chapter 5 

If Vivian was the one I loved… what did it mean when I fell for Riley? 

Callum zoned out again. 

Riley bit her lip, nails digging into her palm. But she kept her voice all cute and whiny. “Callum! You’re not even listening! Do you not love me anymore?” 

He snapped back. “Sorry.” 

‘Do you even remember what I just said?” 

He shook his head. 

Riley sighed like she was disappointed. “I keep having nightmares. Can we go to that monastery up in the Berkshires for a bit? 

heard they have these prayer beads that really work. If I get some, maybe the nightmares will stop…” 

Callum thought about it, then nodded. “Okay.” 

They drove up to the monastery. Callum got Riley a blessed bracelet. 

According to the monk, you had to personally hang the blessing pouch on the highest peak for it to count. 

‘I’ll be fine.” He squeezed her shoulder. 

Callum bit down on the pouch, checked the safety rope around his waist, and started climbing the wet cliffside. 

At thirty feet, he could still hear Riley crying and telling him to be careful. 

At a hundred and fifty feet, the wind drowned out everything. 

At three hundred feet, memories exploded in his head- 

Mr. Reid never did anything halfway for Miss Monroe. Flowers everywhere, threw this huge party with a live band and ireworks, neighbors complained for weeks…” 

That was the housekeeper talking. He’d barely paid attention. Now every word felt sharp. 

He finally made it to the top. Breathing hard, he tied the pouch carefully to an old pine tree. 

When he turned to climb back down, the safety rope snapped. 

Crack. 

Gravity yanked him down. He didn’t even have time to yell. 

The reservoir swallowed him whole. Freezing water, lungs screaming. 

Through the dark green water, he saw shapes drifting by. 

Then everything came flooding back. 

A summer night. Fireworks everywhere, lighting up a girl’s face. Tears on her cheeks. The whole sky exploding with color. 

“You always say your birthday sucks cause there’s no moon,” the girl said, voice breaking. “So screw the moon. I’ll give you fireworks instead.” 

He tried to wipe her tears. The warmth of her skin burned him. 

Callum thrashed underwater. Not cause he was drowning. Cause he needed to see her face. 

His head felt like it was splitting open. But he didn’t let go. 

Finally, right before he passed out, he saw it. 

Those crying, smiling eyes. Vivian’s. 

‘Vivian…” 

He whispered her name as the water dragged him under. 

Then every memory he’d lost came crashing back like a dam breaking.