The car started to move away. Reed's head and hand moved out of the car's window as he waved to the Taylor family. 

 

The next day, they arrived at their destination

There was a thirty-meter stone sculpture at the top of the hill. The sculpture was of a woman wearing a robe, had two wings and long hair. A flame was sculpted on her bare feet. There was a legend that a goddess descended on the hill. Golden fire rose from her feet. Shooting stars fell from the sky and created the lake.

"How can there be a legend like that,"said Reed as he looked at the sculpture from the car's window.

Dylan had a mysterious smile on his face."Kid, there are more legends, which you might think are also outrageous. You will think like that because you haven't seen what is hidden in the world. You'll see them once you are ready, and then your outlook will change. You'll understand why legend will no longer seem impossible."

"I'm not ready yet?"

"Not yet, you are still a kid."

"Tsk!" Reed looked at the town that had an ancient atmosphere with many people."It's quite lively here."

Ruth smiled."The town is close to the city. It's a tourist spot."

They arrived at their house. A forty-year-old maid was waiting for them.

"She is Mila. She'll take care of Wenston when we are not in the house," said Ruth.

Mila smiled as she helped them carry the luggage.

Reed went to the balcony on the second floor and looked at the sculpture overlooking the town.

Dylan chuckled as he walked onto the balcony. "I know what you're thinking. Go."

Reed smiled. He ran to the side of the balcony and jumped on top of the railing. There was a tree near the balcony, and he wanted to jump toward the tree, but a hand grabbed his back and stopped him from moving.

"Kid, you are no longer in Woodville. Be careful of what you show," said Dylan with a smile.

Their neighbor named Frank was watering their plants when he saw what happened."Hey buddy! You seem to have a problem child! "

Dylan laughed."It's fine. He is a sensible kid. He will learn his lesson after I teach him."

Reed moved down from the railing and scratched his head. His hands and feet are getting itchy. He missed the freedom of swinging, running, and jumping in the woods.

Dylan smiled and patted Reed's shoulder."It's fine if no one can see it. The hills around the town are quite rich in woods."

Reed smiled. He ran out of their house, then moved into the woods. He flexibly ran, jumped, and swung. He reached the stairs, then walked to the top of the hill with other tourists. There were others at the top of the hill. He moved in front of the sculpture as he looked at the town. There was a huge lake where small boats were sailing. There were hills around the town, and hot air balloons were carrying tourists as they flew. Reed smiled as he took out his phone and took a picture of the town from the hill, then sent a message."We are here, Sta. Helena."

Ava was sitting on a swing when she received Reed's message. She smiled when she read it, then sent a reply."It's not as good as Woodville."

Reed chuckled as he stared at the town."She is right, though."

Two months later, Karter and Lora got married, but the Maxwell family could not attend because Reed's parents had important matters regarding their work. The wedding was simple and held in Woodville.

Karter acted like a good father.

"There is a businessman that moved here from the city. He is building a bottled water factory called Wonder Spring. It will be operational soon. I got accepted when I applied," said Karter while they were eating in the kitchen.

"Really?! That's good news. Our town is far away. Will he still have a profit? His business might become bankrupt," said Lora.

Karter smiled."He is a successful businessman in the city. He will not invest if he knows it will go bankrupt. I also heard that he has connections. His business might get large orders and constant customers."

"Hey, if you join his business early, then you might have a chance to get a higher position when it becomes bigger."

Karter chuckled. "I hope so."

A month later, officials of the town attended the opening of Wonder Spring. The business owner, Edward, shook hands and introduced his fourteen-year-old son, Lincoln.

Karter stared at Lincoln, and then a smile appeared on his face.

One day, they went on a picnic near the river.

"Ava, can I borrow your phone? I forgot mine, and my brother wants to see what Woodville looks like," said Karter.

"Here."

"I'll be back."

Karter went to the river and took a picture. He smiled as he typed a message. He thought,"How will a fourteen-year-old boy react to this? I hope he'll act according to what I want. If this fails, it will be fine. The two of them are too far from each other. There will be many chances to make a gap."

He threw Ava's phone into the river, then jumped. The phone was washed away, and then Karter went back with wet clothes.

"I'm sorry, I slipped from the stone and the phone was washed away by the river. I'll take a day off next week and accompany you to apply for your number and buy a new phone," said Karter.

Ava nodded her head. When they went home, she tried to borrow her mother's phone.

"I don't know what is wrong with my phone. It won't turn on," said Lora.

Ava went to Karter.

"I am also looking for my phone in the house, but it seems I have forgotten it in the factory."

Ava felt frustrated as she walked to her room.

Karter smiled as he looked at Ava's back.

Meanwhile, Reed was sitting on the window of a thirty-meter-tall building. The building had ancient style and there was a huge bell on its top. He was blankly looking at the lake. He had many missed calls to Ava. He looked at his phone and read the message again.

"I'm sorry, it felt abrupt, but I was already thinking about it a long time ago and I can't say it in front of you. As I grow up, the more I realize my mom's hard work and sacrifices for us. Texting, calling, and playing made me feel like I'm not worthy to be her daughter. From now on, I want to focus on making my dream for me and my family, especially for my mom. No matter how much I think, I can't see you in that dream."

Reed felt weak for some reason as he looked at the sky.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! The bell suddenly rang.

The bell sounded louder in Reed's ear because of his stronger sense than ordinary humans. The sound felt painful to his ears. The phone fell from his hand when he was startled by the bell's sound. The phone broke when it fell to the ground, then got crushed when a car ran over it.

"Shit," cursed Reed.

After two days, Karter replaced Ava's phone with a different number.

"I thought you'd go together tomorrow?" asked Lora.

"Our boss ordered me to do something in the city. I was able to finish what I had to do much earlier than I expected, so I also did it. I know someone there. He even knows Ava. I just had to show the necessary documents. Ava doesn't need to appear."

Ava was looking at her phone."The number is different."

"Oh, I forgot to remind him. Sorry."

"Thanks," said Ava, then she went outside as she dialed a number, but she couldn't reach the number she was calling.

In the evening, Dylan and Ruth looked at each other when they saw Reed's mood was low.

"What happened to your phone?" asked Ruth.

"It got crushed by a car."

"You did not punch it?" asked Dylan with a joke, but Reed did not respond, making the husband and wife look at each other again.

Ruth and Dylan were making gestures to each other while Reed was looking down at his plate, slowly eating his food.

Three days later, Lora's phone got fixed, and then Ava searched for Ruth's number, but all the numbers were wiped out.

"Reed hasn't called yet?" asked Lora when she noticed that Ava's mood was down.

Ava shook her head."My number is different, and I can't reach his number. I don't remember Aunt Ruth's number."

"Oh right, I forgot."

"The boy is much weaker than I think," thought Karter.

In the evening, Reed looked at the sculpture at the top of the hill. There was a fluorescent light at the sculpture's feet. The light was like a golden flame.

He looked at the stars in the sky as Dylan walked onto the balcony."Dad, what was your dream? "

Dylan also looked at the sky."To some people, their dream is their drive to keep on living and moving no matter how many times reality knocks them down. When one window closes, one can search for another window. They might make sacrifices. They will feel pain and suffering, but there will be happiness in the end."

He put his arm around Reed's shoulder."Your mother, you, and Wenston are my happiness."

Reed looked at his father, then at the stars."Will she be happier? "

A tear fell from Reed's eye.

Ava was sitting on a swing as she looked at the only star in the sky that was not blocked by the clouds. A tear fell from her eye.