Shadowed Protector

Another Letter

"So...what do we do first?" Patton asked. They were at Roman's house. Setting their bags in Roman's room the fanciful boy turned to the others.

"I was hoping we could look in the attic, maybe you guys can find something I didn't see the first time."

"Well, what are we waiting for. Let's go," Patton ran to the attic stairs. Roman followed quickly behind and Logan tried to keep up.

"This place is dark," Patton said.

"I have my phone," Roman said turning on his phone's flashlight.

"There's not another light in here and only a small window, but it's covered by bigger furniture." Roman explained to them.

Patton sneezed stirring up more dust in the air.

"Where did you find the letters?" Logan asked the dramatic teenager.

"In this box," Roman held up an old shoe box. "but there's nothing else in it."

"What if one fell out?" Patton asked them.

"That could be a possibility," Logan informed.

"It won't hurt to look again," Roman told his friends. Patton pulled out his phone and turned on the flashlight. He got to work searching everywhere for another letter. Roman and Logan not far behind. They spent the next 30 minutes looking.

"I found an old looking envelope," Patton said sneezing after trying to blow of the dust.

"It has an address on it, but not a return address," Logan remarked after looking at the envelope.

Roman grabbed the old paper. "This is my grandmother's address." He said.

"Is your grandmother Emily?" Logan questioned. Roman shook his head.

"No, Mary is my grandmother's name. Emily was her mother."

"Maybe your grandma knows who 'V' is?" Patton smiled.

"We don't even know if she knows anything. It could be a coincidence and what if this letter was sent before my grandmother moved there," Roman asked.

"Only one way to find out," Logan straightened his glasses.

"Open it?" Patton wondered. Logan nodded.

"Here goes nothing." Roman opened the envelope.

"It is another letter," Patton was looking over Roman's shoulder.

Dear Emily,

I am going into hiding for a little while until it is safe for people to know about me. I still haven't seen anyone like me, but I hope someday I will. The stories are still out there and they continue to be told. I was too late to say goodbye to you. My heart is broken that I couldn't say goodbye in person but Mary agreed to somehow get this letter to you, wherever you may be. I hope you are well again and I'm sorry you've gotten sick. I now regret not keeping the letters you sent me, but one day I will find where you put them. I will keep you in my heart. Goodbye for the last time. You will be deeply missed.

With Love and Sorrow

-V

"How did your great grandmother die?" Logan inquired.

"She...she got sick...my grandma was fifteen," Roman looked over the letter again.

"Do you think we can talk to her. Maybe she knows who this person is if he talked to your grandma?" Patton looked at Roman.

"Yeah maybe, I think it's getting late. Maybe I can talk to my mom and see if we can talk to my grandmother tomorrow?" Roman put the newest letter with the others and they all left the attic.

Logan and Patton went home and left Roman alone, waiting for his mother to come home from work.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~'

"I'm home." Sarah Andrews was met with silence. Walking into the living room she found the TV on and Roman asleep on the couch.

She smiled fondly at her boy and went to get a blanket. Once returning she noticed some papers that had fallen to the floor.

She picked up the letters and set them on the coffee table next to the couch. She quietly got herself some dinner, then went to her room to go to bed.

In the morning Roman woke to the sound of the blender going off. He sat up and looked into the kitchen. His mother was making something. Getting off the couch he made his way towards her.

"Hey Roman. Sorry to wake you. I made a smoothie if you want one," Sarah handed her son a cup.

"Okay," He gulped it down. "I have to get ready for school."

"Alright, I better head out."

"Oh yeah, Mom?" His mother faced him.

"Would you care if I went to Grandma's house today and bring a couple friends?"

"I think it would be fine as long as you call and let her know you are going," His mom smiled at him.

"Okay," He waved bye as his mother walked out the door. He finished getting ready then grabbed his phone and dialed his grandmother's number.

"Hello?" She answered.

"Hey Grandma, it's me."

"Oh hi Roman. It's nice to hear from you." She told him.

"Yeah, I was wondering if I could come over after school, and bring a couple friends." He heard his grandma chuckled.

"That should be fine. I do need someone to come and take care of old fragile me," She joked.

"Grandma! That's not-"

"I know, sweetie, I know." She started laughing. "I'll see you after school. Love you."

"Love you," Roman responded and hung up the phone. "Now where did I set those letters?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~'

The final bell rang for the day.

"We going to your grandmother's house?" Patton asked once he saw Roman.

"Yeah, she said it was okay," Roman told his friends.

"Let's get going," Patton started skipping off. "This is so exciting isn't it?" He turned to face Logan and Roman.

"It indeed is intriguing," Logan said. Roman laughed.

"Patton, it appears that you are more excited than I am. I would've guessed that Logan would be more because it's like a mystery."

"Although I am deeply intrigued by it. This is your mystery that needs solved," Logan spoke up.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~'