The Boy Who Solved Crimes

03: Tyler's Come too Far

Tyler

Dr. Violet Veowsalot.

Her name still had the same ring to it and I was surprised to find out that she had been the doctor who operated on me. I wanted to talk to her. I hadn't seen or heard from her since graduation five years ago. I wondered how life had become for her.

For me, life had gotten boring. After a year living with Trina, she left. It was barely the end of senior year when she'd completely disappeared. She had somehow vanished into thin air and apparently I was the only person who even remembered her existence at all. I asked the neighbors and nobody had any idea who she even was.

I came home one evening from work and she was just... gone. Poof, vanished, not a single strand of hair, or anything belonging to her, existed anymore. Since then, I had dropped out of high-school and pursued my dreams of become a video game programmer.

And since I dropped out of high school, people would constantly look down upon me when I would tell them. However, I created a video game a couple years back that made me a millionaire.

And I was pretty damn certain that the person who had tried to shoot me last night was just a competitor after my program. Being young and successful certainly had its ups, but it also came with life threats and the constant fear of dying.

"How are you feeling, Mr. Wallace?" A young volunteer walked in with a clipboard in her hand. She couldn't have been older than twenty, clearly a college student. "Is there anything I can get for you?"

"I'm fine," I glanced at her name tag, "Ophelia." I smiled.

"Okay, just checking in. If there's anything else you need, don't hesitate to ask!" She grinned, turning to exit as I painfully sat up. Her blonde hair reached just above her shoulders. It was curled in a way that reminded me of somebody I used to know.

"Wait Ophelia, could you bring me a glass of water? I'm parched." I said as she nodded.

Amy. She had eyes like Amy Bloom, the woman I loved all that time ago.

I wondered how she was doing. I hadn't seen her in ages. I hadn't given myself a break in ages, I'd been constantly overworking myself in order to avoid feeling anything.

I'd been alone for almost five years. Trina was gone, Amy was gone. And now I was a young entrepreneur with a lot of money.

But money can't buy happiness. I know that from the dozens of dates I'd been on. The girls just wanted me for my money. And when I didn't introduce it, they wanted me for sex.

I was a road that they could drive on and use. Until I became worn, and tired. And now, alone in my hospital bed, I dreamed of a familiar face and wondered if I would ever see her again.

What was Amy doing now? I hadn't heard a single thing about her after I moved away. I wondered if her psychotic cannibal of a sister was still alive or if she'd been put in the chair. I shuddered at the thought.

"Do you want ice?" Ophelia asked, pulling me from my trance as she smiled warmly. I almost wanted to hug her.

They say you never forget your first love, I never realized how true that was until now. I'd never forgotten Amy in all the time we'd been apart.

I could only hope she would have room in her heart for me.

Ophelia left my room and came back a couple minutes later with an ice cold cup of water. She handed it to me with a genuine smile on her face, clearly happy to help.

"Do you go to school around here, Ophelia?"

"Yes, actually, I go to the Institute. I'm graduating next month actually." She said, standing beside my bed. So she was probably 21 or 22. Not far off from my meager 24 years of age, expect she was probably drowning in debt whereas I had plenty to spare.

"Great, what was your major?"

"I majored in Biochemistry. I'm hoping to become a surgeon someday. I love volunteering here, I get to see the coolest things." Ophelia sat beside me as I leaned forward and instantly grabbed my stomach. I forgot I'd been shot.

"That's awesome. You seem very ambitious." I grinned, trying to pretend we both hadn't heard the strain in my voice.

"If you don't mind me asking Mr. Wallace," she began, but I cut her off.

"Tyler." I said. She looked shocked for a split second before continuing the flow of our conversation.

"Tyler, what brings you here?"

"I, uh, needed a surgery, but I'm fine now. This hospital has some very talented people." I thought back to Violet, wishing I hadn't missed her after my surgery, but that wasn't necessarily under my control.

"Well, I hope you're feeling better." Ophelia stood up, about to head out, "it was really nice to meet you Tyler." I wondered if she was flirting with me as she left my room and I hoped I would get to see her in the next few days that I remained here.

I shut my eyes, the pain setting in as memories of my shooter flashed in my eyes.

It was no competitor, I could clearly see their face now.