Note: These characters are not mine. They belong to Random House.
This is a supplemental to my story called Questions. Some of this tale may not make much sense if you haven't read the other story first.
These are the letters Dan Mangan left for Bobby Belden to find after his death. Sorry if that spoiled Questions for you – yes, Dan died in my story. – But that was just the beginning….
Dear Bobby,
Good work! You found the first treasure. I'll bet you didn't even need the compass. You know, you always say I saved your life that day when you fell in this hole, but really, you were the one who saved me.
Bobby, I'm sure you're feeling very confused and hurt right now. Believe me, I've been there, too. When my mom died, I felt the same way. It felt like everything I had ever thought was real had been a lie. I had a lot of questions and no one seemed to have the answers. When Luke came along, he said he could protect me. I was so angry and scared; I didn't think I had any other option. I joined the gang, even though I knew it was wrong. Don't be like me. No matter how upset you are, you have to do what's right. Don't give in and don't give up.
That day, when Trixie came and found me, I was on my way back to the city with Luke. It was the worst thing I could have done, but a part of me didn't care. My uncle didn't trust me, and I thought because I had been sent to live with Mr. Maypenny, that Regan didn't want me. I just couldn't understand that he was too young to take me on alone and I hadn't given him a chance to get to know me. Turns out, we really had a lot in common. I'm glad I chose to go with Trixie and help you. If I hadn't, I'm sure I would have ended up back in jail, or something worse. My life may not have been long, but it was a whole lot better because of you. You must believe that.
I'm sure there are a lot of things you won't understand about all of this. At least, not until you're older. I hope you'll keep these letters and let time unravel some of their mysteries. First, I'm going to ask you to read a particular section from The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. You may not get it now, but Lord willing, you'll figure it out someday. Humor me, okay? Mart has a copy of the book in his room. Check out page 50 of chapter 8. I'm sure you won't get the irony of the bread of life, but you must understand that even though Huck didn't know a lot about faith, he knew enough about it to recognize its power in the hearts of those who believe. Keep that in mind, Bobby. There's definitely power in prayer.
The bread-shaped box in this package was my mom's recipe keeper. It was one of the special things of hers I made sure to salvage after she died. Of course, the shape kind of inspired the reading selection – you get it, right? Anyway, I trust you to take good care of the box and read the notes I put inside. Forgive me, but I gave the original recipe cards to Hallie (because of course, Trixie certainly wouldn't have a use for them – hee hee). I figured you could use these daily thought cards more. There are a year's worth in there. Read one every day and know I'm always with you. Some of them are from the ones my mom left for me. She knew the first year would be the hardest.
Well, that's enough for this letter. I've got a lot more to tell you, so get busy finding the next one. To get the coordinates of the next treasure, you're going to need the numbers I carved into the bottom of a very special piece of wood. Here's your hint: it's where my favorite desserts cool.
You're a great kid, Bobby. Don't let your quest for facts take over what you already know is right. Use your heart like Brian, your brain like Mart, and follow your gut like Trixie. You'll be fine!
Later,
Dan
