Well, that was fast. Usually it takes me weeks to the write the next chapter. But I felt like this chapter deserved to be short, quick and to the point. And here I was dreading it, fretting, wishing to make it longer.

Reminder, this is not the end; there's still an epilogue to post. Hopefully, I'll have it submitted quicker than you think. ^_^

August was a sweltering month. The last hurrah before the coming of autumn. Everybody was savoring these last weeks of summer, especially the children, who wanted to relish it before returning to school. A window in the upper-story bedroom was wide open, and gazing out into the scenery was Wirt.

It was hard not having Ereyon around. It was like he lost a part of himself. A part he could never get back. He wished he had the time to tell him that. Perhaps Ereyon could hear him from all the way in Heaven.

Wirt resorted to spending the remainder of his summer with his parents, Greg, and his friends. Whether it was at the pool, the park, the ice cream shop, or trips to the city. They were enjoyable moments, but he wished Ereyon was there to enjoy them. He was counting the days to the start of school, and seeing what the school year would be like.

Turning to look at his bookcase, his eyes fell on a certain title. The Spellchild. The book he bought for Ereyon. He wished he could've given it to Ereyon to remember him by. He doubt they let angels take terrestrial keepsakes. It was better he hold on to it. Wirt sighed and gazed back outside, catching a robin perch on a branch on the tree in his front yard. He studied the bird until it flew off, its song being sung to its climatic glory.

He heard his door open all of sudden. Wirt didn't even bother turning around to see who it was. Whoever it was, he didn't care if they came in.

"Wirt," said his mother's voice, "we're going to the park in fifteen minutes, you'd better get ready."

Wirt only nodded as an answer.

"You could bring Ereyon along, if you want," she included, in the hopes that it would perk him up.

"No thanks, Mom." Wirt replied. He rose up to his feet, closing his window in the process. "Actually, I talked to him last week. He and his aunt and uncle are moving again. His uncle got a new job across the country."

"Oh, I'm sorry, honey," said his mother. She walked up to her son, clapping a hand on his shoulder. "That's too bad. And we never even got to meet his aunt and uncle."

"You wouldn't have met them," retorted Wirt, "they were busy most of the time. I don't think they even had time to breathe."

He walked over to his bed and sat at the edge, thinking of some way to keep the conversation from getting to Ereyon and his sudden departure.

"I'm really gonna miss him," said Wirt, "he's moving next week, so I don't have a lot of time to...to..." He fell silent.

"It's okay, Wirt," she crooned. She went over and joined him.

Wirt wished he could tell her that he was an angel and get it over with. But to keep her from getting shocked, it was better to keep quiet. Not a lot of people could handle things like that like he did. But he learned to never underestimate anyone no matter how they looked and acted and behaved. That was something to save for the coming future.

"Do you think I'll ever see him again?," asked Wirt. Right now, he was willing to hear anything she had to offer. Just more of the same motherly spiel she gave him and Greg all the time.

"Honey," she said as a start, "listen, don't think of Ereyon moving away as goodbye, think of it as...as..." She paused to think of something worth saying. "Take it from me," she uttered after a moment, "I moved away about three times in my lifetime, and I said goodbye to a lot of friends."

"Didn't you miss them?"

"Of course I did," his mother said. "I missed all of them. And it was hard saying goodbye. And you know what? Every time I moved away, I always made a new friend."

Wirt didn't seem convinced. A part of him wanted to cling to his melancholy, but another part of him wanted to break free of the chains and let go. He didn't know which way to go with an inferno raging inside.

"Honey," his mother piped, "listen, I know it's hard now, but one day you'll look back at this as one of the best moments of your life."

"How?"

"Because, sometimes, some friends can only stay in your heart, not your life," she explained. "And Ereyon's one of them, so will the next friends you make."

Maybe he wanted to believe her to feel better, but he did. And she was right. Ereyon wasn't going to forget him, nor would he not think about him. If he could, he'd find some way to Heaven and see him. If only that were allowed.

Wirt looked away, pondering his mother's words. If he could do it all over again, he would. He would relive every single moment just the way it was and never leave a stone unturned. Only there would be some changes to that time-turn, though.

"You know what, Mom?," he said after a minute.

"What?"

"You're right," he said boldly. "I will see Ereyon again. Maybe it'll be a few years before I see him, but it'll happen. I just have to wait."

"That's very true," she remarked. "Now, come on, we don't want to keep your father waiting." She rose up to her feet, ambling for the door.

"Mom," spoke Wirt.

"Yes?" She gazed over her shoulder.

"I think I know what kind of graphic novel I want to write."

Okay, I know there's a lot that needs to be explained and the will be in the epilogue. Get ready for my big speech at the end.

I'm sorry if this chapter was rushed. Chapter eighteen felt rushed, too. I wanted to make it worthwhile, something worth reading. And I did. :)