Some seeds carried more than life.
They carried memories.
Friday morning arrived beneath a sky of brilliant autumn blue.
The grounds of Westwood High shimmered beneath the gentle morning sun.
Students crossed the courtyard as usual.
Some stopped by the Reading Corner.
Others gathered beneath the First Chapter Bench with books already open.
Life moved peacefully around them.
Yet inside Noah's backpack—
one small cloth pouch rested carefully beside Jonathan's journal.
Inside it were a handful of maple seeds.
Collected from the young tree Jonathan had planted at Ashwood House years ago.
William had quietly handed them to Noah before he left Chicago.
"Perhaps," he had said, "one day another tree might grow where your life truly began."
---
After lunch, Noah stood with Lily, Emil
