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The Child - Ten “We bring it in and keep supplies,” she said. “Is something bad going to happen, Maya?” Ted asked. “Ts that what you’re waiting for?” “No,” she said, “no, it’s not bad.” “Well, if you don’t have a phone, then,” Ted went on, “can we at least write to each other?” “You can’t,” she replied. “We don’t have any mail deliv- ery where we live.” Frustrated at every turn, Ted pleaded with her. “I’m going over two thousand miles away, Maya,” he begged, “and you say I can’t even write you? I can’t call you? Youre my best friend, I care about you. I love you! This isn’t air!” “Don’t worry,” Maya told him serenely, “you'll see me again. I promise.” He realized that there was nothing more to say, and noth- ing he could do to change her mind. Taking what comfort he could in her oath, Ted gave her one last hug and then kissed her, and the two friends parted. Final details kept him busy, but at last everything was arranged and he had his rail pass in hand. His departure from Sun Valley was suddenly less than four hours away. More than anything, he wanted to see Maya one last time. Ted was bewildered by her insistence that they couldn’t stay in contact, and he thought surely there must be a way, if only he could find her again and persuade her before the bus left. He stored his luggage and raced out of the Lodge, but then he stopped, at a loss. Ted had no idea where Maya lived. He went to the other employee dorms around the com- plex, but nobody recognized her name. Even when he went from door to door and described Maya, he failed to find one person who knew anything. With time rapidly running out, he realized that the personnel office would know how to find Maya. He raced to the office for help. John, the director, had come to know Ted well and told him how sorry he was to be losing such a great employee. “If you ever want to come back and work here,” he said, “just let me know.” i Ted thanked him impatiently and asked John where Maya ived. Masquerade of Angels 98 The Child - Ten “Who?” John asked. “The name’s not familiar.” “You’ve got to know this girl,” Ted insisted. “She’s so beautiful you’d have to be blind not to notice her. Believe me, you’d remember.” And he described Maya all over again. John shook his head. “Sorry, Ted, you’ ve got me stumped. Don’t you have a last name, at least?” “No,” Ted admitted, “but I know she was a waitress, I saw her in uniform. You’re bound to have something in the ros ey files.” “We have hundreds of employees. Without a last name,” John explained, “there’s no way for me to locate her. If she really works here, which I doubt. I’ve done all the hiring, Ted, and I just don’t remember anyone with that name.” Ted’s hope was collapsing, but he still had two more hours and he wouldn’t give up. He went back through all the dorms, through the Chalet and the Lodge, and finally he ran up to the nature trails, hoping by chance she would be there. But the mountains were empty. Reluctantly, he returned for his luggage and stood in front of the Lodge, silently saying goodbye to his paradise. One last time he reached out and scratched through the redwood illusion down to the cement beneath it. Then Ted walked slowly to the bus station, all the while scanning the distance for any glimpse of Maya. The yellow bus of his old dreams arrived, and he had no choice but to get on board. He thought ironically of how very different his emotions had been the first time he rode that bus. Then, it had been the beginning of a dream come true, but the dream had become a nightmare. He had recovered, though, and learned how to feel again. But now the bus had returned, to take him away from everything he had come to love. The machine lurched to life, and as it rumbled down the road Ted gazed out the window unhappily, until the valley disappeared. Masquerade of Angels 99