Crestant's journal

|- Chapter One -|

What is my name?

What was it?

Did I not have one?

I don't remember.

Not even his.

Only his face.

My pain, the suffering.

I'll always remember that.

***

He showed up at the doorstep. He knocked once. I told my mom but she dismissed me. So I opened it. My brother immediately rushed in hugging me tight. "They let me go!" He squealed. "They tried keeping us away." he said, pulling away looking me in the eyes. I was silent. Frozen in place. At first I didn't know what to do. But I pulled him back into an embrace, tears rolling down my face.

"Thank god!" I said. I heard my mother drop some silverware in the sink and say "Hey!"

My brother seemed to ignore my mother and led me to our room. I ran to the toy box, pulling out dinosaurs so we could play.

He looked at me with such interest. Like he didn't understand when I offered him the T-Rex. His favorite. Though he did take it after a lot of silence. We played, and played till mother called me for dinner. But I didn't hear her call for my brother. I dismissed it as he just returned from the hospital.

I asked if he was hungry. He said "No" so quickly. It was firm too. "I'm not hungry." He added softening his voice.

I shrugged closed the door and ran to the kitchen table. My mother handed me a plate. Allowing me to fill it up on my own.

That was a bad idea.

What we were having was a BBQ style dinner. I added a bit too much ketchup. And overall it made a huge mess.

My mother scraped off some of the ketchup I added. Explaining something I don't remember. But I know her tone was loving with some hints of amusement.

Children are stupid. But in a good way sometimes. Often finding a way to make adults smile without knowing it.

I had a hamburger with some fries, nothing special. We went outside since it was a beautiful day and the sun was still up.

I took a huge bite into my food. Way too big for my toddler body to handle. Getting ketchup all over my face.

Though the next few bites I wasn't so enthusiastic as before.

I felt bad. Leaving my brother in our room all alone.

"Mother, father." I started. The two looked at me.

"Why did you not call my brother?" I asked. Looking down at my food.

"Honey, you know he is sleeping.." Said my mother, her face looking beaten up. My father held her close.

"But he woke up! He's back." I said, rising to my knees. My parents looked at me with confusion glistening in their eyes.

"This is no time to play pretend." Said my father.

"But I'm not!" I objected quickly."

"Finish your food. So we can get ready for bed, okay?"

I nodded slowly.

***

Once we finished my mother took me to our room. I noticed hesitation as she reached towards the door knob.

Why was that?

My brother was back full of life once more. Why did she not want to go in our room?

She held my hand and rested on my bed, grabbing a nearby book. "Would you like to hear a story tonight?" she asked. I Pulled the covers over my head. "Yes." I said. She sighed, a smile forming on her face.

"Once upon a time...."

I don't remember her story.

Not even the meaning behind it.

Though a lot of kids' stories have no real meaning.

Maybe it was just a pointless book..