Far Away: Gone: Home

Far Away

January 21, 2020

The world swam before my watery eyes, blurred by the wetness I was struggling to hide. I blinked hard, fighting the tears that I knew were coming.

It didn't work.

A single tear dripped from my cheek, and my brother wrapped me in a hug. I pulled him close, squeezing him tight, and somehow he squeezed tighter. He ruffled my hair, pressing my head further into his chest. I closed my eyes, wishing he could stay even though I knew that he wouldn't.

Into his chest I whispered softly;

"I don't want you to go." He rubbed my back slowly.

"I don't want to go either," He admitted, slowly letting go and crouching down to my height. He held my shoulders, not letting me turn away or wipe my tears.

"Look at me, Gracie." He repeated the command three times before I finally did. "Don't let this change anything. Keep fighting. Keep trying. I'll be home soon," he promised and he released my shoulders. He turned to leave, but I wasn't just gonna let him walk away. I clung to his hand, tears leaking down my cheeks.

"Don't go, Kelly. Please," I pleaded. "Don't go." He pulled me into one last hug, holding me tight. Somehow tighter than the last, it seemed. He trembled and seemed scared as he held me close.

"I'll miss you," he whispered softly. "More than you know." I cried into his shoulder as he continued. "I love you, okay? Don't stop fighting." He sighed and pulled himself up. He saluted my mother with a sad smile. Her laugh was half-hearted at best. A tear fell down my cheek, matching the ones on hers.

"Promise me you'll come home safe," she begged. He smiled sadly and left, mouthing me a quick goodbye and another 'I love you'. I didn't realize until after he was gone that he never made that promise.

January 24, 2020

It had been three days. Fourthousand three hundred and twenty minutes. That meant two hundred fifty nine thousand, two hundred seconds.

I felt as though I'd counted half of them. Maybe I had; I'd spent every waking moment waiting for Kelly's homecoming. But of course he wouldn't be coming home within the four thousand minutes he'd been gone. I sighed and picked again at my food, which was soggy and wet and honestly kinda gross. Two hours of staring thoughtlessly at it did that, I guess. I hesitantly placed a forkful of my food in my mouth.

Oooh, cold ramen; yum.

I noticed my mom staring at me. She'd been doing that a lot recently. Most of the time I'd spent wishing for Kelly she'd spent worrying about me. And him, I suppose. She was probably just as worried as I am. She put down her fork with a clatter and a sigh.

"Grace," she began, watching me intently. I stiffened. She only called me Grace when she was mad. "Are you alright? You've been... different... since your brother left. " I didn't answer, still messing with my food.

"Grace?" She sighed. I pushed back in my chair and swiftly left the room, leaving my Mom and my cold ramen alone at the table. I lay in my bed, facing the sky with my eyes closed. There was a knock at the door. I groaned and rolled onto my stomach, screaming loudly into my pillow.

"Gracie," she pleaded through the door. "Let me in." I buried myself farther into the blankets, silently pleading for her to leave. Instead, the door slowly creaked open.

"Mom, please," I begged, my voice muffled by the pillow.

"Hun." She pulled back the blankets and looked me in the eye. "I know this is hard–" Harshly, I interrupted.