The Firefly

47°

I looked down at the imposing, rugged man.

A woman at his side who had introduced herself as "Aunt Anne" occasionally gave me mortified looks.

Mattew, too, had sensed that something very important was going on, but from the tears streaming down the faces of those present we had both deduced that it was not something good.

He gave me a small, toothless smile and shook my small hand frozen by that cold late November day.

-Mom and Dad will be back, Amby. Everything will be all right.- He had begun in a childlike, innocent voice. My eyes leapt to two large white coffins in front of us, filled with beautiful colorful flowers.

And my innocent mind thought that inside were nothing but toys and who knows, maybe even candies.

-You promise?- I gave him a hopeful look, returning that crooked little smile.

A lady bent down to look at our faces; her eyes red and dripping with tears.

I felt her moist lips come down on my cheek and watched her perform the same act on Mattew, then she walked away, too grief-stricken to say anything.

My brother wiped his face with the sleeve of his heavy coat, breaking out a disgusted grimace on the spot. Then his little eyes leaped to the uncles at our side, intent on talking to strange people dressed in somber clothes.

-I promise.-

He left a small kiss on the tip of my flushed nose.

Soon after, a gray car would take us to Aunt Anne and Uncle Barnaby's house.

Mom and Dad never came back to us.

We were only five years old.

I opened my eyes slowly, the sunlight was hidden by clouds and a thick fog was spreading over the whole city.

The bajour was lit and illuminated Jake's face who was now at my side, but his arm still held me close to him.

His breathing was steady and his expression calm; he looked like an angel.

I glanced at the alarm clock on his nightstand, it was still early in the morning, but a picture frame at his side caught my attention.

I took it in my hand to get a better look at it; it portrayed three people.

A child about five years old, a woman and a man: a family.

I recognized Isaac, clearly much younger: wavy, short dark brown hair, clear eyes, and the same smile as Jake.

He was wearing a white shirt and a pair of black pants and was encircling with his right arm what was probably So-min.

The young woman was heartbreakingly beautiful, her raven strands fell just above her shoulders, her thin dark, foxy eyes gave her an intriguing air, and her thin, bright red lips contrasted with her fair skin.

She wore a long, bottle-green dress.

She had her hand resting on the child's shoulder, who smiled in the same way as his father, showing his toothless mouth and small dimples.

His eyes were slightly almond-shaped and dark and his hair was black like his mother's, only more wavy.

He was slender with a fair complexion, such as So-min's, wearing a camouflage tank shirt and short Jeans shorts down to his skinned knees.

Despite everything he cared deeply for his parents if he had their picture beside his bed.

I put it back where I had found it as I could not help but notice two small little rocks laid carefully on the very same ledge.

One pink and one green.

I sighed serenely and could not hold back a smile.