Aftermath: Maple Warriors II

Gilbert

Matthew? Guilty? After he planned so hard vith me to take his family down? After everyzhing zhat happened on zhat fateful day? He vas guilty about it?

Did he not know how heavily I had been drinking since his deazh? Did he not know how many times I had been close to giving up?

If he felt guilty about killing his family zhen all mein pain vould be for nozhing.

Did he not know zhat?

"Gil, are you sure you're okay?" Mattie asked for zhe sevenzh time since he started cleaning zhe bottles off mein floor.

"Ja. I'm fine. Drop it." I growled, going back to zhe infinite stack of dishes in mein sink.

"Gil, come here." Mattie sat on mein bed, patting zhe spot next to him.

I did as I vas told, hanging mein legs over zhe bed's edge und looking down at mein hands in mein lap.

"You're not acting like the Gil I know."

"Zhe Gil jou know died vith jou. I've suffered too much over zhe past jear." I pursed mein lips to keep back tears.

"I'm back now, so shouldn't you be-"

"Isht not zhat easy, Mattie!" I shouted, standing up so I vould be taller zhan him for a change.

Matthew had gone even whiter zhan me.

"Je suis désolé. I didn't mean to be such a burden to you." He got up from zhe bed und headed toward zhe door, picking Kuma up on zhe vay.

"Birdie!" I called after him, reaching mein arm out tovard him.

But mein door had already fallen shut.

I had lost mein Birdie yet again.