The Diary

:(15):

       Sleep came later in the night, after Morty's relentless sobs had quieted down. I felt awful, powerless. It was supposed to be the happier time of year, and all Morty could do was cry. I clutched a spare pillow to my chest, curling around it and burying my face in the plush material.

       "Morty?" I walked through the house, unable to find anybody. But Morty was the only one I could think to call for. The house was empty, as though nobody lived there anymore. It was dark and quiet, void of life and color. I ran from room to room, growing more anxious by the second. It was black outside, even if I opened the door. It was like the outside world didn't exist.

       "Over here." I whipped my head around, Morty standing behind me. He was glowing, color surrounding him. But everything else was black and white. He smiled, his hands held behind his back. "Hi, Rick." 

       I couldn't move. I just stood, staring at the only bit of color I'd seen in forever. His smile soon faded, "What's wrong?"

       I tried to reply, but no sound came out. Morty's expression fell further, a frown tugging at his lips. "Rick, what's wrong?" I felt like I was about to cry, wanting so badly to say everything was alright, but no sound came out. I tried my damnedest, trying to force so much as a whisper.

       Morty had begun to cry. "Rick!" He was screaming, "Rick, all I wanted was for you to love me! Was that too damn much to ask for?!" The color was fading, and I wanted to reach out and touch it. Everything was changing to black and white, color completely disappearing in thin strands.

       My foot twitched, a sign that I could move again. I took a step, feeling as though weights were attached to me. Every step took a great deal of energy and I found myself struggling. But the color was returning again. Morty stopped crying, watching me.

        He started to smile again, and it grew easier to move. I practically sprinted to him, watching him laughing and grinning. He held his arms out, and I didn't stop running, pulling him against me.

       "I'm so sorry, Morty." It burned to speak, the words feeling like knives as I forced myself to continue. "I'm so sorry. So, so sorry." I opened my eyes, letting go of Morty.

        The color in everything returned, the outside world slowly appearing, being recreated in front of me. My hand still rested on Morty's shoulder and I pulled it away for a moment. The color shifted momentarily and I realized that I had to keep contact with Morty in order to keep it.

       Morty held his hand out to me, his eyes pleading and smile fading slightly. I hesitated, afraid. I wasn't sure I wanted that, to be with him in such a way. 

       He almost started screaming again, the world slipping back to its colorless-appearance.

       "I'm sorry, Morty."

       I shot up, gasping and clutching at the pillow momentarily. What the hell did that mean?

       As I felt like I was trying to understand the universe all over again, my door burst open. "It's Christmas Eve, dad!" I jumped, straightening myself and hopping off the bed, slapping a smile onto my face. "It is, eugh sweetheart. Merry Christmas Eve." I accepted the hug she offered before she went around, waking Summer and Morty.

       I watched through my open door as they all rushed down the stairs, laughing and excited. They were going to make cookies, the same thing we did every year. Bake cookies, then decorate them, then sit up all night on a sugar high and watch Christmas movies while Jerry set the gifts up. The kids would pass out in the living room and wake up, wander into the dining room, and enjoy their morning.