After our walk, Axel brought me back inside and handed me a worn blanket.
"I'll have to get one of the rooms cleared out for you so until then you can have the couch." He said and I wrapped the blanket around my body like a jacket.

"I'm fine with just the couch." I said.

He sighed.
"That's not fine with me though. You need your own space. All kids need their own space."

I cocked my head sideways in confusion.
Am I a kid? I don't look like the little ones at all.

"I'm 16." I said blankly.

"Age isn't the only factor. Sometimes even adults who think they've grown up are just taller children."

I'm still 16.... I'm not a... I won't even argue.
"Anyways, try to get some more sleep Glory. Sleep is the best medicine. Goodnight." Axel said and walked away to his bedroom.

I sank down into the couch and wrapped myself further into the blanket. It smells like roses and grease. I wish I knew why I can remember some things and why other things are such foreign concepts to me. I wish my memories weren't shattered into small pieces like they are. I curled up into a ball on the couch and drifted off to sleep much quicker than I thought I would.

***

When I close my eyes I see another hand reaching out to me. I look into their eyes and see blue eyes like the sky. A pained expression. A crumpled up note flying into the wind. I'm leaving because I have to. I turn back as I'm running because I can't help myself. My father is the one holding my hand.

"Glory, what are you trying to do? This is just sacrifice, this won't fix anything!"

I undo his hand from my grasp.
"I'm finishing what the two of you started! I'm gonna make everything right again. If I can do that, then maybe you'll smile more father. I miss it, that part of you."

"I can't lose you Glory. I can't lose you."

"Father, you and mother are really similar."
I cracked a lopsided smile.
"I know that you love me but I want you to know that I love you too. And sometimes that means doing something crazy. Something that makes no sense. Because if I do nothing, I will truly lose all hope." I said.

I ran away from my father that day. I ran and ran. I don't remember what I did afterwards. My father's face was somewhat wistful when I left. Like he knew that this would happen. That I leave him behind. My memory shifted into a different setting.

My mother looking at her locket. Inside was a face that looked like mine but much younger. I hated looking at that locket because all it did was make her sad. She hid it under her clothes but always took it off at nighttime. One day, I decided to steal it after she went to bed. I went to my room and opened it. It was a picture of a baby girl. She was crying her eyes out but mother was holding her like she was a sweet angel. I know who the baby is but I won't talk about her. It's not okay to talk about her.

I kept the necklace that night and curled up in bed with it like it was a protection from the cold. When mother woke up the next morning, she searched the house frantically for the locket until she came to my room.

"Glory, do you remember mama's locket?" She asked me. I held the locket out and dropped it on the ground.

"Glory, thank you for finding it!" She said and went to pick it up.

"Mama, why can't I talk about the baby?" I said.
She stiffened as she grasped the locket tight.

"I suppose it's not really fair to you, is it Glory?" She said softly and hugged me close to her chest.

"I just don't understand, mama." I whimpered as I nuzzled into her.

"That's okay. I don't get it with sometimes."
She paused.
"We can talk about the baby if you'd like." She continued.

I shook my head no.

"It's okay mama. I know it hurts too much. But you have to stop crying mama. Everything gets loud when you cry."

"What do you mean, glory?"

"It gets loud and I can hear everyone. They're crying. They tell me it'll get better though."

My mother's face paled and she held me tighter.

"Just wait mama. One day we'll all be together again. Me and you and papa and everyone else. We'll all be together again."