"No Longer Alone": Part 13

Eventually, I make it to the center of the city. Buildings loom over me as I keep riding, riding into the night. Last I checked, it was about six. Robert and Kareema must be worried by now. Let them worry. Let them try and find me. I don’t care anymore. Everyone I’ve ever cared about proved they don’t deserve my affection. First Jack, then Brynn, and even my parents. I let my legs move me without thought. It’s hard to tell how long I’ve been cycling, but I can estimate about ten minutes. I look at my surroundings and realize my subconscious is taking me back to the Blooming Children Orphanage. 

However, once I arrive at the property, I have to do a double take. Just a few months ago, there was a three-story building here, full of kids ranging from age one to eighteen. Now, all I see is debris and ash. I dismount my bike, wandering the burnt land like a lost puppy. What happened here? I leave for a few weeks and the only home I’ve ever known gets burned to the ground.

“Hello?” A raspy voice calls to me in the depths of the destruction. But I know that voice.

“Bunkmate?”

“Yeah. Bryan. My name. You never asked.” The voice, Bryan, replies. 

“Right. Sorry.” I say, blushing a little. 

“Funny seeing you here.”

I choose my next words carefully. “Is everyone okay?”

“Does it look like everyone’s okay?”

No. it doesn’t. “What happened?”

He laughs. A raspy, ugly thing. “Well, where to start? There was a fire. One night, very suddenly. Not much else to say.”

“Where is everyone though?”

“Those of us that survived? Scattered. Pretty sure I’m the only one here. Couldn’t bear to part with this place.”

“Survived?”

“It was a fire, Jaehyun. Not everyone makes it.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.”

“But–”

“Look,” Bryan says, standing up. “I don’t know if you noticed, but there are those of us who don’t have it all.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” “It means not all of us have adoptive parents! And a roof over our heads! And food on our plate every night! You can’t just walk in here and pretend like you care!”

“Hey, that's not fair!” I exclaim, getting defensive. “I’m not the only one who left! Jack–”

“Jack comes back. He came back for us. Sometimes, his family’s leftovers are the only meal I have!”

“Is this a bad time?” a voice asks from behind me. A familiar voice. A voice I used to love hearing every day, despite all the overactive positivity coming from it. I turn around to face him.