Adam opened his eyes in Alina's living room. The rot snaking from the cracks on the wall he always leaned against to sleep, the irregular bars of the cradle beside the table, and the sound of the rushing stream filtering from the old window... They were so nostalgic that a soft smile pushed its way across his face.
Slowly, he moved to the cradle. Sixteen years apart... So long... Even though he tried not to let longing dim his mood daily, he missed Julius so much. He wanted to see his brother, even as a baby, even in one of his earliest memories. His fingers found the small, smooth section of the rough bars. They were the size of a child's hand, the place Julius gripped to gaze at Adam each time he wanted to be flown across the room.
But behind them, no one...
He sighed before locks of brown hair that sprawled on the dusty planks forced his gaze beneath the table.
