The small house was quiet but heavy with smells and sounds that Caelus didn't understand. Blood-stained cloths and crumpled blankets lay scattered on the floor. Sunlight fell unevenly through dusty windows, highlighting the mess.
Caelus lay in the nurse's arms, tiny fists curling and uncurling. Every sound — footsteps, murmurs, soft sobs — was confusing. He didn't know where he was or what had happened.
Where… am I? he thought. Why… is it warm but smells strange? Why… are they all crying?
His siblings stayed nearby, not speaking. The boy sat on the floor, knees pulled to his chest, eyes flicking toward Caelus then away. The girl hugged her legs to her chest, tracing circles on the floor with her fingers. They weren't angry yet, but he could feel something in them — unease, sadness, maybe even jealousy.
They… don't like me. But why? I… don't understand.
The nurse adjusted him in her arms, humming a soft tune. Her hands were warm and steady. It helped, slightly, though confusion lingered.
"Quiet now, little one," she murmured. "You're safe."
Safe… I think… maybe… but everything is still so strange.
The father came into the room, rubbing his eyes. "I know it's… a lot," he said softly, kneeling by the siblings. "This isn't easy. None of it is. But we have to look after him… together, okay?"
The boy glanced at Caelus, then looked down. The girl sniffled and turned her face toward the window. Their sadness was heavy, mixed with something else, a small irritation that made their movements tense.
They… feel… something else. I don't know what it is, but it's different from sadness. I… don't understand.
Caelus shifted in the nurse's arms and let out a tiny cry. The siblings looked at him briefly, eyes uncertain, before looking away again.
I don't know why they look at me like that. I don't know why it feels… hard to be here.
The house creaked and groaned in the quiet. Caelus noticed the uneven folds of blankets, the damp cloths in the corners, the way light shifted across the floor. His tiny mind cataloged everything, though he could not yet make sense of it.
Everything… is new. Everything… is loud and strange. I… I don't know.
He glanced toward the corner where his mother had been. Her still body lay among the cloths, pale and silent. He did not know why he felt the emptiness there, only that it made his chest tighten.
She… is gone. I… should feel her, but… I don't. I… just feel… confused.
The nurse hummed again, moving him gently. The warmth of her hands and the motion made his body calm, even as his mind struggled to comprehend.
"Try to rest," she whispered. "It's all right."
Rest… maybe. I… don't know how.
The father sat nearby, watching the siblings carefully. "I know it's hard. I know you wanted things to be different. I know you miss… her." His voice caught. "But he's here now. We… we have to care for him. We can do it together."
The boy shifted, pulling his knees closer. The girl sniffled again, leaning slightly away. Caelus could feel the tension between them and himself, though he didn't understand it fully.
They… don't like me yet. I… don't understand. But they… exist with me. I… exist too.
Even in confusion, Caelus noticed small things: the rhythm of the nurse's rocking, the pattern of light on the floor, the way the siblings moved without speaking. Everything was strange, everything was new, and he had no idea how any of it worked.
I… don't know this place. I… don't know these people. I… just… am.
That night, when the house was quiet except for soft breathing and distant sighs, Caelus lay in the nurse's arms, staring at the shadows. He didn't understand the house, the siblings, or why his mother wasn't moving, but he felt life around him. Confusing, overwhelming life.
I… am here. I… am alive. I… don't understand. I… just… am.
The days blended together, and in the messy, grief-filled house, Caelus remained small, bewildered, and unsure. His siblings' quiet resentment lingered, their sadness mixing with their unease. The house felt endless and confusing, but he could only observe, wonder, and try to exist.
I… don't know anything. I… just… exist.