Edmond and Lucy are gone 12 minutes.
12 painful minutes.
When they walk through the front door, all smiles and eyes filled with wonder, Peter wants to know every detail of their lives on the other side.
He keeps them up all night listening to the details of their grand adventures.
Susan goes to her room after greeting them with a weak smile. She has no interest in their tales.
Hours later, Susan wakes to the sun peaking through the darkness and something else.
Peter is sitting at the end of her bed, eyes locked on her figure.
"What are you doing," Susan mutters. She doesn't want to know the answer.
"You didn't stay and listen to them." He sounds hurt by this.
Susan forces her eyes to close, but sleep won't consume…..she wonder if she'll ever be able to find comfort in sleep again.
"I was tired."
"You were jealous." He snaps back instantly.
Susan's eyes wonder to the window, she sees the beginning light of the sun and hates it.
She sighs, "Maybe."
Peter follows her glaze and stares at the upcoming day's light.
"We can never go back," He mutters.
"I know," her voice is barely above a whisper.
Nothing more is said, instead they stare through the window at the dawn, together.
And this is how their day starts, and indeed the rest of their lives. Every moment is spent in agony, every second spent in pain. Every day passing with jealousy of their younger siblings, and every secret embrace is spent in shame.