My knuckles go white from my grip on the windowsill. I don't even look out the window, just stand with my head down, eyes shut. Breathe, Gale. I think to myself. Breathe. I can still here Effie's voice ringing through the speakers. The shrill sound of her voice calling Rory's name. I volunteered. I had to.
The door unlocks and opens. My mother, Vick and Posy come in. Ma walks right into my arms, holding me tightly. "I love you, Baby. No matter what happens, I will always love you. I'm proud of you, Gale. I love you," she whispers. I hold her closer to me. "Rory's coming in after us." I nod against her and squeeze my mom one last time. As soon as Mom lets go, Vick throws himself at me, knocking the wind out of me a little bit. He holds on as if he can keep me here if he tries.
"Come home, Gale!" he cries. I kneel down so that he's looking down on me, and cup his face in his hands, my thumbs wiping away his tears. "Come home," he whimpers.
"I'll try. I'll be fine, don't worry," I murmur to him. I look over him, trying to implant him in my brain. Short. Olive skin, Seam hair and eyes, and scrawny. He has potential to grow into a strong man one day. I hope I'm here to see it. I bring him into me and he rests his head on my shoulder. With probably a minute left to spare, Ma hands Posy over to me, and she smiles. She doesn't get what's going on. She doesn't understand that I may not come home. She doesn't get this yet. And she shouldn't. She's four. She's innocent, that's how she's supposed to be. I kiss her, hold her close, then feeling Ma hold all of us together. The doors open, and they rip my family away from me.