Big brother was walking so fast that it was hard to catch up to him. The cold wind was biting as I ran to him. That was when I started to grow worried. I only finally caught up to him when he looked back to see if I was still there.
I breathed hard and my breath clouded the air around my face and my heart beat furiously from the effort it had taken. I was still bent over when I heard him say something.
"What?" I turned my face up to him and saw such a strange emotion on his face. It seemed like he was scared or worried or rushed or annoyed, but I couldn't tell.
"We need to get on the next train, so we need to hurry. Sorry I left you behind like that, I didn't mean to." The urgency that ran through his words gave me strength.
"I'm fine. Let's go." I was still panting a little bit, but I was a lot better.
He took my hand, so that I wouldn't fall behind again, I suppose, but his warmth gave me reassurance and I followed quickly.
We didn't take the train that goes to big brother's house. I don't think I had ever been on that train before that day. Once we were seated, the small silence descended again. So I said the what had grown to become a very big question in my mind.
"Where are we going?" my voice was quiet, almost a whisper.
"We're going to your new home." His voice was equally quiet, but with power laced into the whispered tones.
"My new home?"
"Yes. Don't worry, it's already furnished so it should be pretty comfortable." He said it so flatly that it made my reaction all the more panicked.
"But why am I moving?"
"…It's just a precaution." What had he thought before he had spoken? Was a precaution all it was?
"…Against what?" There was tinge of panic that he expertly caught in my voice.
"Everything will be fine." I wasn't convinced entirely, and neither was he, but I dropped it and decided just to have faith that everything really would be alright.
We didn't talk for a very long time. I grew sleepy from the gentle rhythm of the train. I felt myself drift away and came back when big brother said, "We're here."
I was against his chest with his arm supporting me. He got up before I got the chance to revel in it, and then we left the train in our prolonged silence. He was walking slower now. The distance had put him at ease, which meant that he was running away from something.
"This way."
"Okay."
"Here it is."
And there it was. A small townhome just like all the other ones around it with blue and white paint.
"Well, go on inside already. I have to get going."
"So soon?"
"Yeah, bye. Make sure to lock the door." And then he briskly walked away. I watched him until he was all the way out of sight, but he never turned back. I looked at the townhouse again and went inside after climbing a couple of steps. It was cozy inside. I wondered how long I was going to stay there, because it would never be my home without any memories of big brother in it.
I found the bedroom and decided to bundle up and try to get a little sleep. It was late, but I couldn't sleep. I was tired, but my mind wouldn't rest. Now that big brother wasn't there, fears and worries multiplied faster than they could register. In the dark room of that night, I stared at the ceiling while nightmares played in my head.
