Home Sweet Home

It was several hours past high noon and the sun cast spindling shadows. The air was biting, and Cass rolled his sleeves back down over his hands.

'So different from the school...' Cass thought to himself. The inside of the building and the cold outside were polar opposites, vastly contrasting each other.

After traversing the chilly streets, Cass finally arrived at his destination. Before him was a thick wooden door, it's brown paint peeling slightly at the edges. Beside it, a thing two-paned window laid, spilling out warm light. Cass shouldered off his backpack, resting it on his knee to extract a simple brass-colored key.

He pushed it into the keyhole and turned it, making a satisfying click. As the door was forced open, a gush of warmth overtook Cass. It was a content warmth that soothed his mind and kindled his soul.

As Cass gazed into the foyer, he saw the figure of one person. His father sat comfortably in a chair, glazing through a newspaper.

When he heard the clicking of the door, he looked up and smiled.

"Welcome home, Cass. Did you learn a lot in school?" He inquired politely.

"Yeah. Things... things are going pretty well. I'm not really struggling with any of the content." Cass responded with a smile.

"That's good. You've always done well in school, but it's still good news nonetheless." His father's smile deepened and he nodded slightly.

"Your mother will be back soon—at least, I assume she'll be. She only said she's going on a walk."

Cass nodded. Noticing his quietness, Cass's father decided to continue the conversation on his own.

"Well then, I'll leave you to it." His father concluded.

Without saying a word, Cass nodded once more and headed down the hallway to his left. The wooden floorboards creaked as he approached the thin door and reached out his hand. He grabbed onto the round doorknob, twisting his wrist and pushing it inwards.

The inside of the room was sparse. The walls were a shade of light green, snugly surrounding a bed, a dresser, and a small desk tucked away in the corner. A window was on the wall furthest from the door—its vinyl blinds shut tightly, only letting occasional rays of light in through the small holes the cord was threaded through.

Cass hastily shoved his backpack on top of his desk, plopping down onto the twin-sized bed. He sighed, his fatigue overcoming him.

***

Any hints of sunlight that previously crept into the room were gone as Cass awoke.

'What time is it? Did no one wake me up to eat?' Cass pondered, slightly confused. He usually took naps after he got home from school. If he slept for too long, his parents would wake him up when it was time for their dinner.

He sat there, listening to the silence overtaking the house. Cass sat up, setting his feet onto the ground. Slowly, he stood up, blood flowing back into his legs. His socks padded his footsteps as he silently walked to the door. With a slight creak, the door opened without resistance.

The hallway was cooler than when he had arrived home that afternoon. It no longer contained the same cheerful warmth. The lights were still on, illuminating the silence. Cass purposefully walked down the hallway, reaching the living room where his dad had sat. The chair was vacant and the reading lamp was now switched off, leaving only the glow of the light fixture.

'Is he not here?' Cass deliberated. It didn't make sense for him to leave.

Next, he walked into the kitchen. The counters were bare, and the air still smelled plain. On the counter, a light blue sticky note sat.

'I'm going on a walk. Be back soon. XOXOXO.'

Cass quickly read through it.

'That looks like mom's handwriting... I guess she put this here before she went on her walk. How long ago was that, though? Dad didn't day when she left...' Cass reflected to himself.

Cass continued onwards, venturing into the dining room. The large window's curtain were open wide, welcoming the faint moonlight. The vague rumble of the sea came from afar, filling the room with its gentle, melodic tone. Off into the distance, Cass could see a small point of light. He could barely make see the shadowy outlines of the people on the shore. Quickly, however, the light was extinguished, once again shrouding the ocean in darkness.

Cass looked silently out the window, his curiosity piqued.

'Why go to the beach so late?' Cass pondered, pursing his lips slightly.

'Isn't it too cold for them?'

Shifting his gaze back into the dining room, Cass surveyed the room. Nothing was amiss.

Trudging backwards, Cass reentered the kitchen. The silence remained the same. Dissatisfied, Cass continued into the hall. The floorboards creaked slightly as they strained under his weight. This time, instead of stopping in front of his door, he continued until he reached the staircase. Light cascaded down the laminated steps. Cass climbed them slowly, gripping the banister.

As he got closer, more of the hall came into sight. Beside the stairs, the bathroom door was shut and light crawled from underneath the frame.

Approaching it, Cass gently rapped his hand against its smooth wood.

"Dad?"

After a few moment of silence, a reply came from behind the door.

"Sorry Cass—I'm just not feeling very well. Your mom texted me to say she was with friends and probably wouldn't be home until later... it's a bit late, but—but you can eat by yourself."

"Are you OK?"

"Yes, I'm fine. It just like I said—I'm not feeling very well. I slept in late today, I suppose that should have been a warning sign. I might sleep in again tomorrow, so don't be alarmed if you don't see me until after school..."

"Alright, I—I hope you feel better." Cass had no choice but to resign himself to his father's words. True happiness stemmed from the trust you had in other—the trust you had that the sunlight would grace them once more the next day.

Cass silently reheated leftover food from the previous night, sitting in the open dining room. Moonlight cusped the air, and the sea reverberated faintly. Cass sat alone, listening to the strain, feeling its temptation.