He Said
#3 of Miscellaneous
The sun shone through clear glass, light dispersed and filtered by thin curtains that hung over the windows. Andre happily lied across the floor, his tail swishing behind him as he drew pictures upon paper with charcoal pencil. Flora sat beside him, watching for a moment with a small smile as Andre's pencil glided across the white and left trails of black in its wake. She glanced up at the curtain-shrouded skies and sunlight glaring through, thoughts on her mind. Andre looked at her bit his lip.
"Mm... Uhm..." He murmured as he put down his pencil. Flora glanced at him and tilted her head.
"Mm? Are you finally going to say something, Andre?" She asked hopefully. Andre bit his lip again, and only crawled over to her side, wrapping his arms around her and hugging close. He didn't utter a word though, and Flora shook her head. "You have to say something, you know..." She said. Andre nodded and sighed softly. He then sat up next to her, leaning his head on her shoulder gently.
"I... Uhm..." He began.
Andre lost his words and simply hugged close to Flora again, hiding his face. Flora smiled a little ruffled his hair gently.
"Come on, you can do it..." She whispered. Andre thought about it again, and nodded slowly before sitting up once more.
"L-Last night... I... I understand now, and... I-I'm glad... I love all of you, and I'm glad to have you all with me..." Andre slowly murmured, stuttering a little.
Flora's lips parted for a moment, but she saw Andre's glassy eyes staring down at the drawings as he did not look up at her, and she simply smiled cheerfully and put an arm over his shoulder to pull him close to her.
"And you know it's true, that we all love you too, just like a little brother!" She said to him as she rubbed Andre's shoulder. She tilted her head so she could get a better look at his glimmering amber eyes. "And you know, big brother loves you very, VERY much. Never forget that." Flora added softly.
Andre smiled happily and looked at Flora.
"Never, ever." He replied with a bright smile. Flora giggled happily.
"You have your beautiful voice again... I am happy to hear it." She murmured to him. He giggled as well and nuzzled her side.
"I shouldn't have so little faith in big brother ever again..." He said softly. Flora's eyes glanced back to the window for a moment as she began to think.
Andre then tilted his head.
"We'll still see him anyways on New Year's, right?" Andre asked. Flora's heart sank, but she covered it with a small smile. Andre kept nuzzling gently as he picked up his drawing and kept adding to it. "I've been thinking about it so much... Where we'll be... Sitting on a balcony maybe, watching the fireworks in the harbour..." Andre went on dreamily. Flora's eyes began to glitter with not joy but sorrow. "And then, we'll sit together, maybe, like a big family! We'll just stay up, all night, until the sunrise...!" Andre added excitedly. Flora's lips parted, but only trembled without a word.
"It will be great, right?" He asked cheerfully, finally turning his head. His smile then faded when he saw Flora's tears. "... Hey... W-Why are you crying--" He wondered.
"I can't.... I can't take it... I'm sorry, Andre..." She whispered, tears rolling down her cheeks. Andre moved a little, feeling a little scared.
"Why...? Why are you sorry...? Don't... Don't cry--" He said softly, his tone afraid. Suddenly, Flora threw her arms around Andre and pulled him in tight and close, as she cried on his shoulder.
"He's... He's moving... To the islands early..." She sobbed. Andre heard it, but couldn't believe it.
"W-What...?" He stuttered in confusion. Flora couldn't say it again.
"He wanted... He wanted to tell you... But he knew... He knew it would hurt..." She cried, her tears soaking into Andre's shirt.
A tear fell from his cheek, and struck the drawing that fell and drifted away from his faint hands. The teardrop struck black and white, soaking into the paper as it rested upon fuzzy carpet that the poor Salamander could barely feel any more.
"But I... I thought... We could..." Andre whispered, his voice breaking once more, his body paralysed as Flora cuddled him close, still crying.
"I know, Andre... I know..." She whispered back. "It's not your fault... It's not your fault..." She sobbed, hugging Andre tighter and tighter.
More tears fell upon the drawing, sadness blurring the picture slowly but surely, as the lines began to run with black upon the white. All the thoughts, all the hopes, and all the dreams became even blacker than the black.
"But... He said... He said we would..." Andre cried, warm tears streaming down his face as he sniffled.
"I know he did... I know..." Flora murmured, rubbing Andre's back as she choked back a sob. "L et it out... Just... Just let it all out..." She told him. Andre clenched his fists...
He couldn't stand it anymore.
"It's not FAIR!" He screamed, his voice breaking afterwards as he sobbed and cried his heart out, that vision of a loving and cheerful family together, watching the fireworks and waiting for the sunrise, was then nothing more than a distant wish.
The drawing of that moment then laid upon the floor, detail distorted beyond recognition, as the blackness ran through the white in dripping motion.
He said...