Chapter 11: Grief

In a memory, Kai was a child. It snowed. It was very cold outside. He left early for the kitchen. He was guided by the smell.

“…Mom?”

“Oh dear, you are up so early. Guess what? Chocolate cake, your favorite! Oh, honey! Look at you! You are going to die of cold this way, come, let me get you something to put on!”

Kai had just woken up. He was wearing only a shirt.

Kai’s mother stopped what she was doing and ran to him, grabbing him by the arms, leading him to climb the stairs again.

“There you go, you need to stay warm when it’s cold like that, dear.”

“But mom, I don’t like that scarf… It strangles.”

“Is it too tight?”

“What is this? Haha! Come here! Let’s take a picture!”

“Oh, what is now?” His mother had to stop paying attention to him and go back to the stairs.

Kai followed after her all the way to the kitchen.

It turns out the dog had climbed up in the chair and was licking the cake above the table.

“Jesus, get out! Take him out!”