literature

The Photograph

Deviation Actions

Published: May 19, 2013

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Literature Text

^{It starts with a photograph.

It's been years, but the room is unchanged, if a little dustier. They haven't dared to touch this last piece of their fallen brother, a shrine to the boy who loved words and the worlds they unlocked. When they step into the room, they can almost pretend he's still there.

Damon finds it first. He bows his head over the faded polaroid, closes his brother and remembers the brother he idolized. He thinks of being a toddler, tossed squealing into the air before being caught; of nights spent at the kitchen table, getting help with the homework he couldn't do; chasing after the older brothers who often didn't want their baby brother tagging along.

Dylan notices, and comes over to see what he's found. He takes the photograph he's offered and looks for a few moments before letting out a string of curse words - his way of trying not to cry. He thinks of the brother who always charged headfirst into life; who defended his younger brothers from neighborhood bullies by teaching them how to fight; who had a way of describing things so that they felt like they were right there, seeing it. He remembers sneaking into the twin's room at night, after nightmares, and being allowed to curl up with them until the morning.

Brian is the next to come over, haggard and pale from the task of trying to find his twin's jourrnals. He stares at the picture, almost unable to recognize it - their graduation day, his arm around Lewis's shoulder as they grinned for the camera, completely identical in their caps and gowns. They look younger than he remembers, more carefree - he aches for the simple days before they ever rushed off to war, and he learned what it meant to lose a piece of himself. He doesn't even notice when he's guided out of the room by Dylan, or when Damon presses a cup of tea into his hands, staring down at the faded picture of a far happier time.

They'll leave the room for another day, when they have more strength to face the ghost inside.}