A World Between - 1. Letter 1 (Revised)

A World Between

D.K. Daniels

Dear Ryan, I’m not sure how it is up there, but I am sure shitty down here. I'm sorry I haven't written to you in a while, but I have been too sad to write of late. My sister Rebecca told me the other day that I should stop writing to you because it's a waste of time. You can imagine how disappointed I was with her, angered even. What does she know, she doesn’t understand the things we went through together? Brothers we are, well almost, not that we share the same mother, though that would be universally weird somehow. I can’t shake the thought from my brain now. Seriously, I’m chuckling right now at how wrong, and how absurdly funny it is to me.

I miss our laughs down by the pier when we'd sneak out together at night, just you and me, the best of friends. I'd bring the snacks, and you'd bring the soda. I remember when you confessed your feelings to me about how scared you were of the statue of the iron sailor on the boardwalk overlooking the sea. I guess this is my chance to say I was equally as scared, but I never told you, not when you were here. It's funny how things work out, I'm here - by the statue, and you're somewhere out there. The sea has this cool reflection on the waves coming into the shore. It's incredible; it would've been a great night to tell you I miss you, but it doesn't amount to much, considering you're not here and yet you are there.

Something weird happened today, I was making toast, and I burned it. I know it's not a massive deal, but I started crying after I burned it and I couldn't figure out for the life of me why I was crying. I was the only one home so you can imagine by the time everyone got home, I had cleaned up the mess and resorted to being normal - a zombie-like normal. I don't know what it was, but something deep down told me it was you telling me to stop fucking up burning toast. It was like that time when both of us came down to the kitchen at 2 AM in the morning, made toast with your favourite - peanut butter and Nutella all on the one slice. You'd be proud: I took your hint a couple of weeks ago and tried the topping, and it has by far become my favourite thing to eat on bread now.

Anyway, I think I should be getting home. I have school in the morning. It's the first day back after summer break. I promise I'll make us proud, and I'll write to you again soon. I wish you could write back, though. I know you can't, because you don't have any paper or a pen, and that you're a busy person. Making things impressive is your thing so I won't mess with that, I'll be back soon, I promise.

Later Bro

Jake