Chapter 30: I'm Home
Jake stepped out of the taxi and stood before the gate of his childhood home.
The same cracks lined the pavement. The same rusty wind chime jingled lazily on the porch. And yet… it all felt like a memory.
His hand trembled as he pushed open the door.
The scent of home flooded him—soy sauce, laundry, old wood, and something nostalgic he couldn't name. It hit him all at once. His eyes welled up, but he blinked them clear.
He stepped in slowly, his voice caught between joy and panic.
"Mom! Dad! I'm... I'm home!"
But there was no reply.
Instead, he heard footsteps from the living room. Turning the corner, he froze.
On the couch sat his older brother Marcus, arms crossed, always the serious one.
Beside him, their sister Elena, her expression unreadable, stood with a folded towel in her hand.
"Jake," Marcus said, his voice firm. "Dad's in the hospital."
Jake stopped breathing.
His bag slipped from his shoulder. His knees buckled, and he collapsed forward, his hands catching the wooden floor.
Silence gripped the room.
The old clock on the wall ticked, loud and slow.
"Mom's there with him," Marcus continued, more gently now. "We'll go see them. Together."
Jake didn't answer. He couldn't. The words weighed too much.
Elena stepped forward and knelt beside him. Her voice was soft, trying not to break.
"You… You look stronger now," she said, attempting a small smile. "I mean, you've changed, Jake."
Still no answer.
She reached for his hand, but Marcus gently pulled her back.
"Give him a second. The news hit hard."
Minutes passed.
Then, Marcus stood and grabbed the car keys.
"Come on. We'll drive. Just sit beside me, Jake."
Elena helped Jake to his feet, guiding him like a ghost between worlds. He didn't speak.
The car door shut with a soft thud, and the engine hummed to life.
They drove in silence.
Jake stared at the window, his reflection faint against the world rushing by. It all felt so far away, like he was watching someone else's life unfold.
They reached the hospital.
As the building loomed ahead, Jake whispered only three words to himself, barely audible—
"Please be okay…"