The morning sun came through the window curtains, leaving long lines of soft light across the floor. The heavy rain from the night before had completely stopped, leaving the outside world quiet and clean.
Julius opened his eyes slowly. For a few minutes, he just stared at the ceiling, his mind completely still.
Then, everything came rushing back. It was not like a dream anymore. The memories were perfectly clear, bright, and solid.
He remembered the smell of the old garden behind his childhood home. He remembered his father sitting at the kitchen table, reading the morning paper and laughing. He remembered the exact look on Harrison's face when they were boys, long before Harrison became the cold, distant leader of the estate.
Julius turned his head slightly on the pillow. Harrison was lying right beside him, fast asleep.
