I knelt on the floor, watching the tiny boy peek at me from beneath his blanket. He was small and skinny with eyes wide with fear. The Ninja Turtle shirt he wore hung down to his knees.
"Hey," I whispered, not wanting to frighten the 9 year old.
A small hand waved before retreating under the blanket. I should my head, disgusted with my own stupidity. I didn't talk at that age, so this younger me wouldn't talk either. Why was I talking to younger me anyway? Screw it, I'll figure that out later.
I switched into sign language, finger spelling words slowly, carefully.
'You ok?' I signed, watching small eyes watch me.545Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcdeEOJBDNk
'I no who you are,' tiny hands signed. I tilted my head to the side, watching the small one.545Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6cThxVkRi0
"You do?" I asked, blinking at the news. The boy nodded, pushing a sketchbook toward me. I opened it to the first page, to a sketch of well..me. Carefully written at the top of the page were the words: Big Joey.545Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡar10UlwmGF
"You're good, kid," I told him, thinking how long it had been since anything meaningful had landed on the pages of my sketchbook.
'You sad.' It was aa statement, not a question but I nodded anyway. 545Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgAxEOASLmx
'Why?'
"Thinking about you," I answered honestly, pulling my knees to my chest. I watched as the young boy climbed off his bed, throwing the blanket he had been under across me as best he could. I rubbed the cloth with my hands, smiling weakly.
'Blankie safe.'
I nodded in agreement, not sure what to say. How could I tell myself the blanket wouldn't provide protection from the evils within this house.545Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0v3pLNvmAc
A tiny tug at my sleeve caught my attention.545Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb9K1Nlyt2p
'you so big.'
I couldnt help it, but ii laughted. At barely over 5 foot, ii was nowhere near tall, though to my younger self I must have been a giant. Then footsteps were heard in the hallway. The younger me rolled under the bed, curling in a ball as I placed myself in front of him. We both held our breath, but the footsteps continued, never stopping.545Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡawz1JbXOid
You...brave" I jumped, not expecting to hear my younger self speak. I knew he could, but muteness was better, safer.545Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgl6H9s0mzL
"No I'm not, not really. I still jump at the loud noises, and hate being touch. And wake up screaming, and..." I trailed off, picking at a string on my sleeve.545Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA3P3eJ7K5t
"You is brave!" The small boy stated, stomping his foot. I laughed at the cuteness of it, the bit of attitude that was only expressed with me.
"Who you talkin to?" A boy asked, stepping right past me, never seeing me.
'No one.'545Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgXpIPZYJqr
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