Part Fifteen

Eight years later ...

I kept my eyes closed for a few more seconds as my mind cleared from the fog of sleep and turned on my side as I finally opened them. It was still early, almost five am. I swung my legs over the edge of the mattress and sat on the edge of the bed as I rubbed my hand over my face.

I got up and pulled a pair of sweatpants on and pulled the hoodie over my head. Downstairs I made coffee for myself as the dull thud of my headache started throbbing in my temples. I drank to forget, I drank to sleep and not to dream, it worked mostly, but during the day, nothing could stop the memories.

The kettle boiled and I was snapped back to reality. I hated how certain memories just popped up and took me back to a time when life was simpler, easier and a time when I used to be a good person.

“I’m going out,” I said loudly, not expecting him to answer me, he never did.

Every morning at five am I went out into the surrounding wilderness that was my backyard. I lived in a house on th