Anniversary and Remembrance...
I didn't know where I was headed. All I knew was that that place would be something out of the ordinary, and that I would regret it. I could feel it in my gut - I would regret it.
As I walked, I shoved my hands into my pockets, breathing in a hot air. The sun beat down on me, and frankly, I wasn't as hot as I should have been. If anything, I was freezing to the bone. I wasn't liking the feeling as it became more and more severe as I became more familiar with these places.
Soon, I was in Germany.
I remembered exactly where my feet were carrying me. I remembered the street signs, the roads, the houses, all of it.
I didn't like days, especially today for any other day. I knew where I was going, but I didn't want to go there. I didn't want to be back here. I didn't want to do anything here.
Once I got to the place, I knew where I was. How was I back here? I pursed my lips as I walked around the familiar structure, the thoughts and feelings from that day coming back to me as though it was yesterday. I stopped at the front doors. I was surprised that they had rebuilt it after someone had died in the fire. I guess shit happened. Shit was rebuilt. Shit was forgotten.
I shook my head, taking a hand from my pockets and pushing the doors open. They creaked, and I slowly walked in. The floorboards creaked. It seemed as though the place had been abandoned for years. Maybe a decade or more. I sighed lightly; why was I thinking this stuff?
I continued to walk slowly in the place, opening another set of doors. Then I was in the main sanctuary of the building. I glanced around the area, everything looked the same. Except burned. That was the only thing that wasn't okay. Everything was burned.
I began to walk to the front, glancing around. I remembered how the firemen dragged out many people from this fire. Some people were alive, some burning, some dead - like Dominick.
I licked my lips as I got to the front, and I stopped in the middle of the isle. I looked down for a moment before looking around.
I heard a set of doors open,and I jumped slightly. The startling noise made me do it. I looked behind me and I noticed the person who was there. The priest. I thought he'd left Germany when I did...
"Salem Ryder?" He mused as he approached me, and I turned around completely. Once he got to me, he extended a hand towards me. I returned the offer.
"Yeah..." I said, glancing around again. Why hadn't they burned this place down yet?
"I'm glad your back..." He said, in a soft voice. I had gone numb. I didn't know why, but I was and I liked it. He gestured for me to follow him as he turned around and began to walk. I followed him without another word to his office, one of the places that wasn't burned.
"The day after the fire..." He began, searching through his desk. I stood in front of it, watching his movements as he did so. "Dominick's parents came by... After you had left..." I remembered that - I had left the area because I was too scared to be around here anymore. He made an 'ahh' noise as he took out a box, it was not small, but not big. "They wanted me to give this to you if you ever came back..." He held out the box for me to retrieve, and eventually, I did.
"Thank you..." I said, glancing down at the brown box that was in my hands. I wondered what was inside of it, but I didn't want to look. Not yet. Not until I was out of here.
"Your welcome, son." The priest had said, giving me a genuine smile before coming away from the back of the desk. "Thank you for coming and visiting.... I know it means a lot to both Dominick and his family..."
I hadn't visited this place since the fire, so being here, and at the date and time, it was a surprise I wasn't gone by now.
I gave him a nod as he left the area, and left me in the room. I looked down at the box again, before looking up. I heard more footsteps.
I walked out of the door, the box in hand, to see if the priest was coming back. I was wrong. The only thing I saw was the 29 year old I had come to love since I was younger. I pursed my lips as he gave me a small smile.
I returned it, giving a small wave, before retreating to the front doors again.
I took a small breath before walking out the doors, closing them, and walking away.
I was back in America.
