Uneven

by izhilzha

The ground rises to meet my feet unevenly. I stagger. Can't blame it, though. Can't even keep my head up. There's a shoulder under mine, helping me along.

One foot misses the floor and I'm down, knees and hand smacking against cold concrete. Someone's still tugging at me, trying to get me up and moving. I can't. It's all I can do not to just drop flat right here.

The tugging doesn’t stop, so I try to find words. All that comes out is, "I want to go home."

My companion stops moving, with my arm still pulled across his shoulders. "Me too," he says in my ear.

I'd been sure it was David or Colby.

But in this unsteady dusk I can just make out his curls.

"Me too, Don," he whispers again, and it's raw, hopeless, like nothing I've ever heard come out of my little brother's mouth.