It was shiny. Even without the sun, the glass was shiny. I wondered what was in it earlier today. No matter, the glass was empty now. I balanced it on the edge of the table.

"Ahda?" It was Jon. He was leaving in the morning. "Ahda, do you know where I put my coat?"

His coat? What did Jon need with a coat?

"It's summer..."

"Ahda, where is my coat?"

I pointed to other room. "In the closet."

He walked slowly, full of purpose. Then he disappeared. After a moment, Jon returned to the kitchen.

He crammed the coat into the over-stuffed suitcase, then proceeded to search the house for something else. I wondered what it was. I wondered why he had to leave. I didn't say anything.

In the morning, Jon shut the front door. He was gone.

I was still sitting at the kitchen table; the glass still balanced. With even the slightest shake of the table that glass would plummet to the floor.

Crash!

It had shattered. The glass had fallen apart, just like the world.

How long had he been gone? One day? Three weeks? No...It's been four months. Jon's been gone for four months now. Am I still at the table?

No. I got up as the glass fell. I'm in my room now. It's early. The sun is up, I think. Maybe the woods are still full of fog. Who knows? I don't; I'm still in bed.

"Jon, where are you?" My hands are on my face now. Hiding the tears, I guess. But from who? "...I'm alone."

- - -

The boy sat there in the corner. He sat there with his brand new jacket with big fake zippers up the sleeves. It was made of some pale gray material that looked like canvas, but it wasn't.

The boy didn't fit into his new jacket; it was way too big for him. He wore it anyway, though, and as he sat there in the corner, Ahda looked at all the other kids.

All the others had jackets that fit. They didn't wear them though. Not now, anyway. It was much too warm in this building. It was even warmer outside.

Ahda didn't care. His jacket made him feel good, and as he sat there in the corner, Ahda watched the man walk through the room.

"All right kids." It was the teacher, Ms. Nate. "This man is Dr. Kaire--"

- - -

Another empty glass. Maybe I should balance it on the edge of the table too. Who knows, maybe it would make Jon come back.

No. Instead, I think I'll wash the dishes. There are a lot of empty glasses now. Lots of empty plates too. If I hadn't just washed them all, I'd have nothing to eat on tomorrow.

After the dishes, I went into my room. Briefly, I scanned the room. "Where is it?" Ah-ha! There in the chair, balled up in a lazy manner, was my old jacket.

It was made of some gray material that looks like canvas. It wasn't though. It was much more conformable than canvas and had fake zippers going up the sleeves. I thought the zippers were cool when I bought the thing, but now I didn't even notice them. I wore my jacket now because it made me feel good. I also wore it because it was cold outside.

I had one of those headaches that isn't quite a headache. It was one of the ones that will bug you forever, and won't go away unless you go outside and take a walk. It was the sort of headache you only get when you're depressed.