My parents rushed to see me. Before I knew it, my mother took me in her arms. I'd grown taller than her, and yet I seemed to have returned to being a little boy again.

'Where have you been all this time! Did you have to go away!' She cried as she rained down kisses on me.

'Let me hug him too,' my father said as he embraced both of us.

It felt warm.

I could hear Child's giggles and Flabby's soft meows. I was at the beach, building the worst sandcastle in the eyes of the world but the best in mine. I was out there watching the sunset, dancing under the fairylights, wearing the most ridiculous T-shirt.

'Are you hungry? Oh, dear, you look so hungry. Weren't you eating well?' My mother held my face to study it.

I was too emotional to speak.

'Had I known that you were returning today, I would made all your favorite dishes.'

I had favorites, too. I'd forgotten about them. All I cared about in City was just getting by.

My mother told me about how they'd panicked once they found that I was missing. 'I was so worried that someone had taken you.'

I pursed my lips.

'You were just worried about him being hungry. Let the boy eat something.'

'Yes, yes, yes,' she wiped her tears. 'Let's eat. I'll prepare your favorite dishes for dinner.'

After a really long time, I ate with my family; I was famished. As I ate, I thought about how dinner was going to be even better because that's how great my mom's cooking was.

My father often complained about trivial things such as--- to much salt and all that; to me, however, it was perfect. It was the best.

There were many curses that had been put on me, ever since I was a baby, and I hardly believe that I am anything special. I think everyone has their own curses.

One is trivial. Two, still. Three. Bearable.

Then they keep piling up, one after another, till you reach a breaking point, when you think you'll die if anyone else curses you.

Then all the facts about yourself that you held close to your heart are questioned. You realize that they are all useless. Then you ask yourself, How could everything be a lie?

Everything breaks down. You ponder over the worth of your experience. Question whether you ever mattered... whether anyone ever matters or we're all chasing something nonexistent in the illusory world.

You almost give up.

Almost.

But even a drowning man tries to reach for the surface for just a breath.

It's a poignant reminder that we're constantly evolving.

Evolution, a concept so beautiful, to become a better self. In actuality, it is the only time where we dive into the filth to dig up everything that is shameful and controlling; to find out all the parts that we despise ourselves, collect them patiently, and figure out whether we want to sweep them under the rug again or dig deep into them.

When you finally find the strength to choose the latter, you ask yourself: How could I keep carrying such a burden in my heart for so long? How was I even alive? How did it take me so long to figure this out! I've lost time... I've lost so much precious time!

Then we go about blaming people who'd cursed you, who'd made you adapt to all those awful things.

After some time, you loathe yourself for hating them because you realize that they were also cursed by something.

Most of the time, you try to be a better person, but then there are still times when you find yourself slipping up.

You hate yourself for it, but being a doormat is out of the question.

Things like that invade your mind.

As I walked around the familiar halls of the mansion, I realized that the place that had once been my safe haven still was.

It took a bit of courage to enter my bedroom, but I did.

Everything was just the same, and that made me want to tear up. Just a few months ago, I'd wished desperately for me to be able to enter my room, my home, once again. A place that was mine.

My bedsheets smelled like detergent. So good.

I finally fell asleep.

I dreamed of Child and Flabby. They were running toward me as though they'd been waiting for me forever!

'You're here!' Child hugged me.

I blinked. 'You can speak properly?'

'I've always spoken properly,' she pulled up away, looking up and down at me as though I was the one who was being unreasonable. Then she folded her arms over her chest, 'You just didn't listen to me.'

'What do you mean, I never listened to you! I always did, but all you did was speak a word or two, at max!'

'One or two words? That's all you were able to hear!'

I guess I offended her. Like the dumbhead I was, I said, 'Yes.'

She stomped her foot. 'You're a meanie!'

'Hey, I'm not a meanie.' I turned to a cat for support. 'Flabby, tell me!'

'His name is Tabby!' She glowered at me. 'I haven't gotten even with you for giving him such a ridiculous name! You didn't think you'd get away with it, did you?'

I kinda did.

It was as though Child read my mind.

'Really? You thought you'd get away with it!'

'I just wanted to know if you knew how to read. I was testing you.'

She puffed her cheeks, absolutely done with me.

I looked at the only other being who could help me out of the tricky predicament. It was the rotund cat, Flabby.

Flabby glared at me.

Well, I guess I deserved it since I called it Flabby.

'You, two, come on, I didn't really mean it.' I may be the adult among them, but I was always the one apologizing. 'Alright, you two, I'm sorry. Is that what you were hoping to hear?'

'Sorry about what?'

'For not listening to you,' I looked at Child.

'And?'

I was not going to apologize to a cat!

But I did.

'Alright, Flabby, I mean, Tabby, I'm sorry about your name.'

The two were finally at ease, but it was my turn to tease them. 'I haven't gotten even with you for leaving me all alone on the bus!'