Onni wakes up. Not with a gasp or a jolt or anything dramatic. He simply opens his eyes to the darkness and sits up. He leans forward. His family is broken, again. He takes a shaky breath and presses his hands together. He doesn't cry. Everything settles as a heavy weight in his stomach, but he doesn't cry. It is too heavy to cry over, too important. He stares at the carpet, listens to the silence that embraces the house.
He wishes he knew what happened, but he thinks he knows. He doesn't want anyone to tell him, doesn't want anyone to confirm his fears. The heavy weight in his stomach grows, makes it harder for him to breathe. He buries his fingers in his hair, pulls at it. It distracts from the empty feeling that's drowning him.
The room gets brighter as he sits there. He feels like he's waiting for something, but he can't figure out what. Sounds are starting to cut through the silence, the world is waking up. Bosse is meowing outside of Siv and Torbjörn's room, the kids are laughing at something. Birds are tweeting and he can hear the steps of the mail-man.
Onni gets up from the couch and walks slowly across the room. His body feels heavy, immovable, but he has to keep moving. He pulls the curtains to the side, leans against the wall. The sky is clear, it will be a beautiful day. He pulls his hand across his face, dries off tears he can't let fall. His world has been torn apart and yet the birds keep singing.
