The Secret Life of a Toilet Dweller

Once upon a dream 1

Once upon a dream

“Where you going?” I asked Karl. He packing things into his medium sized Gucci Duffle bag. I still remember the day he got that bag. He and his friend trotted around the house taking pictures. Karl treated it like a pet dog when he first got it. He would put his cups in the bag and drink out of it. He used it as a pillow as well. The bag had marks all over it showing its old age and over use. Joseph had told me he planned to buy Karl a new one for Christmas.

“Joseph’s.” He stated. His tone made it clear that he didn’t want to talk. I made an awkward face. I stood there for a few more seconds before leaving to go to my own room. Karl did that every so often. Something had happened when I wasn’t home, when I did get home, he would be in a silent strop. He would pack, go stay with Joseph for a week and return when he was out of clothes. I noticed that he had packed a lot more than usual today. He would probably be gone for two weeks then.

I had never known what made Karl go in that mood. That mood where he didn’t want to see or be near anyone at home. I never said anything but it was hurtful. Karl always went to Joseph and I felt as if those two had a special connection that I didn’t have with them. Karl never told me or ever mentioned what made him go in that mood. It started when I was in year 10 and Karl was in his first year of college. I assumed that it was something to do with girls, but as it started to occur continually throughout all the years, I knew it was something else. I usually shrugged it off, forgetting the whole thing although it played at the back of my mind.

After a couple of minutes, I heard the door bang and Karl was gone. That was the last time I was going to hear from him for two weeks. When I said that Karl didn’t want to see anyone in this house, I meant he seriously didn’t come anywhere near or speak to anyone, including me. Which was another reason why I found it so hurtful. I wondered for a long time if it was me? Something I said or something I do. I did wish that he could or even wanted to confide in me the way he did to Joseph.

I decided to call Joseph and ask him what was going on. I doubted he would tell me. Even if he didn’t, I would have at least spoken to him and seen how Charlotte was doing. Not that I cared or anything.

“’Sup?” I smiled at Joseph’s deep voice. It made me feel so calm. I felt very safe around my brothers. When I was younger, anytime that I was in trouble, the first voice I would hear would be one of theirs. I had this silly thing in my mind that anytime I was in trouble, all I had to do was shout and one of them would fly through the air or something.

“Hello.”

“Uh Oh.”

“What do you mean ‘uh oh’”

“Something’s happened.”

“How did you figure that out?” I remained silent. Something had happened but I didn’t know how to bring it up without sounding insecure. “Is Karl coming over to mine?” Joseph asked after some silence. I mumbled basically confirming his suspicions.

Joseph said something that I wasn’t able to pick up. “How’s college?”

“It’s ok. We have mocks soon.”

“How are you feeling about then?” I made a noise as my answer. I had been revising – ish. I didn’t have a high threshold for revision. I could revise at the library, or for 2 hour blocks but I could not revise at home at all. I was too easily distracted. When I was at the library, it was quiet and everyone else was doing work so I did work too. I made a note to myself to make sure I spend this weekend at the library. School was closed on Friday for teacher training or team building, something like that, so I would take that day of then spend Saturday and Sunday at my local library.