As the wind picked up, rain thudded against the windowpane. I was glad that I was at home, rather than being out in the cold. Yet, I wasn’t necessarily any more inclined to do my uni work. I let out a sigh, heading into Mitchell’s bedroom, to fetch one of his large grey T-shirts, pulling it over my head like a jumper. It still smelled of him, just a little bit. My chest fell tighter as tears welled at the backs of my eyes, as I gazed out towards the bush. Mitchell’s bedroom always did have the best view, of all of the rooms of the house. I approached his desk and sat down in his chair, his computer still sitting on the tabletop. We’d tried our best not to change anything, not to move anything. It needs to still be here for him. I feel stagnant, yet at sea, like a sand cay, being buffeted but unable to be moved. Eventually, at Mum’s urging, I shifted to the study, after bidding farewell to Greg, Natalie and Geoff following dinner. Their presence had brought a hint of normalcy. I felt like I couldn’t give into it, and that made me all the more uncomfortable. Mum was sorting through the bookshelves, which had belonged in Dad’s childhood bedroom and then resided in our study ever since they’d moved into our house some quarter of a century or so ago. Now, the floor was covered in collapsed book boxes. They would never, even with my help, get packed back up again before bedtime. When my mobile phone beeped, I was grateful to have a distraction from the mess. I reached over and grabbed the phone from the desk so that I could read my message, from Lizzie.
Want 2 meet @ bus stop on Windsor Rd just before m2? Heading into city
I breathed out and leaned back in the cold, hard chair.
“Lizzie is offering if I’d like to go into the city with her,” I mentioned.
“You can go, but be careful,” Mum warned.
The younger sister of missing Sydney man Mitchell del Reyan, Nina del Reyan lives on Dharug land in western Sydney. She has recently commenced a teaching degree at Macquarie University. Nina loves her family and friends and is deeply committed to finding answers and justice for the families of missing people.
Abbey Sim is the founder of Huldah Media. She is a creative writing, law and theology student who lives on the lands of the Dharug people in Sydney, Australia. Abbey desires to explore themes of hope, love and longing through her storytelling. She is the author of 'Shadow' and 'From the Wild'.
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