a place we know| ✓

forty three

"And find a place where every single thing you see tells you to stay."

S E E K E R
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January 21st
7:10 AM
New York
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There was a loud knock on the door.

Audrey let out a low groan, wincing as a sharp pain shot through her throat. She had tossed and turned all night, unable to get any rest, and now her body was paying the price. With heavy eyes and an aching head, she tried to ignore the insistent pounding on her door, but it persisted, growing louder with each passing moment.

Finally, unable to take it any longer, she threw off the covers and stumbled out of bed, her clothes wrinkled and disheveled. The sun was barely visible through the clouds, casting a dull light across the room. With each step, her head throbbed painfully, and she cursed under her breath.

"Give me a second!" Audrey hollered, steps unsteady and her eyes squinting, picking up light from every direction. She stumbled to the door and her fingers fumbled for the lock, then opened the door on its creaking hinges, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

She was greeted by nothing but bitter winds and light snowfall, pending to talk to whomever it was that cut her sleep short. Her patience was dwindling and her bed was calling, now wasn't the time for a joke played by one of the delinquents she had seen walking the grounds yesterday.

Audrey was taken aback by the sight of the young boy at her doorstep. It was then that she noticed the small hand tugging at hers, and her eyes followed it down to the boy's face. He was grinning widely, revealing his freckled cheeks and small, white teeth. His hair was a dishevelled mess, and he wore a grey hat on top of it. Audrey stared into his large, brown eyes, which sparkled mischievously as he bounced on his heels.

His excitement was contagious, and Audrey soon found herself smiling along with him.

"Cody, right?"

He exuded an infectious energy, his body vibrating with a constant need to move."No," he drawled, puckering his lips in a pout. "I'm Cory. Cody's still in our room."

"You guys look so much alike, it's hard to tell you apart."

Cory beamed at the compliment, his freckles standing out against his rosy cheeks. "Thanks!" he exclaimed. "Can I come in?"

"Shouldn't you be with Cody?"

"Daddy's helping him get ready for school and I got really, really bored. So I came here to say hello." Cory breezed past her, welcoming himself inside the room. Clutching the straps of his schoolbag, he strolled further inside. He ambled through the room, his eyes scanning every corner as if committing the details to memory. He halted at the window and gazed out, his small fingers drumming against the sill. Audrey observed him, watching the way his mind wandered, curious about the world around him.

Without turning, he spoke up. "This is a nice room."

Audrey acknowledged him with a small smile. "Thank you."

Cory twisted to look at her, his eyes full of wonder. "Our room looks the same. Me and Cody share a bed, and daddy gets the other one."

Her heart ached for the little boy, realizing the difficulties of their living situation, that it was similar to hers. "Do you like sharing with your brother?"