Lost

I stand in the middle of the room, sound echoing off the high ceilings. People were everywhere. The din is unbearable. I spin in a circle, looking for a place to hide from all the noise. Nowhere. Only open floor and a sea of people. I begin to spin faster and faster. Desperate for refuge. The room begins to blur. I knew I never should have come to this event, I thought wildly as I spun. Where had my brother gone! The one that anchored me to reality?! Finally I spot him. Wild dark hair and a bright green jacket. I run through the crowd, shoving people aside to get to him. But by the time I reached where he had been he was gone. My breath comes faster, faster. My hands have knotted into my long black skirt. Twisting frantically as if I can wring my fear out like water. It takes all my willpower to stay still. I breathe. In. Out. In. Out. Like I was taught. It doesn’t help. My brain is still buzzing with worry, fear, and confusion. I had just seen my brother. Standing right where I am now. How could he have disappeared without me noticing? I had only looked away for a second. Only walked a step away. And now I am lost. With nowhere, and no one to go to. A woman taps me one the shoulder and I start. “Are you okay? You seem a little lost.” I smile. “I’m fine, just was looking for my brother. I found him though.” Partly true. The woman nods and walks away. My heart falls. No matter how much I try, I am never able to communicate my feelings. In case the woman is still watching me, I make my way across the gym towards a guy in a black vest. Not my brother, but the woman doesn’t know that. As soon as I am sure that I am out of her sight, I stop. I think. If I lost my brother, he must have lost me too. Surely he would look for me too? Of course he would. He’s the person I am closest to in the world. I decide that if I stay put, he will eventually find me.