It’s quiet now. Too quiet. Strains of “Old McDonald” still filtering through my head. Stuffed animals in my bed. I can hear the clock, both clocks. I can hear the fan in the convection oven. I can hear the organic sounds swishing in my auditory canal. The toys are still scattered around the room; farm animals on the dining room table; a mangled car track on the floor. All silent now. The animation sucked out of them. It flew out the front door with the giggles, the roars, the “play with me, Nana”s as though a mighty wind came through and blew them all away. The same wind that is blowing you home, away from me til you are just a tiny dot and I am left here with just the clocks and the silent animals to keep me company.