Sequoia Coast sea billows roll

Simeon had managed to catch up with mom and the girls, and all should have felt right, but it didn't. As their steps led them further away from Sweetharbour, Simeon began to realize that his brother was not coming.

Malakai was staying on the island, alone.

He has John, he reasoned -- until John showed up, proving otherwise.

Well, he has Nakano.

But the thought did so little to comfort him - but why should he care that Kai stayed behind? He was always a bully - but he was also his brother, and Simeon had called for him before leaving, after all.

Because he was his brother.

It would have been a lot easier if Kai had just come along. What did he have left at Sweetharbour, if he didn't have them there with him? And it wasn't like Simeon could just go back. He'd promised Dee they'd see the mainland together -- that he would go with her --

-- but things had changed now, hadn't they? Because dad was supposed to be with them.

Judah.

A sharp anger flared in his chest, having replaced what numbness hed felt begore. He almost preferred the unfeeling, because now, his thoughts of his brother were stained with ugly words and ugly pictures. 

Why couldn't he have just come with them?

Why couldn't he have done just a little more to stay alive?

Why had he been so -

- been so -

- been so weak?

No, Simeon rumbled, to shut himself up before he rolled any further down the deep. Judah was good, Judah was kind, Judah was strong and did what he could to help.

It wasn't his fault.

It wasn't his fault.

It wasn't his fault, he said to himself, and closed his eyes, breathed. Reminded himself of what was real before he lost his brother's memory to what was not.

He should go back to Malakai. He shouldn't be alone.

But what about mom, Ava?

And what about Dee?

AW to Sweetharbour crew! @Heda @Dinah @Ava Amara @John