Jonathan made it home at 5:50 PM, and paused at the bottom of the stairs, panting briefly, before making his way to the door. For a moment, Jonathan thought about what he would find when he opened it but didn’t pause long.

Unlocking and throwing open the door, he rushed straight to his room, kicking his shoes off by the door. A surprised Alphonse started rising from the bed, but Jonathan didn’t even pause to acknowledge him. He went straight to the bathroom, closing the ...