He has appointed himself the protector of people he cannot possibly protect.

He has decided, at seven, that the grief of his younger siblings is his to carry, that if he is only good enough and watchful enough and holds her hand tightly enough, he can keep the rest of the world from taking anything else.

It is the most crushing job there is, and children keep taking it, because someone has to, and no one else is there.

I did that job for eleven years and it nearly hollowed me out.