Karvel’s phone rang suddenly. He stopped walking at once and pulled it out of his pocket. When he saw Elena’s name on the screen, his heart skipped. “Elena?” he answered quickly. “What’s the matter?” At first, he could barely hear her. The sound on the line was weak. Her breathing was uneven, like she was struggling to stay calm. When she tried to speak, her voice broke. “We… we…” she said, but the words refused to come out. Karvel’s chest tightened. A cold fear spread through him. “Elena, please calm down,” he said softly, trying to keep his voice steady. “Talk to me. Where are you right now?” There was silence for a few seconds. He could hear her crying quietly. Then she spoke again, her voice weak and shaking. “The hospital.” That was all she said. Karvel did not ask anything else. He already knew something was very wrong. “I’m coming there now,” he said firmly and ended the call. He turned around quickly and headed straight for his car. His steps were fast, his mind rac

Author POVPatricia walked slowly beside Margret as they returned to the house. Their steps were heavy, as if each one carried pain and sadness. The sky above them looked dull, covered with thick clouds, as though the world itself was mourning with them. The wind blew gently, but it felt cold against their skin.Margret did not say a word. Her eyes were red and swollen from crying, and her face looked tired, older than it had ever been before. Her shoulders were bent, not from age, but from grief. Patricia wanted to speak, wanted to comfort her, but no words came to her mouth. Sometimes, pain was too deep for words.When they reached the house, the door was slightly open. Inside, Richard was sitting on the couch. He stood up immediately when he saw them enter. His face was filled with worry, and his eyes moved quickly from Margret to Patricia, searching for answers.Margret stopped just inside the door. Her hands were shaking. She looked at Richard, but she could not meet his eyes.“M

Night had fully fallen outside. The sky was dark, with no stars in sight. The lights inside the house were on, but they did little to chase away the heavy feeling that hung in the air.Grief still lived in every corner.Margret sat on the couch, her back straight, her hands resting on her lap. She had not moved for a long time. Her eyes were fixed on the wall, but she was not really looking at anything. Her mind was far away.Patricia sat on the single chair near the window.Liza lay on the couch, her head resting on Patricia’s lap.Her eyes were open, but she was not speaking. She looked small and fragile, like a child again. Patricia gently stroked her hair again and again, the same way she used to do when Liza was younger and scared.Elena stood near the corner of the room.She leaned slightly against the wall, her arms crossed over her chest. Her mind was restless. No matter how hard she tried, she could not calm her thoughts.Something was coming.She could feel it.The silence s

Elena could not stop thinking.Her mind had been restless ever since she left that person’s house. No matter how hard she tried, the thoughts refused to leave her head. They stayed with her as she drove back home, followed her through every street, and sat beside her even when she parked the car.The sky was already dark.Streetlights passed over her windshield one after another, lighting up her tired face for a second before fading again. Her eyes were heavy, but her heart felt heavier.She turned off the engine and sat there for a long moment, her hands still on the steering wheel. The silence inside the car was loud. Too loud.She took a deep breath and stepped out.The house looked quiet, just like always. No lights were on except the small one near the staircase. Elena closed the car door gently, as if any loud sound would break her.She walked slowly inside.Her footsteps were soft as she moved through the hallway and climbed the stairs. Every step felt harder than the last. All

Karvel stepped down from the car first. His shoes touched the rough ground, and he paused. The place in front of them looked quiet. Too quiet.Morrison came down after him and looked around. The house stood alone at the end of the road. Its paint had peeled off long ago. The windows were dusty and dark. Tall weeds grew around the walls, almost reaching the broken fence.“Young Master,” Morrison said carefully, lowering his voice, “this looks like an abandoned house.”Karvel did not answer at once. He studied the house again. His eyes moved from the roof to the door, then to the windows. After a moment, he nodded slowly.They both looked at the paper with the address written on it. Morrison read it again, line by line. He even checked the house number nailed to the wall, half broken and almost falling off.“It’s the same address,” Morrison said. “This is the place.”Karvel folded the paper and slipped it into his pocket. His face stayed calm, but his eyes were cold and sharp. Something