Late October draped Northwood Crest, one of Portland’s older neighborhoods, in a mix of gold-brown leaves and crisp air that hinted winter was only a few weeks away. The streets were alive in the way only Northwood could be—small shops breathing out warm light, bikes rattling by on uneven sidewalks, and familiar faces greeting one another like an extended family. And somewhere within that weekday bustle was Levi Hale, weaving through the street with a delivery box balanced on his arm.Everyone seemed to know him.“Morning, Levi!”“Hey Levi, Don't forget the favor I asked!”“Tell your grandma I’ll bring her that pie later!”He flashed smiles back, adjusting the strap of his worn jacket. Levi wasn’t rich, but he was reliable, and in Northwood Crest that was worth more than money. He delivered packages for a local courier shop, did odd jobs, helped his neighbors, and somehow always kept a calmness about him that made people trust him.He had just stepped off the curb when Clarie Wynn, hi

Portland breathed differently at night. By 10 p.m., when most cities were settling down, Northwood Crest’s working neighborhoods Bluewater, were just beginning to stir. Streetlamps flickered on, casting warm halos over cracked sidewalks. Teenagers drifted toward night shifts, night owls clustered around late cafés, and people like Clarie began getting ready for parties that stretched until dawn.Levi walked down Harborline Street with a takeout bag in one hand and his phone in the other, the cold, almost-winter breeze tugging at his jacket. His breath fogged faintly in the air as he slowed near an intersection, torn between two directions—home to his grandmother, or to the party Clarie had begged him to accompany her to.He stopped, closing his eyes for a tired second.He knew the answer. He just didn’t want to say it.“I’m home!” Levi called as he pushed the door open.From the living room, a soft voice answered, “Is that you, Levi?”Martha sat on the couch in darkness, her tiny fram

A week later, Grandma Martha went in for her first chemotherapy session.The pain was unbearable. Levi had never seen her so fragile. She begged to stop, whispered that she didn’t want to continue, but the doctor insisted the treatment was necessary.Another week passed.The doctor called Levi into his office and explained gently, “We need at least half of the payment to continue her next cycle. The treatment is working—but delaying it now could undo her progress.”It felt like the ground shifted beneath him.---“Hello, Martha. You look much better than the last time I saw you,” Elsa said softly as she walked in, a bundle of flowers and freshly baked cookies in her hands.“Elsa!” Martha smiled weakly. “Last time you saw me, I was unconscious, so yes—this is an improvement.” She patted the seat beside her. “Come, sit. How are you, child?”“I’m okay,” Elsa sighed. “Sorry I haven’t visited in weeks. Things have been… a lot. And now my parents are suddenly talking about moving out of sta

The year drew to a quiet close in Northwood Crest—quiet in a way that didn’t feel natural.It was the kind of quiet that settles only when something important is missing.People noticed Levi’s absence long before they admitted it.The bakery owner would glance at the door each morning.The grocery cashier would pause every time a tall silhouette passed the window.Children who used to run after him whispered questions their parents didn’t know how to answer.But the truth was sobering:No one knew where Levi went.No one even knew who to ask.His grandmother was gone.Elsa and her family had relocated—packed up their memories and moved to New York.And Tommy and Clarie? They revealed their relationship two weeks after Levi left, choosing each other without shame, though the neighborhood’s eyes burned holes into their backs.Time didn’t pause for heartbreak.It simply moved forward without asking permission._____Levi spent a week in Los Angeles, wandering streets that never slept, tr

This bedroom was grand enough to make any visitor pause.The bedroom was not merely a sleeping space, but a grand, beautifully appointed retreat. On stepping inside, the first encounter was a spacious, sun-drenched sitting area, framed by large windows and furnished with plush armchairs—a perfect sanctuary for quiet reflection. Beyond this cozy vestibule, an impressive stone fireplace, rising to the ceiling like a modern hearth, served as an elegant architectural divider, subtly separating the lounge from the sleeping quarters while housing built-in media cabinets.The main sleeping area, anchored by a commanding bed, offered both comfort and scale. Tucked away discreetly were the room's final luxuries: a doorway leading into a vast, boutique-style walk-in closet, and another opening into a resort-caliber ensuite bathroom, complete with a deep soaking tub and a sleek, separate glass shower. This entire suite felt like an apartment unto itself, designed for maximum relaxation and priv