LOGIN°Jeremy’s POV°The road narrowed as I drove as we followed Lang's scent, the last of the houses fading behind us until only open land remained. Gravel replaced asphalt, the sound of it was steady beneath the tires as I eased the car forward. My headlights stretched across the dark, catching the outline of a low structure ahead. It sat alone, worn down by time, its roof dipping at one end, its walls dull and quiet under the night sky.I slowed to a stop a short distance away. The engine went silent. Marcus pulled in behind me, the others following, their headlights cutting off one by one until the night closed back in.The silence here felt different.I stepped out and closed the door without making a sound. The air carried no breeze, no distant movement, nothing but a stillness that pressed lightly against my skin. My eyes settled on the building again, and the pull inside me was steady.Marcus came up beside me. “This place has been empty for years,” he said quietly.“Maybe not tonig
°Jeremy's POV °Eli’s room door stood slightly ajar, the way I had left it earlier. I pushed it open fully and stepped inside. The bed looked empty under the faint light from the hall. The covers lay smooth and flat, as if no one had touched them since Mrs. Lang had straightened them after dinner maybe…. His stuffed bear sat propped against the headboard, its button eyes catching a bit of the glow. I ran my hand across the sheets. They felt cool to the touch. The pillow still held the slight dent from his head, but the room carried no warmth from a sleeping child. I checked the closet next, opening the door slowly. His clothes hung in their usual rows, small shirts and pants lined up neatly. The floor space below stood clear. I looked under the bed, moving the storage box aside with one hand. Dust motes floated in the air, but nothing else appeared. The window remained locked from inside, its latch secure. I stood in the center of the room and let my eyes move over every corner again
°Jeremy's POV ° I set the phone down on the desk and looked at Eli standing in the doorway. His breathing had settled into a steady rhythm, and the faint red glow in his eyes had faded completely. I crossed the room in a few quiet steps and knelt so I could see his face clearly. “Let me help you clean up,” I said. I took the handkerchief from my pocket and wiped the dirt from his cheeks in slow strokes, the cloth came away brown. Eli stood still and let me do my thing. When his face looked better, I brushed the twigs from his hair one by one and dropped them into the small trash bin beside the desk. “You made it here on your own,” I told him. “That took a lot of courage my boy.” He gave a small nod but said nothing more about the morning. I did not press him. Instead, I walked him to the couch in the corner and sat beside him. The cushions gave under our weight. I rested my hand on his shoulder for a moment, then stood again. “Stay right here for a little while,” I said. “I
°Jeremy's POV °The board meeting dragged longer than expected.I sat at the head of the table, listening as one of the directors explained projected figures for the next quarter. His voice flowed steadily, numbers filling the air, charts shifting across the screen, and the quiet hum of the air conditioner settling into the background.I nodded when necessary.I asked questions when expected.Still, part of my attention drifted elsewhere.Amy should have called by now.She had insisted on driving Eli to school that morning. I had almost argued again, but she had looked at me in that quiet way of hers, calm and steady, and I let it go.I glanced at my phone lying beside my notepad.Nothing.I forced my attention back to the presentation.“…which brings us to the final projection,” one of the board members concluded.I leaned forward slightly.“Send me the breakdown after the meeting.”“Yes, sir.”The room shifted as papers gathered and chairs moved quietly. The meeting had been calm, p
° Amy's POV °Morning light slipped quietly through my curtains, resting softly across the edge of my bed. I laid there for a few seconds, watching the pale glow move slowly along the wall. The house was still, calm in a way that made me breathe easier.It had been a long time since mornings felt like this.I pushed the blanket aside and sat up slowly. My feet touched the floor, cool against my skin. I stretched slightly, then stood, running a hand through my hair as I walked toward the bathroom.The mirror reflected a face that looked….. rested. I washed my face, tied my hair back loosely, and changed into something simple. A soft blouse, fitted trousers, nothing too formal. I didn't feel like dressing up today. I just wanted something comfortable.As I stepped out of the room, I heard Eli's voice downstairs.I smiled before I even realized it.Seven years and that little boy still made my chest soften.I walked down slowly, following the sound of his chatter. When I reached the din
°Amy’s POV°The walk to the hall felt longer than it should have….Not because it was far, but because I noticed everything…..the soft sound of my heels against the floor, the gentle brush of my dress against my legs, the quiet voices waiting ahead.Everything felt slower than usual, like each step I took mattered.By the time I stepped into the hall, the conversations faded on their own. Heads turned, not suddenly, but naturally, like they had been expecting me.I didn’t react though, I just kept walking.The elders sat at the front, calm and steady as always. A few people stood by the sides, watching quietly, but I didn’t pay much attention to them.My focus moved forward.And then I saw him.Jeremy was already there.Waiting…..He looked normal, and that was the first thing I noticed.There was no sign of earlier…..no trace of the man who had been drunk, spouting rubbish and acting like he was crazy….Anyone watching him wouldn’t think anything had happened.I slowed slightly befor
°Amy’s POV°The sun was sliding slowly down behind the trees, casting this soft gold light that made everything look too calm for what was about to happen. The porch creaked under my bare feet, and the air smelled faintly of wet soil and old wood now. “So tell me… Amy, you thought I wouldn’t find
° Amy’s POV °“Well…. Is this how things are going to be, Amy? No hugs?”My body froze before my brain caught up…. His voice.He stepped closer, holding out a bouquet of bougainvillea and roses. My stomach dropped.He paused, eyes steady on mine. “I’m sorry for your loss.”I didn’t take the flowe
° Amy’s POV °I wished I hadn't walked away, wished I didn't leave, wished, wished, wished!That was all I could do, helplessly blame myself and wish that everything was gonna be alright.But wishing didn’t change anything.The room was quiet except for the beeping sound that came from the monitor
° Amy’s POV °It was weird at first, but it wasn’t bad.Having Mia move in was like inviting a storm that somehow knew how to water your plants. Grandma Lydia didn’t oppose much since she was Eli’s godmother, though she still had her opinions. She always did.Even though she didn’t like the idea th







