MasukIt was a darker night, and the street before the house of Daniel was nearly deserted. The wind flew softly through the trees, but Marcus stood on the porch like the tree that had been stumped to the floor. His hands were now in his pockets, and his eyes were at times wandering towards the door in the hope that sometime it would open.Daniel was at the window of the living room inside the house, observing him.He did not say anything for a few minutes. He only gazed at the figure of Marcus in the porch-light, as though he were trying to comprehend the man who had brought his daughter such tortures.Daniel then sighed slowly and headed toward the door.
It was later in the evening, and Marcus was outside Daniel's house on the porch, yet the night was colder. The light in the door was soft yellow and fell gently over the deserted driveway, and the quietness of the neighbourhood made the smallest sound seem bigger than normal. Marcus rubbed his hands together, though it was a pointless attempt to warm them, but his thoughts were concentrated on one thing.Ava.Ava was sitting on the side of her bed, staring at the floor, inside the house. She had not gone far since Daniel had informed her that Marcus was still out there. She kept peering at the window, despite her attempts to restrain her, every few minutes."Why is he still there?" she whispered to
When the car finally arrived in front of Daniel's house, the evening sky was already black. He had been speeding since he did not even bother to notice the traffic and the lights of the city as they passed by the window. The one thing that had occupied his mind all the time.Ava.He looked at the familiar house, and his hands clenched a little on the steering wheel. Everything had been different the last time he was here. At that time, he felt that Ava had betrayed him.Now he knew the truth.Marcus got out of the car and walked with a firm stride to the front door, his heart alternating between accelerating and decelerating with every stride. He did not know how Ava was going to respond when he saw her, but he knew he had to attempt it.His hand lifted, and he knocked-knocked.“I heard the sound fading down the house.”After a moment, there came footsteps coming inward.The door opened.Daniel stood there.He appeared amazed upon seeing Marcus at the door. "Marcus?" he said slowly.M
Marcus was standing in the hospital passageway, utterly frozen.The words he had just heard in the room were refuted in his head."He doesn't know."“I did not want him to have the burden of understanding that my child was killed when trying to save yours.”Every line dealt him a blow on the chest. During the weeks, he had assumed Ava had decided to terminate the pregnancy without thinking of the family. He had been mad, wounded, and persuaded that she had broken his trust.But now the reality was before him like a storm that he could not get out of.Ava had not betrayed him.She had made sacrifices of it all.Marcus gradually moved away from the door, his breathing irregular, as he strove with an effort to assimilate the truth. His hands were shaking a little, and he leaned against the wall as though his legs no longer had the strength to support him."How could I not see it?" he whispered to himself.The door at the back of him opened.Marcus looked up.Lydia was there looking up at
Lydia said a lot, and the room grew very quiet."I'm sorry for hating you."The apology was like a feather in the air, and Ava stood in one position by the bed as she slowly digested the meaning of the words. For a moment, she attempted to keep calm, but the feelings that she had long been concealing within herself burst their restraints.Her lips trembled."Ava?" Lydia said softly.Ava turned her head very fast, but it was too late. Already tears had started slipping down her cheek. She attempted to wipe them off, but others came right behind.“I am sorry,” she said to herself weakly. "I didn't mean to cry."Lydia watched her, concerned. "Why are you apologising?" she asked gently.Ava gave a tremulous sigh as she sat down in the chair next to the bed. “Because I vowed to myself I would remain strong when I came here,” she said to herself. “I did not want you to see me in this light.”Lydia shook her head slowly. But you had already been strong for everyone.Ava gave a small, sad lau
Ava stood outside Lydia’s hospital room, her fingers tightly gripping the strap of her bag as her heartbeat echoed loudly in her ears. The hallway felt unusually quiet, yet her thoughts were anything but calm. She had imagined this moment many times during the past few days, but now that she was truly here, fear slowly crept into her chest.She wondered if coming back had been a mistake.Riley stood beside her and gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze. “You don’t have to rush,” she said softly. “She’s been waiting, but she’ll understand if you need a minute.”Ava swallowed hard and nodded, though her eyes remained fixed on the closed door. “I’m just… nervous,” she admitted quietly. “I don’t know how she’ll look at me.”Riley smiled gently. “She looks at you the same way she always did.”Ava took a slow breath, trying to calm herself before finally lifting her hand and knocking lightly on the door.A small voice came from inside. “Come in.”The sound of Lydia’s voice made Ava’s chest tigh
There was no conversation in the house that night.It was too quiet.Most of the lights were turned off, and the hallway seemed to be endless when Marcus walked towards the back door. On the side of the house, the garden was dark with one light on the porch. There was Ava, standing, hugging herself
The dining room was too quiet.Ava was sitting at a table, her hands clasped in her lap. Patricia was sitting right across from her and set the plates with super accuracy. Ava shuddered with every piece of noise the ceramics made on the wooden table.Patricia cleared her throat.“My mind has been m
The school hall was sort of a noisy place, all the usual.Lockers slammed shut. Students laughed, chatted, and ran to their classes. Ava moved at a slow pace as she went through it, her pack slung carelessly on her shoulder. Everything sounded too loud. The odours were simply dizzying.Her stomach
The hospital was cold and smelly. Ava was simply sitting in that long plastic chair in the waiting room with her hands placed in her lap. She looked at the white wall, and it was not where her head was. Every single sound, like the quiet footsteps of the nurses, the low beep of the machines, the







