Chapter 40

Albert, immersed in his phone, briskly traversed the corridor toward Andrew’s room, driven by an urgency to share something significant. Without a second thought, he swung the door open, neglecting the courtesy of a knock, and began uttering, “Hey, bro, you need to see this.” However, his sentence waned into silence as he took in the surroundings—Andrew was conspicuously absent.

A quizzical expression painted Albert’s face as he called out, “Andrew?” The ensuing quietude compelled Albert to conduct a thorough sweep of Andrew’s room, methodically checking each corner, even peering into the bathroom. The elusive Andrew remained a mystery, nowhere to be found.

In an exasperated sigh, Albert closed the bathroom door, vocalizing his realization, “I guess Mom was wrong; Andrew isn’t in his room.” As he exited, shutting the door behind him, Albert found himself momentarily rooted in front of Andrew’s room. Lost in the digital landscape of his phone, the significance of seeking out Andr