chapter 54

I took the key from my purse and turned the key in the lock, and with a soft click, the front door of my Uncle Ben’s house swung open, revealing a dimly lit interior. Adam and I stood at the threshold, hesitating for a moment as the weight of what lay beyond settled upon me. The house smelled musty now, like a place that had been closed up for too long. Stale air filled my lungs as I stepped inside, memories flooding my senses. It was as if the very walls held the stories of my childhood, a testament to the life my uncle and I had shared here. I closed the door behind us, the click echoing loudly through the empty hall, and I took a cautious step forward. The wooden floors creaked beneath my feet, greeting me like an old friend. I couldn’t help but be transported back in time.

***

It was a lazy Sunday afternoon, the kind that seemed to last forever. The sun streamed through the lace curtains, casting delicate patterns on the