Unraveling Shadows

A not-so-quiet whimper from a woman woke him up from sleep. He stood up and walked quickly toward the slightly parted door of his room. He stared at the open door in shock; he was very sure he had closed it before going to bed. He turned, his eyes fixated on the bed where he believed Vivian would be, but she wasn’t there. The bed was empty.

The whimper returned, a little louder than when he had been on the bed. His face furrowed, wondering if Vivian was the one crying in the dark. Ranya carried his steps out of the room, slightly closing the door behind him.

He walked down the stairs; a dim light shone on the back of a woman kneeling on the floor, her hands covering her face. Her body shook vigorously as she cried, clenching her chest with her other free hand.

Ranya hastened his steps, wondering what could be wrong with Vivian and why the living room was suddenly empty and void of furniture. The woman alone seemed to fill the room as her whimper echoed around the house.

He approached