Sixty Three

Ben, with his heart pounding, rushed to check the attic after hearing something strange coming from there. The faint sounds from above seemed to call him to act. He quickly found a locked door, which appeared to be hiding something behind it. Without thinking twice, Ben prepared to break it down.

With a strong kick, the door burst open. The old wooden door shattered with a loud crash that echoed through the attic. Everyone—Isabella and Rose, who were behind him—stood still for a moment, shocked by what they saw inside.

There, sitting in the corner of a small, gloomy room, was Irene. She looked exhausted and thin, but the most shocking thing was that she was nursing a baby. Earphones were plugged into her ears, as if trying to escape the reality around her. When the door opened, Irene jerked in surprise, turning with eyes full of fear, before quickly removing her earphones.

“Irene…” whispered Isabella, her voice hoarse with disbelief at what she was seeing.

Ben didn’t wait any longer.