CHAPTER 118

Never before had the house felt this level of hush. It was early in the morning, yet the stillness was suffocating.

The regular set of movements, as Varya moved down the corridor with whispering clothes and planks that croaked lightly—everything had vanished.

In the kitchen; they were merely empty shells.

I drifted unknowingly through corridors, while my footsteps echoed in silence. For some days I avoided Varya’s room, telling myself it would hurt too bad to step into it—but now I was standing in front of her door. Hesitatingly my hand hovered over the knob.

I wasn’t sure if I could stand it—the memories that would hit me immediately after stepping inside. But I couldn’t avert my eyes for too long.

A deep breath filled me as I turned the knob and pushed open the door.

Her scent hit me instantly. The scent that used to be there is now gone. A pleasant haze filtered through the room and made me think of her as if she had just gone out for a moment, but would soon return. I knew she wou