"Something's wrong?" My mother didn't understand. She let go of Stella's hand and took a few steps forward, about to cross the threshold.
My father threw out an arm to stop her. "Wait." His voice was barely above a whisper, as if he were afraid of disturbing something.
With the light behind him, I couldn't make out his face, only his shoulders, trembling slightly. He stood in the doorway and stared at the small, still shape in the corner.
Stella peered around our mother, her face even paler in the morning light. "Claire?" she called softly, her voice careful and hopeful. "Claire, can you hear me? I'm okay. I'm not going to die."
The body in the corner didn't move. There wasn't even the faint rise and fall of breathing.
The smile on my mother's face went rigid. She took another step fo
