Nora
The cold seeped through everything, both outside and in. The fire in the hearth sputtered weakly. During the confinement, I would wrap myself in a thin blanket, curling up on a chair by the window, gazing at a world blurred by frost. The sky was a monotonous gray, blurring the lines between morning and evening. My only respite was the small yard, a breath of calm amid this suffocating stillness.
I stretched, rising to my feet and went out to the yard, where I found a stick and etched a five in the snow.
It marked the fifth day of my confinement.
No one had visited me. Maybe they didn’t know I was here, or they didn’t care. Or perhaps Clyde had forbidden them.
Only Lina, sweet Lina, stayed by my side. She prepared my meals and washed my clothes, unaware of why I was confined. At
