Eleanor
By the time the cab slowed to a gentle stop right in front of the house, the familiar street basked in quiet, the kind of serene stillness that only came with the late hours of the night.
That in-between stretch of time where the world itself seemed to exhale, lights dimmed, doors closed, and silence falling like a warm, heavy blanket across the earth.
I reached into my purse to pull out some cash for the driver, murmuring a quiet “thank you” as I handed it over, my eyes drifting upwards to the house that stood tall in front of me, its large windows mostly dark, save for the faint glow of the security lights casting long shadows across the porch and yard.
The sight alone filled me with a strange, inexplicable relief.
Every window I glanced at was dark, shut tight against the
