Upon entering his own room, Gerald quickly removed his winter clothing, threw his shirt over a chair, took off his pants and climbed into bed. Closing the lights off, he curled into a ball under his blankets. His body immediately relaxed as he drifted to sleep.
Gerald opened his eyes when the sound of footsteps caught his attention. He saw his mother appear in the doorway, dressed in a white nightgown that was covered in lace. She held a candle in her hands. When she noticed that he was awake, she smiled gently. "I'll be back in a few minutes," she said, her voice barely louder than a whisper. She then stepped away from his doorway and shut the door silently.
Gerald sat up and glanced down at the clock on the side table. It read three am. Rolling out of bed, he slowly walked into the
