A Fate Worse Than Death

Maria left the café at 5 and walked down the street to her new apartment. She felt free for the first time in many years and she thought that leaving the Mucker residence was the best decision she had ever made in her life.

The perks of living alone included not having to see the face of her brother, Fred, every single day. She didn't have to worry about what stunts he might pull off while she was asleep and could rest easy knowing that he wasn't there to take advantage of her.

She was worried at first about what to do in the event that she had a relapse and the pains came back again but then she decided to have faith in her doctor. She would call her if she felt any discomfort though sometimes they happened out of the blue.

All in all, she enjoyed her own company perfectly well. She walked along the street while humming a tune. She was happy and anyone could tell by the radiance on her face.