10:43 am

Her enthusiasm died away quite rapidly, so she stuck with my idea even if she was reluctant. I assured her that we wouldn't get caught but we'll talk our way out if it did happen anyway. I started banging on a random door to check whether someone was home there; no reply on the first try. I beat the door harder but nothing. Then, out of good will I guess, I shouted if there was someone in and that we needed help. Welp, nothing. So I quietly dragged her with me to the back and I busted one of the windows to slip in.

"Be right back," I told her.

"…I can't keep watch anyway, so be careful and hurry up."

It was a mundane house, but there was an awful scent of ash imbibed within the walls. Some light curtains were drawn but some light did pour from the windows; maybe the hanging dust in the air is actually ash. I let her in from the backdoor of the kitchen. I guess her senses were keener since she was almost blind; she cringed a bit when she inhaled the ashen atmosphere of the house for the first time. Then only she seemed to remember to remove her hat out of curtesy.