Chapter 10: Alone and Confused

Stephen's POV

Stepping through the doorway, an eerie emptiness engulfed me, casting a pall over the Monday night. It was an unusual sight to behold, an empty house devoid of life.

As I traversed the familiar path, my heart sank, each footfall a reminder of the customary family greetings that were absent tonight. My father would usually lounge in his lazy chair, my little brother darting toward me, craving a warm embrace, and my mother bustling around the kitchen, orchestrating the evening's culinary symphony.

But tonight, silence reigned supreme.

A heavy weight settled upon my chest, prompting me to reach out to my dad first, an urgent need to know their whereabouts gripping me. My trembling fingers dialed his number, yet there was no response, only a deafening silence on the other end.