Family House (Part 2)

The city lights faded behind him as he turned onto the quieter streets of the neighborhood. 

It had been a while since he had driven through these roads. 

The trees lining the sidewalks still stood tall, their leaves rustling softly in the cold night air. 

The houses all looked the same — modest, well-kept, with warm lights glowing through curtained windows.

His childhood home was just up ahead.

Ethan slowed the car as he approached, his hands gripping the wheel a little tighter than before.

The house looked just like he remembered it. 

The porch light was on, casting a soft yellow glow onto the small front yard. The curtains were drawn, but he could make out shadows moving inside. 

The driveway was still cracked in places, the same way it had been when he was a kid, and the old oak tree in the front yard still stood, its bare branches stretching toward the sky like skeletal fingers.