Chapter 2: The Silence of Morning
The sun rose indifferently the next day, casting a warm, golden hue over a home that now felt like a crime scene. They had spent the night at a local women’s shelter, the sterile walls a stark contrast to their familiar blue bedroom. Sarah watched Lily sleep on the narrow twin bed, her small arm draped protectively over her baby brother. The silence of the morning was deafening. Every creak of the floorboards made Sarah’s heart hammer against her ribs. She made a cup of instant coffee, the bitter taste grounding her. She knew she had to be the anchor, but internally, she was adrift. How does a mother promise safety when the sanctity of their own home had been so violently breached? She looked at her phone, at the cracked screen of Lily's blue device that had saved their lives. It was a monument to her daughter's bravery, and a glaring reminder of Sarah's vulnerability.
