The night had sunk into stillness, the kind of silence that wraps around a house like a heavy blanket.
The street beyond the gates of Ava's family home was deserted, the lamps casting pale yellow circles on the asphalt, shadows stretching into emptiness.
The air was cool, almost damp, carrying the faint smell of dew forming on the leaves of the garden shrubs.
Inside, the elder couple had been readying for sleep.
Theresa, Ava's mother, was about to climb into bed when a flash of headlights swept across the curtains.
She paused, her hand lingering on the fabric, curiosity tugging her forward.
Leaning to the side, she pulled the curtain just enough to peek through.
"Who is parking his car in front of the gate?" she murmured, her voice puzzled but edged with concern.
Benjamin, her husband, had already reached for the lamp switch, intending to cast the room into darkness for the night.
He stopped at her tone, turning toward her with a furrowed brow. "A car? At this hour?"
