43 20.2: Stars and Geometry

Finding the attic was no easy thing. The house is small and every bit of space is maximally optimized with something or the other. So it is very stuffy and it makes sense, giving the number of people it houses.

Tobias doesn't need to use the hook to yank down the ladder leading to the attic. He just tiptoes.

I climb up and once I'm inside William's 'room', I look down at Tobias who's holding onto the ladder's bannister, ready to climb when;

"Will? Is that you?"

My eyes widen and Tobias freezes momentarily as a woman, William's mother, ambles into the hall, hugging her white, silk robe to her. She rubs her eyes and stares at the ladder that Tobias has pulled down.

"Come on!" I whisper for some reason, and Tobias snaps out of his daze and quickly climbs up the steps. I make space for him as we both stare down at the woman, not knowing what to expect.

With a yawn, she slightly shrugs and pushes the ladder up to its place. I sigh heavily in relief.