Elijah Smith looked around the small attic before leaning weakly against the peeling walls, not caring that his clothes were stained by a layer of dust. He slowly closed his eyes, the words that he had unintentionally heard from Amelia still echoing in his ears.
Then, a pain began to gradually spread in his heart... pain for his older sister and for the burdens she had borne.
...
Isabel Smith encountered Percy Stanton, who happened to be leaving his apartment as she returned from the corridor. She didn't greet him or even wait for him to speak, instead, holding her bag and quickly entering her home.
It was another sleepless night, not falling asleep until three in the morning, and not sleeping soundly at that. Come eight o'clock in the early morning, she awoke.
Isabel got out of bed and went to freshen up, only to find that the bag she had left on the table yesterday was empty, and a whole, undamaged cup sat next to it.