Hadizah stood in the center of the living room, her lips trembling, opening and closing without words. No sound escaped her mouth.
Only the tears told the story...thick and heavy, rolling endlessly down her cheeks.
Across from her, Laura's face had gone pale with fear. "Please talk to me. What is happening, ma'am?" Her voice shook as she tried to hold back tears of her own. Panic was already tightening around her chest.
But Hadizah couldn't speak. The words clung to her throat like thorns. Laura, determined to find the truth, turned away and ran down the hallway. She pushed open the door to Mrs. Spencer's room—only to find it empty.
"No…" she whispered, staring into the quiet space. Everything was in its place, yet something vital was missing—something that made the whole room feel cold and foreign.
She turned back toward the living room, her footsteps quick and heavy. As she entered, Hadizah finally broke the silence.
