Quiet, deathly quiet, the whole house was eerily silent without a single sound. It was terrifyingly quiet, so much so that one couldn't help but hold their breath, fearing their own noise might disturb such stillness. This oppression and frustration heavily burdened the chest.
Jeff Galas had never known the mornings at home could be this quiet.
If it were a usual day, at this moment, one would be able to hear Jenna's nagging and Annie's protests. Annie always wanted to try some junk food, but Jenna always refused on the grounds of health. Their war never ended.
The sound of the school bus's engine stopping at the door would become the start of another argument, with Annie wishing to return to school, but Jenna always believed that Annie's health did not permit it, and then Annie would look to him for help.
With his eyes closed, Jeff tasted bitterness in his mouth—
