I skirted around mother’s body on my way to the front door. The main door remained open, leaving only the screen door clattering as it opened and shut in the wind. Two steps out onto the tiny wood porch changed my mind about running away outside. The blistering cold would be the death of me. I turned back to go inside, shutting the door behind me and flipping both of the locks. Though why those would be needed, I didn’t know.

I ran back into my bedroom, adverting my eyes from mother as I passed by the living room. She had gone silent.