days

nging his eyes. He wore an oversized gray hoodie that swallowed his

rvously gripping a set of car keys. She stopped and checked the front door lock three

of beat-up headphones around her neck and a

n an hour," Keyla muttered,

n the cracked driveway. He grabbed the door handl

lla air freshener and old dust. His mind instantly flashed to the silent, climate-control

fore settling into a rough idle. She adjusted the rearvie

oney?" she asked, her

ow at the passing rows of

d. A single,

turned her attention back to the road. The s

adio. Heavy bass and screaming guitars blasted through

wheel. "Keyla! Turn that down! You know you

l, but Keyla aggressive

, not deaf!" Keyla y

da shouted back, her voic

between them was completely foreign to him. In Erik's world, anger was expressed through c

But strangely,

ed forward

t it held a sharp, commanding edge that cut strai

Her mouth fell open slightly. The old Erich would have

reaching out to click the radio of

ed-brick building. A wooden sign near the en

ace. He immediately reached up and pulled the hood of his s

rembling hand on his elbow, guiding him through

et. The carpet was thick, and the wall

e reception desk. The brushstrokes were hesitant, the color theory completely flawed. It w

stack of evaluation forms. Brenda's h

ache settled in his chest. It was the crushing weight of a mother'

vely scrolling on her phone. But every few

door down the

d navy suit and a practiced, compassionate smile. Her

eady for you,"

d up. The next forty-five minutes were

d to follow him. Dr. Albr

Brenda. We need som

door clicked shut behind him, instantly cutting off the hum

yes landed on a long, black leat

hroat. It looked exactly like the couch Erik used to

e fabric armchair opposite her desk.

indow, turning his back to her. He crossed his arms,

the folder. Her pen tapped

ng, Erich?" she asked, he

deep breath, letting the cold glass chill his forehead. He turned ar

time