u sweat just by thinking. It was supposed to be a fresh start. Dad got a promotion, and the new ho

of that dream was

tle wooden box carved with patterns so intricate you could lose yourself looking at them. Grandma had been with us since Grandpa passed, a quiet, constant presence. Ev

ldn't break. She had me sit in front of the altar while she prayed. The smoke fr

she had said, her voice soft.

d it was just the flu running its course. But I always remembered the smell of the incens

came, Dad poin

lly," he told them. "Put

She was busy directing th

one who protested, bu

go in the ga

at ended the conversation. "We' ll find a place for it later. Thi

box were wrapped in newspaper and put into a cardboard box labeled 'Misc.' , then s

s. When we asked what was wrong, she would just shake her head. Mom said she was just having a hard time adjusting. Dad said she was gett

be. We were busy unpacking our new lives, completely ignoring the fact that we had left the door wide open for the bad things to come in.