After James left, Derek had been sober.

For the first time in many years, he wandered through his house with a heavy heart.

For the past few weeks, he had been held captive, but now, he was free.

But for some reason, the weight on his shoulders felt heavier than ever.

As he stood in the hallway, the distant ticking of the clock echoed through the house like a countdown to something he was not sure he could face.

Everything felt different. The light did not shine the same way through the ...