Stephen's POV

Stepping through the doorway, an eerie emptiness engulfed me, casting a pall over the Monday night. It was an unusual sight to behold, an empty house devoid of life.

As I traversed the familiar path, my heart sank, each footfall a reminder of the customary family greetings that were absent tonight. My father would usually lounge in his lazy chair, my little brother darting toward me, craving a warm embrace, and my mother bustling around the kitchen, ...