The tension from dinner still clung to me as I made my way back to the guest room and collapsed onto the bed.

The rain still hadn’t let up. It pelted the windows like pebbles, an endless hiss against glass that felt louder in the stillness. But that wasn’t the only reason I was awake.

Dinner had left a taste in my mouth that wasn’t from the food. Every wall seemed to hum with silent tension. Sharp, and impossible to ignore.

I tossed. I turned. Then I gave up.

Midnight, the clock ...