It had been the longest night she could ever recall, the kind that trapped her in sleepless dreams, images and words that made no sense, but were frightening all the same. Over and over again, she’d had to relive the moment when Ever had walked out and slammed the door. The worst part of it was that even after she woke up, Ever had never returned, despite her tears and prayers. Shouting, Isa reasoned, would have been better than contemplating the meaning of his absence alone. It was so early that Isa decided not to ring for Cerise. She loved her friend, but was in no mood to explain the dark circles beneath her eyes or where Ever was. Instead, she washed her face in the porcelain basin and opened the window. Ever had told her not to touch it, but she was suffocating. After staring at the walls for two days, she needed to get out. Despite the hour, the street below was bustling with the sounds of poultry clucking, horses’ hooves, and merchants gabbing as they walked to the market to set up their booths.
