Anna arrived home and slammed the front door behind her. "Jill!" she called out, her voice sharp with urgency. "Jill, where are you?" But the house did not respond—only the low hum of the air conditioner and the sound of her footsteps echoing against the tiles answered her.
She marched upstairs, her heart thudding with every step. "Jill!" she shouted again, knocking hard on the bedroom door once, twice, three times. There was no response, only the quiet surrounding her like a thick fog.
Without waiting any longer, she threw her shoulder into the door. It gave in with a loud crack, swinging open under the force.
Anna walked into the room and froze. Her breath caught in her throat.
The air felt heavy and untouched, as if it hadn't been disturbed in days. A thin ray of light slipped through a damaged blind, creating a crooked line across the floor and over the side of the bed. The room had a faint, stale odour, and Anna could hear her breathing, which was excessively loud and quick. Something wasn't right. She felt it in her bones.
Then she looked up.
And everything in her stopped.
The silence of the house absorbed her scream before it could completely form, trapping it somewhere between her ribs and throat.
Jill hung from the ceiling—silent, swaying faintly, like the pendulum of a broken clock. Her bare feet hovered inches above the floor, toes curled slightly and motionless. Her head lolled to one side, neck bent at an unnatural angle, with strands of dark hair falling like curtains over her face, hiding whatever expression remained.
Anna stumbled backwards, her hand clamping over her lips as her legs threatened to give way, as she watched Jill hang from the ceiling.
Her heart thumped against her chest at an erratic pace she couldn't control. She yelled for help, her voice trembling, "Mr. Halden!" "Please, Mr. Halden!"
Her hands trembled fiercely as she hastily knocked over a lamp, the light flickering before it shattered on the floor. She rushed toward the closet, her thoughts swirling and her body acting on instinct. The stool by the closet toppled with a piercing clang, but she barely noticed.
With desperation, she kicked it upright, her breath ragged and her palms slick with sweat. She climbed onto it, swaying unsteadily, and reached for the rusted scissors on the nightstand. Her fingers fumbled, but she didn't stop.
With a final, unsteady snip, the rope gave way, and Jill's body dropped silently to the floor. Anna collapsed beside her, hands trembling as she pressed her ear to Jill's chest, hoping for a heartbeat, praying for anything that indicated this was not the end.
"No, no, no—Jill—" Anna's voice broke, her arms trembling as they wrapped around the cold, limp body. "Please, talk to me—please!"
She placed her ear against Jill's chest once more, desperate, her heart pounding in her ears. Nothing. The silence felt oppressive, heavier than the room itself.
Anna cried, her body quivering while rocking them both. "You were not meant to leave me. "Not like this..." Her words choked, and their weight pulled her deeper into the hole.
And then—a breath.
Faint. Barely a whisper of air.
Anna froze, eyes wide, her breath catching in her throat. Had she imagined it?
But there it was again—a soft, shallow inhale—a pulse of life.
"Jill?" Anna whispered, her voice trembling as she held her tighter, not daring to hope too much.
Mr. Halden rushed into the room, his heart skipping a beat as his eyes landed on Jill's lifeless body on the floor and Anna, trembling and soaked with tears, clutching her.
"We have to take her to the hospital," Anna wailed, her voice breaking. Her pain was obvious, as if Jill were her daughter—perhaps even more. No words could describe the depth of her feelings for Jill. Anna would do anything to save her. She knew the pain of losing a daughter and couldn't stand the notion of Jill experiencing the same.
Mr. Halden reacted quickly, taking Jill into his arms. They rushed downstairs without saying anything, while Anna staggered behind. They arrived at the parking lot in a hurry, Mr. Halden's desperation palpable as he slid Jill into the back seat. Anna ascended into the seat next to her, shaking as she pressed her hands against Jill's lifeless chest, desperately counting her heartbeat and praying for some sign of life.
The engine roared to life as Mr. Halden sped down the street, tires screeching. Anna's body shook uncontrollably, fear and devastation consuming her. She couldn't stop praying, her voice a whisper as she begged for Jill's life.
Every breath Anna took felt like a burden on her chest, a terrible reminder of how fleeting life can be. The prospect of losing Jill was overwhelming.