3. A House of Silence and Winter Winds

Their home sat high in the mountains, small and creaking under the weight of winter. Wind pushed through the cracks, whispering through the wooden walls like unwelcome spirits.

Inside, everything was cold.

Caleb worked long hours in the mine or cutting wood to sell in the valley. The children kept to themselves. The chores multiplied faster than Ellie could complete them—hauling water, scrubbing floors, cooking meals, repairing clothes.

Every night, when the mountains fell quiet, she cried into her blanket, swallowing the sound so no one would hear.

Was this her life now?
Isolation, exhaustion, and days filled with nothing but duties she never asked for?

4. A Heart Still Willing to Try