{"id":26173,"date":"2026-01-05T21:46:49","date_gmt":"2026-01-05T21:46:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/readmore.cx\/?p=26173"},"modified":"2026-01-05T21:46:49","modified_gmt":"2026-01-05T21:46:49","slug":"26173","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/readmore.cx\/?p=26173","title":{"rendered":""},"content":{"rendered":"

The crack in my reality appeared on a crisp Thursday morning in late October. The air smelled of woodsmoke and damp leaves\u2014a scent I usually found comforting, but today, it would mark the beginning of a nightmare.<\/p>\n

I was rushing to my car, juggling my work bag and a travel mug, when a voice drifted over the hedge.<\/p>\n

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\u201cOlivia, dear?\u201d<\/p>\n

I paused, turning to see Mrs. Greene, my elderly neighbor. She was a fixture of the neighborhood, a woman who spent her days pruning hydrangeas and observing the street with the precision of a surveillance camera.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood morning, Mrs. Greene,\u201d I called out, forcing a polite smile. \u201cI\u2019m running a bit late, but\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u201cIs Lily skipping school again?\u201d she asked. Her tone wasn\u2019t accusatory; it was gentle, laced with a genuine confusion that made my stomach lurch.<\/p>\n

I froze, my hand hovering over the car door handle. The wind seemed to stop.<\/p>\n

\u201cSkipping?\u201d I laughed, a brittle, nervous sound. \u201cNo, Mrs. Greene. Lily loves school. She goes every single day. I drop her off at the bus stop myself.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The crack in my reality appeared on a crisp Thursday morning in late October. The air smelled of woodsmoke and damp leaves\u2014a scent I usually found comforting, but today, it would mark the beginning of a nightmare. I was rushing to my car, juggling my work bag and a travel mug, when a voice drifted…<\/p>\n

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