Echoes of a broken past

Anna emerged from the cemetery with tears brimming in her eyes, her steps faltering under the weight of her grief. She had just laid her father to rest-the man who had been her rock, her guide, her entire world. Now, without him, she felt unmoored, as though the ground beneath her feet was no longer solid.

As she passed through the cemetery gates, the reality of his absence settled in her chest like a stone. Her knees buckled, and she sank to the ground, her sobs silent at first, then growing louder as they erupted from a place deep within her. "Where do I even start?" she whispered through trembling lips, her voice breaking under the strain of her sorrow.

Yet, just hours ago, the day had been so full of light. She had left home that morning in her dad's car, humming softly to herself, a rare spark of excitement in her heart. The errand was simple: pick up a letter from the post office. But for Anna, it was an extraordinary moment. It was the first letter she had ever received from the post office-a small but personal milestone.

When she walked out with the envelope in her hands, a radiant smile spread across her face. She had clutched it tightly, savoring the moment as though it were a precious treasure. Sitting in the car, she ran her fingers along the edge of the envelope, anticipation building as she prepared to open it.

Then her phone rang.

The sound jolted her, breaking the joyful stillness. She glanced at the screen and saw Quinn Ledger's name-the name of her childhood friend, the only friend she truly had. But the moment she answered, the lightness in her heart began to fade.

"Anna..." Quinn's voice cracked, thick with emotion. "What are you going to do?"

The urgency in her friend's tone sent a shiver of dread racing through Anna's body. Her smile vanished.

"What happened?" she asked, her voice trembling, fear creeping into her chest like a shadow.