Laya took off like a hound of hell chasing after the remnants of night. I glanced to the sky to witness the birth of a new day as golden rays of light shimmered through the green leaves turning them yellow. Any other time, it would be a sight to behold, yet I couldn’t appreciate the dawn right now. My mind raced as we approached my great aunt’s house. Never in all my life had I looked upon that dwelling with such relief. Although it may look like nothing more than an old beat-down shack on the outskirts of town, to me it was a sanctuary.

“You’re wonderful,” I said to...