ELORA

I waited till I noticed my mother’s skirt swaying behind the doors and the sound of the door lock clicking in place, before I turned towards the cool and calm night air. The night was filled with the gentle hum of crickets.

I stepped out of the house slowly, the porch lights casting a soft, amber glow over the dusty path that led through the low wooden fence of the ranch.

The familiar sound of rustling leaves and the scent of damp earth surrounded me. Even with all the beauty of this quiet place, my heart felt heavy with the guilt of the lie I had just told my...