UNKNOWN POV

I found myself in a—what's the opposite of a shoebox?

This was my first time here—away from home. My mother's expression had been priceless and so were the five seconds she'd to digest my statement: I'd like to visit Suite di Agosto, with special interest in the cellar and kitchen. However, my anticipation was a waste of energy. Partly. While the cellar was like the milky way in intrigue, this place reeked of death.

As a result, saliva filled my mouth. I didn't turn back though. Curiosity was my second nature, so I ambled in and stopped right at the center of the room. A partition separated it...