Simon unlocked the front door and pushed it open. The air in the house immediately greeted him. The temperature had dropped considerably since the night before and he began walking towards the staircase leading upstairs, carrying his bicycle with him. He walked up the stairs carefully, avoiding to bump into the walls. As he climbed up to his room, he slowed down his pace until he eventually stopped and leaned on the banister, looking down at the bottom of the stairway. He had to wait a moment until he could hear voices in the kitchen, then he quietly walked over to his room and locked the door behind him.

As...