CHARLOTTE

The past few days had been harder than I expected. I spent most of my time awake during the day, and at night, I wandered through the city streets.

It felt strange to be outside without Sonia’s watchful eyes monitoring my every step, but at the same time, it was freeing. I was in a new place, a different city where I didn’t know anyone, and no one knew what I was up to.

Not that there was much to know. I was grieving.

The walks helped, if only temporarily. They took my mind off the image of Maria’s lifeless body, an image that seemed permanently etched into my...