The next morning, Ava woke up slowly. Her eyes were puffy from crying the night before, and her body ached from sleeping on the stiff mattress. The small house was silent except for the soft breathing of Lily sleeping beside her.

She turned to look at her sister, still curled up, holding a stuffed bunny tightly. Ava reached over and brushed a lock of hair from her forehead.

She forced herself to get up. Every part of her body felt heavy, like she hadn’t slept at all, even though she had. Her head ached slightly, and her chest still carried that weight from the night before. She dragged herself to...