Chapter 5: Nothing
Anna stepped out of the cab, her hands trembling so badly that she barely managed to shut the door behind her. Clutching her leather purse against her chest, she lifted her gaze to the nameplate beside the towering house number.
The Adler residence.
After all these years, she was home again. Or at least, what used to be home.
Just as she reached out to press the buzzer, a cold raindrop splashed onto her hand, sending a sharp shudder through her already exhausted body. Then, as if mirroring her own emotions, the sky opened up, and the drizzle turned into steady rainfall.
Just what I need right now.
With a weary sigh, she lifted her purse over her head—a pitiful excuse for shelter—and pressed the button.
The intercom crackled, its static breaking the silence before a gruff male voice emerged from the small black speaker.
"How can I help you, Miss?"
Anna hesitated for a moment, her throat tightening. It had been so long since she'd stood on this side of the gate that she barely remembered what it felt like.
"Uh..." she started awkwardly. "My name is Anna Hyde. I'm Mrs. Adler's niece. I... I came to visit her."
A burst of static screeched through the intercom. Then—silence.