mattress. She brushed a strand of hair away from Tessa’s face and pressed the back of her hand against the girl’s forehead. Evelyn’s eyes were gentle but heavy with fatigue, the kind that came from years of working long shifts while raising a child alone.

Evelyn worked at a cosmetics counter inside Harbor Ridge Mall, one of the busiest shopping centers in the city. Every dollar she earned mattered, and every hour she spent behind the bright glass displays helped ensure that her daughter had everything she needed.

After a moment, she sighed with quiet relief.

“You don’t feel warm,” she said softly. “But if your head hurts, you stay home and rest.”

She stood up and moved around the small apartment kitchen, preparing a bowl of soup that she placed neatly in the refrigerator.

Before leaving, she returned to Tessa’s room and kissed her lightly on the forehead.

“Call me if you feel worse, okay?”

Moments later, Evelyn slipped into her beige coat, grabbed her bag, and stepped out of the apartment, the door clicking shut behind her.

The sound of her footsteps faded down the stairwell.

And the moment they disappeared, Tessa threw off the blanket and jumped out of bed with a triumphant grin.

Her head felt perfectly fine.

The real reason for her sudden illness had nothing to do with pain and everything to do with the math test waiting for her that morning. She had spent the entire weekend scrolling through videos and chatting online instead of studying, and by Sunday night the numbers on her homework sheet looked like a foreign language.

Staying home had seemed like the safest escape.

With the apartment all to herself, Tessa turned on the television, made a small plate of snacks, and stretched out on the living room couch. Morning drifted by peacefully as episodes of her favorite show played one after another.

But sometime near midday, the lack of sleep from the night before caught up with her.

Her eyelids grew heavy.

And before she realized it, she had fallen fast asleep beneath the soft throw blanket on the couch.

The Sound That Woke Me

Tessa had no idea how long she slept before a sudden metallic noise snapped her awake.

A key turning inside the front door lock.