Chapter 20 - The Final Sunset
Evening fell over the coast, painting the sky in breathtaking strokes of amber, violet, and deep crimson.
Maya ran out onto the back porch, holding up a freshly painted seashell she had decorated with glitter and blue paint. "Look what I made, Daddy! It’s our family!"
I knelt down, scooping her into my arms and lifting her high into the air as she giggled uncontrollably. Elena stood beside us, resting her head gently on my shoulder as we watched the sun dip slowly below the horizon, sinking into the vast, endless expanse of the ocean.
The water was calm, sparkling with the golden light of the fading day. There were no black bags beneath the surface. No cages in the yard. No whispers in the dark.
May you like
Just the sound of the waves, the warmth of the wind, and the quiet, hard-won peace of a family finally, truly home.
I tightened my arms around my daughter, looking out at the endless horizon, knowing that whatever came next, we would face it together—out in the open air, where no lock could ever reach us again.
