Chapter 2: Longing
I dragged the suitcase along the main street. The wheels bounced over the uneven ground and the handle vibrated in my hand. Each step brought a wave of nostalgia that tightened in my chest. I vaguely remembered running along these same paths with my sisters, laughing until our stomachs hurt, but I didn't dwell on the details. I just let the feeling wash over me.
The villagers stared at me openly. Men in worn cotton t-shirts and work pants, women in light strap dresses that clung to their skin from the heat. Everyone turned their heads as I passed. I felt their eyes fixed on me like I was some exotic animal. It didn't bother me completely, but it still made me tense.
'It must be strange to receive visitors.'
I reflected as I walked. The town had changed in eleven years: some houses had fresh paint, others looked more neglected, and there were a couple of modern signs that hadn't existed before. Still, the traces of the place I remembered were still there. I passed the small convenience store where we used to buy candy; the sign was the same, though the facade was more worn. A little further ahead I saw the old library, with its foggy windows and a slightly sagging roof. It still looked like a place forgotten by time.
Suddenly I stopped.
In front of me was a building I didn't recognize. The large sign with a drawing of a beer mug told me it was a bar, but what made me tilt my head were the five large holes in the side wall. Each one measured between sixty and eighty centimeters in diameter, perfectly round and lined up next to each other at waist height.
'Is it still under construction?'
I stared at them for a second, confused. The weather here was hot and dry; maybe they had opened them to let the air circulate and keep the place from turning into an oven. It didn't make sense to keep thinking about it. I shook my head and kept walking, the suitcase rolling behind me.
No one spoke to me. I just received more stares. I didn't care. My mind was elsewhere, circling around a single thought that gripped my stomach.
'Mom…'
My heart clenched. A strange mix of excitement and nervousness ran through my veins. I had been dreaming of this moment since I was eight years old. I remembered my sisters: Lila with her endless energy, Sophia with her strong personality, and Ava, always stuck to me as if she never wanted to let go. The last memory I had of them was us hugging while crying uncontrollably. Now all of that was about to become real.
I arrived in front of the cabin and stopped.
It was exactly as I remembered: two stories, surrounded by carefully planted flowers and a small white fence that decorated it. Compared to the cold mansion I had come from, it looked modest, almost rundown… but to me it was perfect. The cracks in the porch, the leaves that still hadn't been raked, everything felt right.
Once again that mix of excitement and fear washed over me. I stood frozen for a second, my blood running cold and my pulse pounding in my ears. I took a deep breath, climbed the porch steps, and lifted the suitcase behind me. I stopped in front of the wooden door, clenched my right fist, and finally knocked.
Knock.
Knock.
Knock.
End of Chapter 2