July 10, 2010
Location: 829 Grayson Highland Ln, Mouth of Wilson, VA 24363
3:00 PM
The late afternoon sun filtered through the leaves, casting soft dappled shadows across the grass. The countryside air was quiet—peaceful in a way that almost felt unnatural after what they'd been through.
Charlotte and Ethan sat on the wooden steps of the porch, overlooking the gentle hills that stretched out in the distance. The cicadas hummed in the background, a slow rhythm that filled the silence.
They hadn't said much at first. They didn't have to.
Charlotte sat with her arms wrapped around her knees, her eyes distant.
Ethan leaned back on his palms; head tilted toward the sky.
"…It doesn't go away easily." Ethan finally said, his voice low, not forcing the conversation—just opening a door.
Charlotte didn't answer right away.
But she didn't close it either.
"…Every time I close my eyes," she whispered, "I see Greg falling. I hear the shot. I hear that man's voice."
