A few days later, as I came out of my room, I saw Mom quietly studying someone. It was one of those couples that always came to greet us.
"Come, Allison, come check something," she whispered.
I chuckled and walked over. After sitting beside her, she grabbed my hand and leaned in. "Look at Mr Patrick and his wife… don't you think something is off about them?"
I looked at the doctor and his wife, smiling and chatting with the others. Nothing seemed wrong at first, but when I looked closely, the wife was doing too much, almost like she was forcing herself to act normal. Her husband was forcing a smile too, looking around the house and clenching his fists.
"Something is off about them, right?"
"I think so," I nodded, still confused. "What's wrong with them?"
"I don't know either."
"But we've spent almost two weeks here, Mom. Why are they still coming to greet us?" I grumbled. "I don't even like neighbours entering our house anyhow."
