Echoes of the Silent Realm

Chpt 1: Move in

Description: **Summary:**

Aaly is anxious about moving to a new house, worried about leaving behind her old home and friends. Despite her family's excitement, she hopes the new place will eventually feel like home with her mom's support.

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The crisp morning light filtered through the kitchen window, casting a soft glow over the family. Allen, casually sipping his coffee, felt a sense of excitement about the new house as he talked about all the things they could do with the extra space. His wife chimed in about how they could finally have that garden she always wanted. The kids filled with energy—except for Aaly.

Aaly stared quietly at her cereal, stirring it without thinking. She tried to tune out the conversation about the house. She didn't want to admit how much she loved their home on 34th Street, where every creaky floorboard and scratch on the walls held a memory. The last visit to the new house felt off. She still remembered how uneasy she had felt, how her stomach felt upside down until she ran to the bathroom, but she hid it, like she always did—growing up with brothers taught her not to show fear or weakness.

"Maybe we can paint your room however you like," her dad suggested, noticing her silence. But Aaly's thoughts were still stuck on that house, and how it seemed so... unfamiliar, like it didn't want them there.

"Yeah, maybe..." she muttered, but inside, she couldn't shake the feeling that this move wasn't going to be as exciting as everyone thought. Allen, still caught up in the excitement, glanced over at Aaly. He could see something was off, but he wasn't sure what. "Hey, you'll get to choose your own room this time, maybe even one with a big window. Wouldn't that be nice?" he said, trying to get a smile out of her.

Aaly forced a small grin but didn't say anything. The idea of choosing a new room didn't excite her the way it did her siblings. The old house had history—the big window in her current room overlooked the street, and on summer nights, she would listen to the city hum below. She couldn't imagine leaving behind the life she'd built there, even if everyone else was ready for the change.

The conversation around the table drifted to other things—schools, parks, all the new possibilities—but Aaly couldn't focus. Her mind wandered back to that house. There was something strange about it, something she couldn't quite place. She remembered how the air felt heavier inside, how the creaks in the floor sounded more like whispers than the usual settling sounds houses made.

Her brothers had run around exploring it, laughing, throwing themselves onto the empty carpets without a care in the world. But she had stayed back, lingering near the doorway, unsure. When they had left, that feeling had stuck with her, the nausea bubbling up unexpectedly, the way the walls seemed to close in.

Aaly knew she couldn't say anything now. It would sound silly, childish even, and she didn't want to add to the growing excitement with her worries. After all, she had always been the strong one among her brothers. What would they think if she let on that she was scared?

"I'll pack my things later," she said quietly, looking up at her mom, who smiled, oblivious to her daughter's unease.

"That's my girl," Allen said, patting her on the head as he stood up from the table. But Aaly didn't feel like herself at all. Instead, she felt like she was walking into a place that didn't want her there. And for the first time in a long time, she felt like maybe this was something she couldn't handle on her own.

As the day went on, Aaly couldn't shake her uneasiness. Her brothers were running around the house, packing their favorite toys and clothes, eager to move into the new place. But every time Aaly thought about it, her stomach tightened again, just like it had that day when she first stepped inside.