Loapi sits upright on the couch, alert to every creak and whisper that echoes through the house. She clutches a faded photograph, her eyes darting towards the staircase, where shadows seem to shift with uncanny intent.
"I know I locked every door, but something… or someone… is here," she murmurs, voice trembling.
Loapi follows the trail, heart pounding, each step echoing louder in her ears. She hesitates at the guest room door, its handle cold and slick, sensing a presence beyond.
"Whoever you are, show yourself!" she calls, her voice echoing into the hush.
The figure shifts, revealing pale hands and trembling shoulders. Silence stretches painfully before a reply comes, soft but resolute.
"I didn't mean to frighten you. I never wanted to be seen," the stranger whispers.
Loapi kneels, picking up a picture of her childhood, her hands shaking. She looks at the stranger, realization dawning.
"You… you look just like my brother. But he’s been gone for years," she says, disbelief warring with hope.
The stranger nods, voice breaking.
"I am your brother, Loapi. I hid here, lost and afraid, waiting for someone to find me. I thought you’d forgotten," he confesses.
Loapi smiles through tears, the photograph pressed between them.
"I never forgot. You just needed to be found," she whispers, as the rain stops and silence turns gentle.
