That night, Nelly could not sleep.
She sat alone in the darkness, her heart weighed down by fear and shame. She wanted to ask someone for help, but she felt too humiliated by everything her son had done to face anyone.
Yet sometime in the middle of the night, she heard someone stepping inside the tent. It was Eugene who had returned.
His earlier excitement was gone. In its place was a look of bitter disappointment, as though whatever he had expected to happen had collapsed completely. Without saying a single word, he walked straight to his space and slept as if nothing had happened.
From that night onward, he became even more withdrawn. He barely spoke to her and refused every attempt she made to reach out.
Then, a week later, Eugene disappeared entirely. This time, he didn't come back and Nelly had no idea where he had gone.
***
The old woman's voice trembled as she spoke. Her head hung low, and she struggled to keep herself from breaking down.
