I Bought My Childhood Home at Auction

not the kind of sentence you casually say and then expect me to comfort you afterward.”

“Just answer me.”

“I haven’t found it,” I lied.

After we hung up, I stood motionless until the house creaked around me.

Then I went into the garage, found Mr. Walter’s old hammer, and came back.

I wasn’t sixteen anymore.

“No more secrets, Astrid,” I muttered. “Open it.continue reading …