Chapter Four: The Silent Contract
The routine set in with the terrifying ease of a chronic illness.
Wednesday morning began not with a bang, but with a rustle. At 9:00 AM sharp, Riley scratched at the door. When Kieran opened it, Riley didn't breeze in with his usual nervous chatter. He was furtive, shoulders hunched, eyes darting left and right down the corridor as if he were carrying a kilo of heroin.
He slipped inside and moved straight to the kitchenette. He was carrying a