Every night, muffled cries and sobs seeped through the walls of Josephine's apartment, unsettling her neighbors and often driving them to move out. The landlord had tried speaking with her, but Josephine never responded. Some were creeped out by her, while others were strangely intrigued.

Josephine never left her apartment. Day and night, she remained inside, cloaked in her solitude. The neighbors dismissed her as just another odd person in the building, but they couldn't see the guilt gnawing at her soul. The guilt of abandoning her daughter. She wasn't opposed to her daughter's condition... or was she?

Was I?

She had been shocked, and that’s why she left. It wasn’t that she rejected her daughter's condition. Right?

Why did I do that? Why did I leave her? It was my fault she even had that condition... so why did I abandon her to that bastard?

Josephine clutched her hair tightly, trying to silence the voices in her head. Voices that blamed her. Voices that demanded she atone for abandoning her daughter over something so simple.

It's my fault.

It's my fault.

IT'S MY FAULT—

A sudden knock jolted her from her trance, followed by the soft click of the door opening. She quickly hid under a blanket, trembling at the thought of the world discovering her sin.

The blanket was gently lifted from her, and she found herself looking up at a young girl—her neighbor.