It was a cold winter morning. This time around, the winter was dry and long. The only thing that kept people going was the warmth of their homes. But this particular home was in a haggard shape. It was old and lonely, only two people resided inside.
It was quiet and lonely, even quieter since the old lady who owned the house had gone terminally ill. She lay in her bed silently. Her body had wrinkled and sagged, her bones were visible under her skin, and weakness surrounded the room. Next to her sat her adopted son, Hai. He held her weak hand as he dozed off.
The poor kid hadn't slept in four days. The aged lady, Madam Yu, had adopted Hai when he was just 8 years old. Now, he was 18 years old, had a part-time job, great marks to go to a good college, and a responsible lifestyle. Madam Yu had done her job and was ready to leave the world.
