ONCE UPON A TIME …

I entered my mother's apartment, and everything seemed to be shrouded in a desolate, gray hue. The curtains were tightly drawn, and the place was cloaked in darkness and mystery. A sense of foreboding hung in the air, making my heart race.

I climbed the stairs and instructed Ines to wait at the bottom. The stench of ammonia was thick in the air, and it appeared as though the litter hadn't been changed in weeks. As I approached the bedroom door, I noticed that it was slightly ajar. I peered inside and spotted my mother's queen-sized bed. The only light came from a few strands that managed to filter through the closed drapes. The bed was massive and rugged, made of solid wood and stained a deep, dark brown. The sheets were in disarray, and I began to pat them down, hoping to find my mother. For a moment, a flicker of hope ignited in me, and I thought that perhaps she was just out for a walk. But when I turned around to leave, I spotted her - my mother, collapsed on the floor near the washroom door, as if she had passed out. "Mom?" I called out, hoping she would respond. "Mom? MOM!!" But she remained still, with a dark red ribbon tied tightly around her neck...