31 PAST LIVES

PERCY'S POV The dilapidated house stood stoically at the end of a winding, overgrown path, shrouded in an air of desolation. Its weather-beaten façade, once painted in a warm, inviting color, now bore the scars of years of neglect as it looked pale. The wooden panels, grayed by the ceaseless assault of the elements, were warped and cracked, like ancient parchment telling tales of bygone years. The roof, a patchwork of mismatched shingles, sagged under the weight of time, creating a melancholic silhouette against the muted sky. Windows, or what remained of them, were mere skeletons of their former selves. Their panes shattered or missing, allowing the wind to whistle mournfully through the desolate chambers within. The glass that clung desperately to its frame was clouded with the patina of neglect, casting a murky pallor over the interior. A once-charming porch, now a skeletal structure held together by peeling paint and splintered wood, creaked under the s