The house was dark, the sound of raindrops hitting the roof tiles echoed muffledly in the dark early morning atmosphere.

The sun still had a few more hours to rise and the soft hum of the heater lent a peaceful touch. But none of that prevented Joel from waking up like every night to take his nightly rounds around the house, an old habit after years of sleeping with one eye open.

The stairs creaked under the weight of his bare feet as the man made his way to the living room, his face still half asleep; adding that his grayish hair was disheveled and his pajamas gave him a less threatening appearance than he appeared during the day.

"What are you doing awake?" Joel inquired once he passed through the living room, only to see a curled-up bundle on the sofa.