“Are you happy?”

I stand on my doorstep and glance at the letters written on the envelope I found in my mailbox this morning. No name, no address.

Am I? Happy? Is that of any relevance?

I open the letter sipping my morning tea. Earl Grey.

I watch as a small segment of ash falls from it onto my rug, dissolving into hundreds of small pieces.

Sometimes I feel like that.

Staring at the silver particles I’m suddenly brought back to that day.

The day that life changed from milky coffee,

sweet and addicting

to the numb grey of warm water.

A small change in usualness doesn’t make life feel like you’re less living, but maybe it does after all, when this is not about coffee and tea.

The letter spans a total of six words but this is all it takes me to know who it’s from.

“No, so let me come home.”

And Hades, I will.