Flat Above the Ground Floor

The flat occupies the uppermost level of a modest multi-story building, reached by a narrow staircase that smells faintly of cleaning products and last night’s cooking. The interior is compact but livable, its walls lined with mismatched wallpaper that absorbs the dim light from a single overhead bulb. Squeak’s gran’s apartment feels warmer than the exterior stoop, the air thick with the scent of stewed tea and wool blankets left draped over the backs of chairs. A worn armchair faces a small television, its screen flickering with static, while a sideboard holds framed photos of younger generations long faded by time and poor lighting. The layout prioritizes space over grandeur, every square foot used efficiently, including the thin landing outside the front door where the staircase’s worn carpet gives way to linoleum flooring stained around the edges. It’s a place of quiet endurance, its familiarity offering Squeak refuge even as the world outside grows chaotic.