At 3 A.M., My Neighbor Urged Me to Pack a Bag — What She Said Next Changed Everything

expression steady but serious. “Pack a bag,” she said. “Right now.” Her words didn’t sound dramatic; they sounded certain. Within seconds, the calm rhythm of our home was replaced with movement—drawers opening, documents gathered, shoes found in the dark.

Aaron woke our daughter Lucy while I rushed through the house collecting essentials—passports, continue reading …