and Carrow, her hands buried in the pockets of her jacket, the fabric too thin against the dawn chill. The city was q

the time o

8 a

mo

on the other. A busted traffic light swung lazily in the breeze, blinking yellow into an empty intersect

ith the lights off, staring at nothing and trying to feel something solid. She'd wanted to cry,

as hap

to the edge, and now th

as if somehow it mattered what they looked like to the people who were about to own her

girl who walked h

ts, yet none of them settled. Just flashes - her old apartment, her mother's hands shelling peas at the

it, his voice,

on here. You are a

r, threaded into every breath. That's what she was now. Not Emily, not even

e her flinch. She kept imagining the black vehicle they'd promised. Unmarked. Quiet

was turn

t for a second before she realized it wasn't for her. She bit the insid

3 a

a

e cruel test of loyalty. Maybe they were watching her from somewhere righ

as sc

stood. But of disappearing. Of waking up weeks fro

d her face last night, eyes shining, v

d

still, a

d like obsidian. It slowed as it reached the corner. H

rolled t

r opened wit

e got

called

ng, dark sp

er legs wouldn't lift. Her brea

was

moment everyt

ng, run until her lungs gave out. She imagined it-feet pounding

re woul

No coin under the couch cushio

was on

sked man who had looked at

epped

ed in slow motion, one breath at a time. She didn't look at the

ust g

d behind her w

e leather, soft and untouched, and the windows

er turned arou

too expensive for this part of town. Emily sat still, hands folded

ghtened as th

she didn't get to finish. Every light, every old sign, every bi

buzzed in

ed it ou

ew me

m L

on't forget you're still Emily. Even if you have to pr

the words until

idn't

hone to her chest a

rested over the horizon. Emily leaned closer to the window, squin

y magazines or through the windows of a bus, half a second before it vanished behind hedges taller than a

losed, glinted back the morning sun. The mansion sat still and perfe

came t

icked open on its own, a soft mechani

steppe

ol air hit her face. And for a

shut. The car drove

was

for

alm, uniform charcoal-gray - like she had stepped straight out of the same

e," the w

, vaulted ceilings, not a speck of dust in sight. Everything smelled of polish and

th doors, none open. Finally, the w

to undergarments. Le

nked. "Ev

from the outside is con

But mostly the sharp realization: this is the moment. The line was

ed inside

small bench sat against the wall. A tray o

the door

ns, folded the shirt that Lena once gave her - threadbare, soft, an

orking. One last object tha

over, pressed

still lingere

on t

he almost stuffed it into her bra, jus

he di

on the bench, next to t

he wal

one look at h

an asked, tappi

mi

From this point forward,

flin

d again.

umb

ng all interactions. Repeated failure to d

r scream. She didn't trust her voi

oom. This one was quiete

both in white coats, both looking at her like

r her to stand on a p

ns asked in monotone, measurements of posture, pulse, blood oxygen. They made notes

"History of dissociation or

ook he

loser. "If you lie

said n

ocess

racelet. Thin, silver, and blank. But as soon as it cl

t 30 –

eart

ven need her

ed it - she sat down on the edge of the bed and stared at the wall. The w

bracelet. It d

. Her clothes, gon

since she arrived, she

wasn'

't even

ank. Like a girl letting go of everything she'd eve