them for two agonizing seconds. He pulled it bac

ping for air between heavy, choking sobs. The im

his voice harsh but lacking its previous cru

Her red, tear-soaked eyes

ck, walked over to the smart-home control panel

hrough the room. The red lig

ifeline. Emilia scrambled up from the flo

ded hoodie from the floor. She just th

t. The screen lit up. It was a final, automated text from the hospital b

e massive psychological pressure, combined with th

ight foot twisted, and her cheap, worn flat shoe s

earing only one shoe, she shoved the

smashed her fist against the 'Close Door' button repeatedly

ed door. The room was dead silent. The faint, sw

n. A single, cheap black flat lay on the

pulled together in a tight, painful knot. A

ang. It was the head

gency. We also found out the interns used your burner number to set

. Emilia hadn't sought him out. It was a complete, horrifying coinci

his voice deadly serious. "Raid that

at the tiny cars on the street. The thought of her walking through New York

, Emilia limped o

full of judgment. Emilia felt completely numb. The ho

The freezing night wind hit her thin tan

e rough concrete sidewalk had already scra

d sugar, and the cheap, black-market hormone pills she had bee

f streetlights. Acid rushed up he

e she was just in her tank top. Her wallet, her dorm key, and her ID were all still zipped inside the pockets of the hoodie she had left on his floor. Without them, she couldn't get on the subway, couldn't get into her bui