tst

s my senses sharpen, I realize

es remain closed, but I focus on the sound, honing in on every d

bearably dry, like I've swallowed sandpaper. My

s too soft

sudden movement. Someone shifts, the

I'm staring at a ceiling t

sn't m

weet. My room smells like lavender, a

an process, the motion a blur. One second I'm lying down,

?" I mutter, l

ery shadow, every line of the furniture is clear. My eye

ent

ious. "I was wondering when you'd come around," he says calmly. His legs are

cks, and I clear my th

ns back, resting an arm on the couch.

y legs over the side of the bed, testing my balance.

fe," he answe

ens so fast it makes me dizz

movement feels unnatural, like I'm gliding instead of wal

th a grip that's firm but not painful. "We don't do

s grasp and glare

n into a pile of ash, I'd recom

him, stun

e," he says

t time how cold my skin feels. "Why do I

are," he sh

e window. "And why can't

king. Maybe it's the way I perceive him

re jo

eyes lock onto mine, and for the first

step back. "No. No, this

says, his voic

argue, panic rising in my chest. "And I

an't l

ne makes my stomach dr

I even make it two steps. "Don't make this harder th

but he catches me effortlessly. It

d I let out a growl of frustr

I shout, twisting out of h

r the third time. "You're not thinking clearl

am, using all my st

w. Without thinking, I throw my entire weight into it, s

past me. I hit the ground hard, the impact jarring

n unnatural angle, the bone clear

ifts, realigning itself. The skin knits back toget

I whisper, star

ight. It feels... good. Comforting. I

o ash," I murmur,

ybe I'm not wh

ion. I look around and realize I'm stand

n the sunlight. Workers are scattered across the p

His expression is a mix of shock and horror, and I realize it

ard him, and that

hear

hat drowns out everything else. My throa

hisper to myself,

tear my eyes away from him. All I can think about is

l hunger taking over. I can feel my

my mind screaming at me to sto

thirs