ching against the gravel e

eling like a foreig

erfect. Like something out of a dream, where everythin

feels like hours, and my feet

ty now; even the di

flicker in the distance,

I push forward, determined to n

more. I am just tryi

es sense in this d

n my pocket, a shar

it out, but a part of me

pe the screen. My mother's n

o not pick

the phone

the answer button,

ipped, like a reminder of every

Your father is a

to suppress the wave of

ice of reason, the one w

derstood how it feels to be constant

ice quiet, careful. "I ju

other end. I can hear

o is already made up her mind

ng forever," she says.

her how I have been runnin

t. Not toda

inally reply, my voice

ying to figur

gs out?" Her v

you have responsibilities. You ca

ise. "You have never let me do anything for my

of my words radiatin

y, and for a moment, I wonder

ks again, her ton

" she says. "You are my daugh

Is that what you think this is? Telling me what

. I can hear the rustling o

er instructions on how to ha

," I mutter. "I just n

oo long, Eliaca. Do not mak

air like a bitter sc

ing the phone back into m

eeling the weight of the conv

at my chest. They do not

gain, my thoughts spiraling. The

was not this, this silence that makes eve

spine. I need to ge

m going, but I just nee

crunches beneath my feet like a

its glow momentarily cut

der that light,

ree

rom earlier. The one

s hands shoved in his pockets, staring straight a

ep back. Th

umble forward, almost falling flat on m

m a movie, running from somethi

does not even acknowledg

I am invisi

d square my shoulders.

let him int

tion, trying to keep my pace steady,

ant? Why is he

for a split second, I sw

s about him. There is s

rong, like he is not

ze or the way he stan

aura of secrets, and I cannot shake the

esitate. The next street is dark, t

to my surprise, the man

ath I did not rea

en I h

velly voic

ing a

p around to find him standing in

there. He should not be

my throat dry. "

he dim light. His eyes are dark, unreadabl

want," he says, his voi

s screaming at me to run. But m

e never leaving mine. "The que

in my ears now. The a

lone," I manage to s

is. But it is not a warm smile. It is da

his voice barely above a murmur. "You a

but my foot hits something

my chest, panic su

, but the man does no

nts. But one thing is cl