I run. And I keep running. The landscape stretches endlessly before me, a twisted maze with no exits. The air is thick with the echo of children’s screams, mingled with the sharp cracks of gunfire. The grass beneath my feet shifts from green to red, soaking up the blood that seems to spill from everywhere. The once-clear waters of the lake beside me are now a deep crimson, churning like a restless sea. It’s a nightmarish scene, a bloody night that never ends.

“Good kids don’t run away from home,” a voice calls out, cold and sinister. I feel a hand grab me, yanking me back into the clutches of faceless figures, their features blurred as if shrouded in mist. I try to scream, to plead. “I’ll be a good kid, just not there! Not there!” But my words fall on deaf ears. They drag me closer, their grips tightening.

“Do it,” one of them orders, and I’m thrust onto a cold, metal bed. Machines buzz and whir around me, their mechanical arms looming like predators ready to strike. Panic surges through me, my cries for help bouncing off the sterile walls. Light beams pierce the darkness, searing my eyes, and I scream, thrashing against the restraints that bind me.

“NO!” The word tears from my throat as I jolt awake, my heart racing, my arm clenched tightly in my grip. For a moment, I’m disoriented, the remnants of the nightmare clinging to me like a shadow. The sound of my pulse thunders in my ears, and sweat clings to my skin, making the sheets beneath me feel damp.

I sit there, my breath coming in ragged gasps, trying to steady myself. The familiar weight of the car seat beneath me gradually pulls me back to reality. The nightmare was so vivid—too vivid. My chest tightens as I force myself to let go of the terror still gripping me. I unclench my fist, finding deep crescents in my palm left by my own nails.

Soft, steady breaths beside me finally pull me from the disorienting haze. I turn to see Violet asleep in the car. She’s curled up against the window, her posture relaxed, almost childlike. The world outside is dark, but the faint glow of the dashboard lights casts a soft halo around her, highlighting her pale skin.

Her hair is pulled into a messy bun, with stray strands cascading loosely around her face, softening her features. I find myself staring at her for longer than I should. There’s a peace in her expression—a serenity that feels out of place given everything we’ve been through. Her lashes rest gently against her cheeks, and her lips, slightly parted, are relaxed in a subtle expression of calm.

Despite the chaos of the previous events, her face radiates an unexpected tranquility. It’s as if, in sleep, all her usual intensity and tension have melted away, leaving behind only softness. She looks... pretty.

I almost smile at the thought, but it quickly fades as reality sinks in again. The familiar burn spreads through my body—another week of extreme pain awaits me. It’s the cost of using one of those underdeveloped pills, a power far too dangerous for its own good. Stopping time for three seconds—it seems so small, but the toll it takes on me is anything but.

I glance down at my trembling hands. Each use puts more strain on my body, weakening me further. Two more uses, and I’m likely done for.

Might as well live a life with no regrets.

The thought barely comforts me as I search my pockets for my medicine. Panic flares when I find them empty. No pills. No relief. I’m out of options.

My heart races again, but this time, it’s not from the remnants of a nightmare. I’m really out of options.

Well, it doesn’t matter anyway. If I’m just going to die eventually…

I let out a shaky breath, forcing myself to calm down. Panic won’t help. I glance outside, the cool night air filtering in through the cracked window. The sight outside is almost surreal, as if mocking the turmoil inside me. Luana and Auburn sit on a rock, their figures silhouetted against the sprawling cityscape below. The city lights flicker like distant stars, casting a soft, golden glow over the scene.

They sit in companionable silence, their focus fixed on the view, as if the vastness of the city offers some form of solace or escape. The contrast between their calm demeanor and my inner chaos feels like a cruel joke, highlighting just how isolated I am in this moment of helplessness.

I watch them for a moment, gathering my strength before stepping out of the car. The air is cool against my overheated skin, a stark contrast to the feverish heat burning within me. Each step feels heavier than the last, as if the weight of my impending fate presses down on me.

“Hey,” Luana greets me as I walk toward them. Her voice is gentle, a soft whisper against the backdrop of the night.

“How’s your injury?” Auburn asks, his tone laced with concern. His eyes flicker over me, searching for signs of the pain I’m trying so hard to hide.

“You know me,” I reply, trying to sound casual. “I’ll be fine no matter what.”

I force myself to relax, to lift my cheekbones and let the natural warmth of my expression show. Slowly, I form a smile, gently pulling the corners of my mouth upwards. I let the corners of my eyes crinkle slightly, creating a smile that could deceive anyone into thinking I’m perfectly okay.

“You sure are tough,” Luana says, tucking a strand of her dark green hair behind her ear.

I nod, then turn to head back to the car, but Auburn’s voice stops me.

“White!” I hear him call out, his tone tinged with something I can’t quite place—fear, maybe? Or just the weight of everything unsaid between us.

“I’m fine, seriously,” I try to shrug off the concern, but I can feel the lie in my own voice.

“How many more uses until you’re done?” Auburn asks, his eyes fixed on the ground. I notice his fists clenched tightly at his sides, as if he’s trying to hold something back.

I pause, knowing I can’t fool him. I take a deep breath and look him straight in the eye. “Most likely two more uses.” I stand before him, waiting for a response—or perhaps nothing at all.

“You’ll… be fine if we create a healing pill, right?” he asks again, his voice tinged with hope.

“I don’t care about that anymore,” I say flatly. “But—” I cut him off, adding, “It’ll bring the world into chaos, and I’m probably beyond saving.”

Auburn stands there silently, his gaze shifting to the distant city lights. He’s a man of few words, after all. I know he’s probably trying to find something to say, something that won’t make it all worse.

“What will you accomplish from destroying the ‘fox’?” he finally asks, shifting the conversation to safer ground.

“According to our terms and conditions, no personal questions are allowed,” I reply bluntly, falling back on our unspoken rules.

“I’m not asking anything personal. It’s a goal we all share,” Auburn says, his voice firm.

“I’m aware of that, but it’s better not to know too much about each other.” I keep my tone neutral, trying to keep the walls up. That’s right—keep the cracks... make them so far away that you can’t reach them anymore. That’s when my distance becomes my power.

Without another word, I open the car door and don’t look back at Auburn. The door clicks shut behind me, and I lean back in my seat, the weight of everything settling over me like a shroud.