Chapter 13

• As she finally burst from the treeline, the world around her seemed brighter. A weight lifted from her shoulders, and for the first time, she felt a glimmer of relief. Yet, her face was slick with sweat, her fingers trembled uncontrollably, and her body felt frigid, as if the chill of the encounter had seeped deep into her bones.
• Determined to keep moving, she pressed forward. Blood trickled down her neck, mingling with the sweat, and her right leg throbbed painfully as if it had twisted unnaturally. She placed one hand over her chest to steady her racing heart and the other against a nearby pole, seeking something to anchor her amidst the chaos.
• Around her, people went about their lives, and cars zipped by, yet no one paused to acknowledge her distress. They wandered oblivious, lost in their own night.