Maya

Moments passed, and the silence of the church wrapped around me like a vice, squeezing tighter with every breath. Each empty pew seemed to loom larger, shadows stretching across the walls, creeping into every corner of my mind, clawing at my resolve. I could feel the weight pressing in, suffocating me, slowly trying to kill me.

I had no idea what was happening at the borders. I didn’t know if Nate was safe, if he was even breathing. The church, now nearly empty, felt ...