skylar

I bolt through the forest, my breath tearing from my lungs, heart slamming against my ribcage like a caged animal desperate for escape. The sting of rejection sears through me, Neo's words a brand upon my soul. He was supposed to understand, to be different, but he's just like the rest. Just when I think my legs can't carry me any further, a gaping maw of darkness looms ahead—a cave.

I stumble across the threshold, the jagged stones beneath my feet a harsh reminder of ...