Chapter one hundred & Thirty four

JASMINE.

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I'm so cold, my body numb and trembling. Hunger pangs gnaw at my stomach, and my throat feels parched, desperate for a drop of water. The night is wearing on, and I've lost all sense of direction.

The convenience store manager's words echo in my mind: "You're miles away from Maple." The reality hits me like a ton of bricks. I'm stranded, alone, and scared.

This place is unfamiliar, its streets twisting and turning in ways that make no sense. I don't know how to navigate these dark alleys and deserted roads.

Fear creeps in as the streetlights cast long, ominous shadows. Every sound makes me jump – the rustling of leaves, the distant hum of a car, the creaking of trees.

Denzel's face flashes in my mind, his cruel smile etched in my memory. He's a monster for bringing me here, for tearing me away from Maple and everyone I love.

My hand instinctively goes to the cut on my chest, the pain still throbbing. Infection is a constant fear, and without Lira's healing touch, recovery w