Chapter Twenty-Six: Beta

The wounds on my body are fully sealed; I am not bleeding anymore. The bruises have vanished, but the scars will remain for a day or two.

The only problem is my hand.

Fixing the dislocation was easy, but that's not saying much for the broken bone.

I slide down the tub filled with warm water and open my eyes from beneath.

The ceiling seems to move with the ripples of the water, almost as if it were not real; hell, I would give anything for this to be a nightmare I haven’t woken up from.

The longer I hold my breath beneath the water, the more my lungs burn.

But I like the burn because, like this, I feel as if I can turn off the world.

As if I were in control and in just a second, I could disappear.

In the woods...I didn't want to die.

Was it a survival instinct? Because I don't mind it so much now...

What about in the future? When I leave Ketria, will I still feel this way?

No, I’ll have Elle.

The thought brings me to the surface of the water. The air rushing to my lungs chokes me.

Elle