STAYCATION

Christine sat on the balcony of her room in the Momoh mansion, the evening breeze from the lagoon brushing against her face. A faint hum of life echoed from the bustling city beyond the estate’s high gates, but here, all was calm. She cradled a leather-bound journal in her hands, its pages worn but full of her deepest thoughts, sketches, and pieces of her soul.

As she opened to a fresh page, she let out a slow breath, tapping the pen against her lip thoughtfully before writing:

I can’t believe it’s really happening. In six days, I’ll be boarding a flight to Kenya, leaving behind everything I’ve known—good, bad, and complicated. Sitting here tonight, I feel… untethered.