“Varujan?” I call.
My voice echoes, then fades.
He’s gone.
I’m alone.
If a Seam is near, I can whisper a lie and get out of here, save myself—forget about this bizarre nightmare …
Except …
There is no escape.
Not even in death.
Not until I reach the Light.
In a way, I understand this reckoning better than anything else—how vital this moment is to my future.
All along, I believed it was a weakness, a flaw.
I choose to feel. I choose to protect. It’s who I am.
If I leave now, my existence will be no different than the band’s—replaying mistakes and horrors without the ability to make amends. Always wondering if Mom or I am being watched, being stalked in a time of weakness.
Time to stand up for yourself. And for the ones who can’t. I made a vow.