By midday, my nerves were raw, my body tense with exhaustion. I just needed a moment to breathe. A moment to think.

I slipped away to the back of the pack house, where the laundry lines stretched between the trees. The crisp autumn air bit at my skin, but at least it w

Their voices were hushed, but even in whispers, they carried weight, wrapping around me like an unseen snare.

I hesitated, my pulse spiking. I should go. I should keep my head down, finish my work, and pretend I never heard anything. That was how I survived. That

The headache started before I even stepped into class.

It was sharp, curling at the base of my skull and pressing behind my eyes—an unnatural, crawling sensation that I didn’t recognize.

At first, I thought it was exhaustion. A side effect of too many bruises, too m