Unbind me

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Seraphina Sterling
"my life was never about living, it was always about surviving"

━━━━༻❁༺━━━━

Winston chuckles but doesn't push. "Alright, suit yourself," he says, stretching his arms out before shoving his hands back in his pockets. "But if you change your mind, you know where to find me."

With that, he strolls off toward the dining hall, leaving just me and Kenji in the now-empty hallway.

Kenji sighs, rubbing the back of his neck. "So... what do you think?"

I hesitate, my gaze flickering around. The place is bigger than I imagined, more structured than I ever would've expected from a hidden underground rebellion. The people seem normal, comfortable even, like this is home to them. I don't know what I was expecting—something harsher, maybe. Something colder.

"It's... a lot," I admit.

Kenji nods like he understands. "Yeah, it is. But you'll get used to it."

I don't know if that's a promise or a warning.

We start walking again, retracing our steps back toward the hallways I'm beginning to recognize. The further we go, the quieter it gets, the distant murmur of voices fading away until it's just the sound of our footsteps echoing off the concrete.

Kenji stops in front of the door to my room and turns to face me. "Listen, I know today's been... a lot. You've had to deal with some crazy shit, and I don't blame you if your head's all over the place."

I cross my arms. "Is this the part where you tell me I should trust you?"

Kenji snorts. "I mean, yeah, that'd be great, but I'm not that pushy. I just—" He exhales sharply, glancing away before meeting my eyes again. "You're not a prisoner here, Seraphina. No one's going to hurt you. I just need you to understand that."

I swallow hard. I want to believe him. I really do. But there's still a weight pressing down on my chest, something clawing at the edges of my mind, whispering that places like this—places that offer safety—are the ones that always come with a cost.

Kenji studies me for a moment before sighing again. "Alright, I won't push." He steps back, nodding toward the door. "Get some rest. I'll check in on you later."

I nod slowly, stepping toward the door and gripping the handle. I pause.

"...Kenji?"

He stops mid-turn. "Yeah?"

I don't know what I want to say. Maybe thank you. Maybe don't leave me alone with my own thoughts. But the words get caught in my throat, and I just shake my head.

"Nothing," I murmur, stepping inside and closing the door behind me.

The room is silent again. Too silent. I press my back against the door, exhaling a slow, shaky breath.

I don't know how long I stay like that, stuck in my own head, staring at the empty walls. But eventually, exhaustion wins out, dragging me down into a restless, uneasy sleep.

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A sharp knock at the door jolts me awake.

I sit up too fast, my heart slamming against my ribs as my eyes dart around the dimly lit room. It takes a second for the fog of sleep to clear, for me to remember where I am, that I'm not in danger—at least, not immediately.