The Rise Of The Forsaken Luna

IA

into the room just as I finished sealing the last box with tape. Her sudden voice startled me, and I dropped the tape

too small for me now," I murmur

rents' bed. My chest tightened at the sight. I hadn't lain on it since th

have another piece of them in your new life," she

an I was, yet still strong. I nodded eagerly. It felt right. Together, we walked through the house one las

d her tools carefully packed, along with her boxes of seeds. A small, determined thought struck

told David he has to dig up her lilac bush before we leave. I'm not about

e, she looked tired of her younger brother's endless nonsense. When my laughter finally died down, she was staring at me with curious concern, as if wonder

and saw him standing there with his three children. Lace and Henry peeked out from behind him, their

eserve better," eight-year-old Lace

he adventure ahead, his small face glowing with energy. Standing a little apart was Adam, fourtee

?" David asked, slidin

"Briana and I counted everythin

hitched to my truck. David had already prepared it earlier, while Linda had been treating m

dding dress, carefully folded and placed in the cab of my truck as if it were treasure. With

desk one last time, I wrote him a letter. In it, I explained my decision to leave, trusting he would understand. I tucked the house deed inside, tel

ldhood home, I didn't bother locking it.

e deadline. Do you want to say good

rm though my heart ached. When I had become an orphan last year, only a handful had stood by me-David and Linda, their children, and Peter

go," David

chatter would help drown the silence threatening to crush me. After buckling

sts?" I asked, p

ed and put the playlist on. With both of us ready, I honked the horn to signa

orced me to pass familiar places-the training field, the forest edge, the house

ess back. She spoke of adventures, of new beginnings, of

unded as we crossed the line. Just like that, we were

or some other kind-hearted alp

all that mattered. A