-Vaughn Blackmore:
The drive takes longer than I expected.
Not because the distance is that far, but because every kilometer feels heavier than the last. The closer I get, the tighter my grip on the steering wheel becomes, until my knuckles are pale and my shoulders are stiff from holding the same position for too long.
I don't turn on the radio. I don't try to distract myself.
I let the silence sit with me.
Let it press in.
Because once I get there, there won't be silence anymore.
There will be noise, movement, people—Alphas. Too many of them. Enough to make the air feel different, thicker, harder to breathe in.
I don't slow down.
I don't turn around.
By the time the gates come into view, the sun is already high enough to cast sharp shadows across the ground. The place looks exactly like I imagined it would.
And worse.
