I type back.
Me:
Yeah. Thanks. Getting there. How have you been?
His reply comes almost immediately.
Soren:
Moved to Ravelle for a job. Been here five years.
Ravelle.
A gritty city with a soul, a past, and plenty of opportunity.
I can picture it. A full life. A normal one. Forward movement.
A little spark of envy ignites in my chest.
Me:
How do you like it?
Soren:
You should come visit. Get out of there for a bit.
It’s not good for you. I can see it from here.
I frown slightly. I don’t remember posting about where I am now— just where I fled from.
But I brush it off. It’s not like it matters. I wasn’t planning on going anywhere anyway.
Still, the way he says it sticks.
You should come visit.
It doesn’t feel like a throwaway comment. It feels like something else. Like an opening. And I hate how quickly my brain grabs onto it.
What if I did go? What if I left for a few days? What if I could just…breathe?
Because that’s what this is now. After escaping one man, I landed in the house of another. A friend. Someone I trusted.
But things change. Sometimes slowly. Sometimes all at once. Sometimes kindness turns into control and you don’t notice until it’s already wrapped around you.
Or maybe it was always there and I just chose not to see it, because it was easier not to.
And I’ve been going along with it. Keeping things calm.Staying quiet. Making myself easy. Small. Invisible, but clearly not enough.
I stare at Soren’s message again. My heart is beating faster now.
Not excitement—urgency.
Because the truth is, I need out. Even if it’s temporary. Even if it’s just for a few days.
I type before I can overthink it.
Me: