AUTHOR’S POV

The taillights of Denzel’s car disappeared into the night, leaving only silence and dust in their wake.

Tessa stood still on the edge of the gravel road, her arms wrapped tightly around herself as the wind picked up.

The darkness around her felt thick, pressing in from the woods on either side like a suffocating cloak.

There were no houses in sight, no signs of life—only the endless road stretched ahead and behind like a black ribbon cutting through nowhere.

She turned in slow circles, unsure of which direction to take.

Her legs were aching, her back heavy, and her heart throbbed with the raw sting of separation....