Lily's Point of View

I told myself it was merely an adjustment period for the first few days. That it was strange, not oppressive, to feel the weight on my chest. That the eyes I thought were observing me were merely in my mind.

I knew better by the end of the week, though. It was more than simply me getting used to my new existence. They had to watch, wait, and make a decision. Choosing if I belonged. Or if I were simply another stranger who would never be accepted in their world like that.

The air in the packhouse, once a sanctuary of familiar scents and sounds, now...