NIRVANA

I tried to meditate, but I was too distracted to focus. I could hear Knight talking to Zarah on the phone. I took a deep breath again, closed my eyes, and blocked everything around me. Breathed in and breathed out.

Slowly, I challenged my mind to focus on one thing— my breathing when my mind went wandering.

“Let go,” something in my head told me. I breathed out. I thought of the pile of wood outside, the smell of earth, the dampness on the ground, and the fresh, chilly air.

I took my place there. I started to be aware of everything in the room. Tingles erupted across my...