Page 61 of Cara
Stars swarm the sky this far out of Reykjavík, millions of sparkling balls of fire. I’ve been lying here for hours, tucked in the tall grass, letting the natural noises of the world drown out the unsettled feeling I’ve had in my chest for weeks.
Months even.
Spring peepers are crooning against the surface of a pond nearby. The summer breeze rattles branches of the birch tree a few feet away as sheepdogs bark continuously in the distance.
Winter has come and gone.
My body. It stands resilient, a testament to the effort and challenges I’ve faced. Each of my scars tells a story. Of strength. Of perseverance.
When I’m threatened, my instinct is immediate and decisive. My muscles respond before my mind can catch up. While panic used to send me into flight, scrambling for an escape, I have no need to run now.
It feels good to lie here, knowing I’m different from who I was when I stepped off that plane. I tilt my head to the side, watching my sister sleep.
Only in moments like this do I fully let my guard down.
She’s by my side. A year has passed, and she’s still here. I spent months watching, waiting for betrayal. Even now, it’s difficult to accept that Victoria could be here for me despite her giving me no reason to doubt it.
It’s a deeper-rooted problem that fuels such thoughts—an enduring sense of unworthiness I can’t shake.
She should have run for the hills by now, but I'm glad she hasn’t.
A lingering trail of shimmer scales the atmosphere, falling behind the tree line. When my eyes draw closed, my heart is unusually steady.
But my wish is always the same.
Keep him safe.
“I want to go back.”
Abandoning my prayers, my eyes ease apart to find my sister watching me. “To Chicago?”
I turn to her, unsettled by how much I want her to stay.
She nods. “My life is there. There are things I need to do, settle. I took off when I heard about you… I’ve stayed longer than I planned to.”
“That’s my fault.”
She shakes her head. “No, it was my choice.”
I struggle, grasping at straws. “When? Will you leave right away?”
“Not right away. I’m still trying to figure things out. Isaac will find a way to get me out without putting you at risk. You should continue to lie low.” She laughs, flipping some of her springy curls. “Sometimes, I still can’t believe it.”
“Believe what?”
“How kickass you’ve gotten. It’s all Isaac ever talks about… You know that man is crazy about you, right?”
I’ve known for a while.
He’s gotten used to me denying him.
Victoria’s brows tug together as she rolls to face me. “You should let him in.”
“We’ve talked about this.”
“No, not really. I’ve held back.”
As her hand slips into mine on the ground, my stomach knots, a sudden ball of impending doom.Don’t. Don’t say it. “Vickie…”
