The hum of the car’s engine had become a lullaby as Tiania drove through the quiet, winding backroads on her way home from her best friend Rinaea Guphans’s house. The visit had been necessary—comforting, even grounding. Rinaea had always been a safe haven, a clear-eyed truth-teller when Tiania needed her most.
But despite the long hugs and tea-filled heart-to-hearts, the ache in Tiania’s chest lingered—like a shadow she couldn’t outrun. Her fingers gripped the steering wheel tightly as fatigue began to claim her vision. The streetlamps above flickered amber, casting a dim glow over the road. Just a few more turns and she’d be home.
Until she wasn’t.
A blinding light filled her rearview mirror, followed by a violent jolt. Tires screeched, metal groaned, and the airbag burst forward with a deafening crack. Her car slammed into the guardrail, glass shattering like rainfall around her.
Then—blackness.
