i could be the reason you can't sleep at night
Flora's breath was shaky as she made her way through the Sidhe Village, her eyes scanning for a cabin covered in ice and snow. Bassian's words still echoed in her ears from when she'd spoken to him aboard the Ark, her heart twisting with a mixture of relief and longing to hear where and how the captain had holed himself up. Wearing her father's sweatpants, an oversized sweater that swallowed her, and with her curls unruly, having tangled and knotted on the flight over, Flora felt out of place, raw and exposed. But for all of Flora's vanity, none of it mattered.
Reaching out, her fingers brushing the doorknob, Flora flinched back at the icy burn. It was frozen, stiff under her touch. She twisted it, but it wouldn't give. Her strength, already drained, wasn't enough. Jack, she thought, his name rising like a whispered plea, a prayer that echoed in the cold space around her. Her fingers curled around the frozen metal again, her heart pounding as she tried once more to turn it, her desperation seeping into her thoughts, filling the empty spaces between her breath. I’m here. Let me in.
The exhaustion settled over her again, like waves crashing and pulling her under, her grip loosening as tears welled up. Her mind was a garden that had weathered the storm—battered, but alive—and now she could practically feel the warmth from the sun—from Jack—just on the other side of the door.
Reaching out, her fingers brushing the doorknob, Flora flinched back at the icy burn. It was frozen, stiff under her touch. She twisted it, but it wouldn't give. Her strength, already drained, wasn't enough. Jack, she thought, his name rising like a whispered plea, a prayer that echoed in the cold space around her. Her fingers curled around the frozen metal again, her heart pounding as she tried once more to turn it, her desperation seeping into her thoughts, filling the empty spaces between her breath. I’m here. Let me in.
The exhaustion settled over her again, like waves crashing and pulling her under, her grip loosening as tears welled up. Her mind was a garden that had weathered the storm—battered, but alive—and now she could practically feel the warmth from the sun—from Jack—just on the other side of the door.
