“You want me to trust you, and I honestly probably do more than most. But KyT, I don’t know if I’m willing to let anyone that close again. I know you haven’t asked but I’ve seen the question in your eyes many times, even though you’ve never pushed for more. And I thank you for that, but you deserve to know what has made me this way. Maybe if I finally say it out loud, the power it has over me will seem silly.
I almost wish there was a way to erase it all from my past. To be able to really start over without the ghost of yesterday following you, no matter where you are. In my own foolishness, I convinced myself that when I arrived here … if I awoke, I would never look back. I would take this second chance to live and experience all the things I couldn’t before. However, the ghost somehow followed me, and I still jump at shadows and find crowds terrifying because you never really know what or who is hiding in them.”
The swing rocks back and forth, and I let the silence surround me until I’m once again calm. “I met Andre my freshman year of college and fell head over heels for him; it was love at first sight. I was there on a full scholarship, and he was their star quarterback. All brawn and no brains, but he didn’t need to be smart, I had that part covered. He just needed to love me, and at first, I really believed he did. We were the“It”couple everyone else wanted to be.
Time and life moved fast, and we went from two kids trying to figure it all out to two adults who no longer had anything to talk about or in common. My life had become nothing but long hours of studying and paperwork, whereas his was parties and cheerleaders who loved to tell me how lucky I was to have a guy like him.
What most people didn’t know was that neither of us was happy, but we had come to depend on each other. We had built this whole persona around who we were as a couple, especially in his crowd, where everything was about appearances. And if he wanted a shot at the NFL, he had to keep those appearances up. I was the ideal girlfriend; came from a solid background, made good grades, and in front of the cameras, we were perfect.
Here I was dedicating my life to healing and helping people, yet I was forced to support him playing a sport that destroyed bodies and youth. Even though I grew to hate it, I still showed up to every game and cheered him on with a fake smile. Until the day someone tackled him and he didn’t get back up. I mean, this had happened before, but he never stayed down. I remember jumping over the fence, trying to reach him, only to end up fighting security as the ambulance sirens blared throughout the stadium.
When they finally let me go to him, they were already putting him on the stretcher, and I knew this one moment was going to change everything. A man like Andre didn’t take physical ailments well. In his mind, he was in the best shape of his life. He should have been thankful that they were able to stabilize him. That the break in his neck would heal, and he would still be able to live life to the fullest, just in another way. But all he could see was the end of his career, the only dream he’d ever had. When they informed his coach that if he took one more hit, he would be paralyzed for life, they didn’t even discuss it with him; just cut him from the team and left me there to pick up the pieces.
The man I was already simply tolerating became an even bigger stranger, and thisthingreplaced him. He would prowl around the house at night, snarling like a wild animal, especially when I tried to get him to physical therapy or counseling. All we did wasyell and fight to the point where my grades were affected, and the people I was working with noticed.
I was just starting my second year of residency and the hours were insane, but I knew it was going to be like that and so did Andre. He was fine with it when he had his own career, but when all he had to do was sit and watch his so-called friends on TV live their lavish lives and careers, he then found fault with everything I was doing. Even accused me of staying longer than I needed to just so I didn’t have to be home with him, and he was partially right.
Every day just got worse. I would come home to the house being in shambles. Beer bottles and food lying everywhere, furniture destroyed, and random people coming and going like it was a frat house instead of our home.
Then the jealousy started. He began tracking the miles on my car, set alerts on our joint bank account, and even put an AirTag in my purse so he’d always know where I was. By this time, I felt trapped. He was haunting my every move, stalking me like I was a stranger he had become obsessed with. I knew when his anger was finally fully unleashed on me, I would never survive it. His hands were already too rough, and the bruises were getting more frequent. No matter how many times I cried, he swore it would never happen again.
Then the announcement came, broadcast on every news channel and cell phone … our world was dying and taking us with it.
My head was stuck in the sand when it came to the things happening all around us. I was so focused on school and the hell going on at home that I had no idea that none of those things would matter in a few days. My entire life was upended in a few seconds, and like others, I stood there frozen, unsure of what todo next. There was no point in staying, so I left, driving home in a daze.
I walked into my house to see Andre screwing some random girl on the couch. They were both so drugged out I don’t think he even knew I was in there. I didn’t get upset and I was honestly relieved. I walked upstairs, packed a bag, took the money from the safe, then left without looking back.
I remember my mom telling me when I was younger to always keep my money separate from my man’s. I didn’t do it deliberately, but when Andre was at the peak of his career, we had no need for my money. So, mine just kept adding up in the bank and that was my second stop. I took every dime that was mine and left him his. Then I just started driving. I had no destination at first until I saw a flyer at a random truck stop about a place only a few hours away.
I was convinced they would turn me away when I arrived at the launch site for the pods, but that place was my last hope. I was just one of many who were forced to walk the last couple of miles, fighting for my life the entire way. The masses were going crazy, people were fighting in the streets, there were wrecks and gunfire all around.
I had no idea who he was at the time, but Ricky was one of the main guards taking people in. When he saw that I was studying to be a doctor, he motioned me through while the other guards sent people toward the underground bunker that was supposed to be close by. I didn’t even have time to fill out the paperwork or pay for anything before sirens started blaring and guards rushed us to the pods. I was terrified and relieved all at the same time when they closed the door and locked me in. The rest is history.” A single tear runs down my cheek, and before I can wipe it away,a small leaf blooms on the end of a vine near my face absorbing it.
“I just left him, KyT. What kind of person does that make me? The man I supposedly loved, the one I was building a life with, I left him behind to die with all the others. What does that say about me? Who is the real monster here, the man who lost his career and his life’s dreams due to something out of his control? Or the girl who no longer wanted to deal with him because she was selfish and wanted more than he could give?
Andre haunts my dreams, and every time I open my eyes, I expect to see him standing over me. I search for him in crowds and it’s taken me weeks to stop looking over my shoulder here, only because I finally realized he’s not here. But every time a shuttle lands, I stand back, terrified he’ll walk off one of them, and that hell will start all over. I don’t want to fear the man I loved; I don’t want to hide my smiles or have to watch how I dress, or where I go. I simply want to be loved for who I am, but I’m no longer worthy of that kind of love. So, I push everyone away so that they can’t hurt me, or me them.
It’s probably a good thing that you’re not here with me right now and it’s just me and this big ass tree. I know I would’ve never been able to tell you all this to your face.”
The hammock swings back and forth peacefully, and my eyes get heavy. The burden I’ve been carrying for so long is lighter somehow now that I’ve said it aloud. And I swear, just before the dreamless sleep claims me, I hear a whisper.
“I love you for you, little sprout.”
CHAPTER 3
VEDECE
I have no idea how long I slept, but for the first time in forever, I wake up fully rested and with a clear head. The hammock lowers to the ground on its own, like it can read my mind or something, and I walk over toward a huge window that I didn’t realize was there because of all the vines that were wrapped in front of it.
The snow seems to be melting quickly, but I swear I can still feel the cold radiating all around. I close my eyes for a moment, simply enjoying the heat coming through the windows. Hopefully, now that the suns are out, it won’t be long before the reflective rays of Etherium have this mess gone. I glance over to where KyT had been absorbed by this tree-ship, only for him not to be there, and I panic.
“KyT?!”
A small scream leaves my lips when he simply appears out of the wall. “Good rising, my little nymph. You were sleeping so well, I was not going to wake you.”
Instantly, I am in front of him, my hands running over his muscular, wood-like chest and shoulders as my eyes absorb thedamage he has sustained. “Ohh, look at you, KyT … are you hurting anywhere? All your beautiful leaves are gone, and you seem to have formed a few new knots on your side where some of your smaller branches have broken off.”
“I am well, little bloom.”
