Chapter 4 — Fragments of Freedom

Halle

The rain hadn’t stopped by the time I reached the front door. It clung to me like a second skin, soaking through my hoodie and dampening my hair until strands stuck to my cheeks. The wind whipped against my back, as if pushing me toward shelter, but I hesitated. My hand hovered over the doorknob as the storm’s steady drumming filled the air. Even outside, I could feel the cold weight of what was waiting inside, heavier than my sodden clothes.