|Katherine|
I drew in a long, steady breath, filling my lungs until they ached. The sharp scent of salt clung to the air, mingling with the damp chill of the early breeze that whipped against my skin. It wasn’t gentle; it was strong, biting, almost bracing—like the ocean itself was trying to shake me awake.
Behind me, the noise of the city still churned—the faint drone of engines, the hurried chatter of strangers passing by—but little by little, it all began to fade. With my eyes shut, I let it dissolve into nothing, until the only sound left was the restless cry of the wind, rushing past my ears, drowning everything else out.
For a few minutes, I stayed that way. Breathing. Listening. Forcing myself to be still. Trying to ground myself in the present.
Then, finally, I opened my eyes.
