Checkpoint
Iris stood in her room with her jacket half-zipped, fingers paused at the collar. The restless energy from earlier hadn’t faded—it had just sharpened, settling into something more focused. Purposeful. A soft knock sounded at the door. “Yeah?” she called. Elias stepped in, already geared up, keys hooked around one finger. He stopped just inside the doorway, eyes flicking over her like he was checking more than whether she had her boots on. “You ready?” he asked. “I think so,” Iris said. She hesitated, then added, “As ready as I can be.” He nodded, stepping closer. The room felt smaller with him in it—not crowded, just… full. Charged. “You don’t have to do this,” he said quietly. “We can slow it down.” Iris shook her head. “If I don’t go now, I’ll talk myself out of it. And I can’t k
- Writer
