As Nick reached out to where Lily stood trembling, he could see the fear etched into every line of her face, her eyes wide with panic as she backed away from him. He wanted nothing more than to comfort her, to reassure her that she was safe, but every step he took seemed to drive her further into a state of terror.
"Lily, please," he pleaded, his voice soft and pleading as he held his hands out in a gesture of peace. "I'm not going to hurt you. We helped you"
But Lily was beyond reasoning, her mind consumed by the overwhelming sense of fear that gripped her heart like a vice. She could feel the panic rising within her, threatening to consume her whole as she struggled to make sense of the chaos that surrounded her.
"Stay away from me!" she cried out, her voice raw with fear as she conti
