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I can al to keep up with his big brother as we trekked near home I think of e in my mind’s eye My sanctuary, the place that’s always safe No matter how I try to stay focused on what’s real, what’s in front of us, I can’t resist the thought of ho curves around the side of theand a secluded valley becomes visible below, Lilac’s head snaps up She draws breath to speak, her eyes widening Then it’s gone, staain as she turns away to start working her way around a boulder She has one last longing glance over her shoulder, as if whatever she sees, it’s so far preferable to our reality On cue I see her start to shake, shivering as though cold, fingers twitching before she shoves them into her pockets

Another vision, then A wave of dizziness washes over me, like a sympathetic reaction--I clench my jaw before my own teeth can start to chatter At least she knows the difference now I ignore the part of my brain that points out that if she knows the difference between visions and reality, she can’t be that crazy I follow in her wake, and I glance down into the valley below us

It feels like the air’s been sucked out ofthin air for soe in the valley My parents’ cottage It’s all there--the white walls, the rich purple of the lilac, the curving path and the red flowers in the field behind it The faint wisp of se to one side that arden

The path winds its way out of the valley, vanishing into the distance, through the hills toward the wreck

It’s perfect, to the last detail It’s my home It’s not really there

I can hear her voice in my head Just once, I wish you could see what I see

I feel her presence beside me, and she reaches out to slip her hand silently into hviolently

I’ mad

"As a member of the ree of shock"

"If eren’t, I don’t think we’d last long on the front lines"

"At any point while you were on the planet’s surface, did your training…falter?"

"I’"

"Did you ever experience any side effects from your exposure to such harsh conditions?"

"I think I lost a few pounds"