We shouldn’t be allowed to exist. Tenia had come to the conclusion over the past few weeks as she sat languishing on a bench in the middle of a lush forest. She knew the bench and the forest weren't real. She knew they only existed in her mind because she could feel her body, but she couldn’t move. She could hear her son’s voice, and Skender’s, but she couldn’t respond. Her eyes wouldn’t open no matter how many times she commanded them to. She was stuck.
The last thing she remembered was being engulfed by the cold fire. Tenia had been sure her life was over. In her thoughts, she’d told Torion and Skender goodbye. She’d mourned the life she would never have. She had no idea how much time had passed when she found herself awake in the forest. Awake wasn't the correct word. She was aware but
