Chapter Thirty-Two

Flavius

     I wake up to the bird's song outside my window and the smell of fresh dew in the air. Sitting up, I stretch my aching muscles, getting myself ready to leave. Today I'm going to face Ellie, I will not hide again. I can only imagine how she must have felt when I didn't show yesterday morning.

    Leaving my house, I stare up and watch for a moment as the black of night begins to fade into the light of day. This light, the light of another new start. I walk through the city and into the woods, my boots sloshing in the mud.

    Reaching the small lake, I take a moment to wash in the water.

    Moments later, a large gust of wind causes my hair to fly around my face. Ellie must be here, I think, as a smile crawls up my lips. I hear something thump loudly in the direction of the forest, but before I can turn to see what it is I'm suddenly splashed with ice-cold water. I wipe the wat