It had been several days since Evelynn arrived in Seattle, and her body had finally begun to heal, though not completely. Some of the bruises had faded into sickly shades of green and yellow, while others still lingered in deep purples across her skin. Every movement carried a dull ache, but it was no longer the crippling pain it had once been.
She kept mostly to the attic of the library, rarely venturing out except to use the restroom or to refill her water bottle. During the day, she borrowed books and found quiet places throughout the park to read. Usually, she sat beneath a tree or on a bench where she could watch everything around her without being noticed. The park had become her sanctuary, reminding her of the quiet days by the lake when things in her life were just right, before e
