The morning after the storm was quiet. Outside, the air still carried the scent of rain—a mixture of earth and renewal. Inside Alliah’s home, however, there was a different kind of atmosphere. The tension of yesterday had not fully dissipated. Instead, it had shifted into something quieter, heavier—a sense that everything was about to change.
Alliah woke early, her body aching slightly from the long night. She had barely slept. Her mind was crowded with thoughts: of her treatment, of Jamiro’s warnings, of Apple’s gentle encouragement, and of the choice she had firmly made.
Today was the day she would take her first step toward the next stage of her journey.
A Morning of Preparation
Alliah sat at her vanity, brushing her hair slowly. Her movements were deliberate, almost ritualistic, as
