Samantha hovered at the edge of the road, shifting uneasily. Every time she tried to step forward, doubt clawed at her chest, forcing her to retreat. The image of twisted metal and bloodied faces flashed in her mind—a car accident, vivid and relentless, like a ghost refusing to fade.
Her bare foot burned against the sun-scorched pavement. She glanced down. Her shoe lay abandoned, kicked and crushed under passing cars, inching farther and farther away. Fantastic. Just what she needed.
She sighed. No money. No bag. No way to get home. She hadn’t planned for any of this—she only stepped out to escape the stifling air of the factory, where she had nothing to do. Lee and Drake were too busy to bother, so she had thought a quick breather outside would be harmless. Simple. But now? Now she was
