[Rosalynd]
As soon as my arms and legs were freed, I ran. Faster than I ever have, my legs leaping over logs, my arms scratched and bruised by branches and brambles. For the second time in a week, I have had my body scraped by the sidewalk and street and I can feel it in every part of me. It goes beyond simple bruises. It is a deep body ache, the kind that will require weeks of rest and sleep.
Unfortunately, now is not the time for rest. I need to find safety. I need my family.
“Let me take over, Rosie,” Willow insists, "Let me be your legs and hands. I can take the pain."
“Will it hurt,” I ask her silently. “Will it be painful?”
“Yes,” she declares, “But all shifts hurt the first time. Don’t worry, I’ll guide you through it. After this first time, it will get easier, I promise. The k
