BECOMING HER

CHAPTER 5

Chapter Five

Elara woke the next morning feeling slightly better.

Nothing had changed overnight but the air in the house didn’t feel as tight. It was easier to breathe.

She stayed in bed longer than usual, staring at the ceiling, letting her mind drift without grabbing at any one thought. There was something calming about not planning the day immediately. Just existing in it for a few minutes.

Eventually, she pushed the blanket aside and sat up.

She got dressed slowly, choosing light blue jeans and a faded hoodie that had softened with age. She slipped on her white sneakers and stood in front of the mirror, gathering her black hair into a ponytail. After a second thought, she twisted it loosely and secured it into a small, messy bun with a claw clip, letting a few strands fall naturally around her face.

She looked at herself for a moment.

There was still exhaustion there faint shadows beneath her eyes, a dullness she couldn’t quite hide. She reached for a small tube of lip gloss and applied a thin layer, just enough to bring some color back to her face. Trying not to look as tired as she felt.

Downstairs, the kitchen was warmer than usual. Sunlight filtered through the curtains, soft and unassuming.

Her mother was already seated at the table, flipping through her phone. Isla sat across from her, wrapped in a cardigan, stirring her tea absentmindedly.

“Morning,” Elara said, grabbing a slice of toast.

“Morning,” her mother replied.

Isla gave her a small smile. “You look less like a ghost today.”

Elara rolled her eyes lightly. “That’s comforting.”

For a few minutes, they made comments about the weather, and how the neighbors dog hadn't stopped barking all night.

Elara noticed it the way her mother laughed softly at something Isla said, the way Isla leaned back in her chair without wincing. The atmosphere was lighter.

And Elara let herself sit in that lightness without questioning it.

When she left for work, she carried that small steadiness with her.

Work was busy in the way it usually was customers asking the same questions, the register jamming once, her manager reminding everyone about inventory checks. Nothing overwhelming, but enough to keep her mind occupied.

By the time her shift ended earlier than expected, the sky had shifted to a muted afternoon gray.

Elara stepped outside, adjusting the strap of her bag on her shoulder.

She didn’t turn toward home immediately.

Instead, she stood there for a moment, considering.

Then she started walking in the opposite direction.

She walked without thinking too much about direction.

Past clothing stores with mannequins posed confidently. Past a pharmacy with flickering fluorescent lights. Past a bakery that smelled faintly of sugar and warm bread. People moved around her in small clusters conversations blending into white noise but she didn’t really register any of it.

Her mind felt quiet in that distant way, like it had stepped back from itself.

She didn’t realize how far she’d gone until the sound reached her.

Water.

A steady, low current threading through the air.

She slowed.

The pavement curved gently downhill, and through a break between two buildings, she saw it a narrow stretch of river cutting through the city. Metal railings lined the walkway beside it, worn slightly with age. Tall grass edged the banks in uneven patches, bending with the wind.

It felt separate from the rest of the city. Like it existed slightly outside of it.

She followed the path alongside the water, hands tucked into her hoodie pocket. The air smelled faintly metallic, damp, but clean. A few people were scattered along the walkway an older man walking a small dog, a couple sitting close together.

Near the entrance to the path, a small food cart stood under a faded umbrella. Nothing fancy. Just bottled sodas, hot dogs rotating slowly on metal rollers, soft pretzels kept warm beneath a glass case.

She found an empty bench facing the water and sat.

She watched the river move. Watched how the surface shifted around unseen currents beneath.

Families passed occasionally. A little boy ran too far ahead and was called back by a tired but amused mother. A couple argued softly about directions and then laughed it off. Someone took photos near the railing, adjusting angles like the moment might disappear if they didn’t capture it properly.

Elara watched them the way she watched most things quietly, without inserting herself.

Time slipped.

The sky began to change without her noticing at first. Blue thinned into soft streaks of orange and pink. The clouds caught fire briefly, glowing at the edges before fading into deeper shades of amber. The river reflected it all imperfectly fractured bands of color trembling across the surface.

For a moment, the world looked carefully painted.

Beautiful in a way that felt almost accidental.

She hadn’t realized she’d been holding her breath until she exhaled slowly.

As the light dimmed, the number of people along the path thinned. The jogger disappeared. The families drifted back toward the city streets. The vendor began packing up the cart.

The warmth in the sky drained into a muted purple-gray.

Elara checked the time and stood, she adjusted her bag and started back the way she came.

By the time she reached the main road, it was fully dark. Streetlights hummed faintly overhead.

That was when she noticed it.

A black car parked along the curb where there weren’t usually cars. Engine off. Windows tinted too dark for the area.

It felt out of place.

A few feet away stood three men. Not talking loudly. Not laughing. Just… standing. Their clothes were plain but too coordinated dark jackets despite the mild evening, hands tucked in pockets, posture stiff.

They weren’t looking at her.

At least, not directly.

Elara slowed for half a second.

Then kept walking.

It has nothing to do with you, she told herself firmly.

The city was full of things that weren’t her concern.

She didn’t look back.

She just kept walking home.