Hazel's Point of View
The lecture hall hums with quiet energy as I stand at the front, facing rows of eager faces. A week has passed since our trip to the cave, and the buzz hasn’t died down. The sunlight slants through the tall windows of the lecture hall, casting golden patterns across desks and notebooks. The air smells faintly of paper, ink, and the earthy trace of students who’ve just come in from outside.
I steady my breath and scan the room, letting my fingers lightly trail across the edge of my desk. My notes are already laid out, though I barely need them. I’ve been thinking about this lecture for days, between sleepless nights, research, and thoughts I can’t quite pin down. I push that aside for now.
“Alright, let’s begin,” I say, projecting my voice just enough. A few heads s
