From MC's Perspective:
My mind had been spinning with thoughts for hours, to the point where I could barely keep my eyes open. I hadn't even realized when I had drifted off to sleep, sinking into the cool, crisp sheets of the hotel bed.
Time seemed to slip through my fingers like sand. When I finally opened my eyes, I was met with the soft glow of darkness outside the window.
The sky was ink-black, dotted with the distant glimmer of stars. A quick glance at the bedside clock told me it was already 8 PM. My heart sank slightly—I'd planned to leave much earlier, sometime before twilight. But now the night had crept in, and I was running late.
I didn't waste a second. I pushed off the bed, the mattress groaning beneath me as I hurried to get dressed. There wasn't much to gather—just the essentials. After a brisk splash of water on my face, I felt a little more awake, though the sense of urgency gnawed at me.
