Outside her door to her barracks, frozen in place with a heavy heart, Aurora stood wearing a downcast expression.
"What's wrong?" Talia said from behind, peeping her head over her shoulders.
"... I'm dead." She finally whispered as the meaning sank in. The thought still mystified her as her fingers now began to tremble. "This is my afterlife."
"Or your second life," Talia uttered with a soft grin. "It is for me, Kirr and Jorm, whose lives were considered disposable. Ready to be tossed aside by people we shared blood with." She patted her on the shoulder, shaking her head. " And it's not like you're truly dead. You can still eat, talk, spit, pee, poo, and best thing ever, no more periods."
"Seriously?"
