Chapter 8

As she walked alongside her two escorts, Taryn’s heart pounded in her chest. Her feet dragged heavily on the ground, weighed down by a mix of eagerness and dread. She couldn’t believe she had volunteered for the controversial mating program, but the risks were too great to wait for an examination back on the ship.

The streets were dimly lit and filled with a sense of decay. Memories of her apartment flooded Taryn’s mind as they neared the building. She used to consider it her sanctuary, but now it was just another victim of the crumbling world.

Her escorts moved with silent confidence, their presence calming Taryn’s nerves. As they reached her apartment building, she steeled herself for what she might find.

The once-grand facade was now marred by cracks and peeling paint. The windows were dark, emitting a heavy odor of decay. With a deep breath, Taryn led her escorts up the creaking stairs.

As she reached her apartment door, Taryn’s heart sank at the sight of it. The door had been forced open, hanging unevenly on its splintered frame. Jorim stood by her side for support while Zyxor kept watch outside.

Bracing herself, Taryn pushed the door open and stepped inside. The overpowering stench of bodily fluids assaulted her senses. Her heart clenched at the sight of her once cozy home completely ransacked and destroyed.

Furniture lay overturned, walls were bare, and belongings were scattered across the floor. Taryn could feel tears prickling at the corners of her eyes, but she forced them back as she began to gather what little remained salvageable.

She carefully navigated through broken glass and debris, picking up sentimental items that survived the destruction. One such item was a small framed photograph of her family from happier times. Taryn held it close to her chest, a lone tear rolling down her cheek as she remembered the love and support that had sustained her through the years.

Taryn brushed away layers of debris to reveal her worn journal, its pages filled with her handwritten thoughts and experiences. She carefully tucked it into her bag, a tangible connection to her past that she couldn’t leave behind.

As she rummaged through the rubble, Taryn’s hand closed around a tangled necklace. She smiled as she recognized the pendant—a small locket containing a picture of her mother, a cherished keepsake since childhood. With trembling fingers, she untangled the chain and fastened it around her neck.

Emotions swirled within Taryn as she collected her belongings and prepared to leave her destroyed home. She knew she had made the right decision to leave, but it was still difficult to let go of the memories and warmth that once filled these walls.

With Jorim by her side, offering quiet support, Taryn gathered essential items—mainly clothes and non-perishable food rations she’d always kept hidden. Even before now, her apartment hadn’t been one-hundred percent safe. The clothes on their spaceship didn’t fit quite right and the food had interesting textures, but they were all she had now.

As she moved through the apartment, a sense of loss for the world she had known filled her. But there was no turning back now. With everything gathered, she took one last look around before following Jorim back to the doorway.

Stepping out into the hallway, Taryn paused to take a deep breath. She knew this was the start of a new chapter in her life, leaving behind the darkness and decay of her old apartment building. The journey ahead was unknown, but she felt determined and ready.

As she descended the stairs with her belongings in hand, Taryn left behind not just an apartment but also a part of herself. But she held on to hope for a brighter future in this alien world—one filled with uncertainty but also endless possibility.