Eighty

Olivia Westview

I woke up with a jolt, my heart pounding in my chest.

For a second, I didn’t know where I was. The room was still dark, the pale morning light barely seeping through the curtains. I blinked, rubbing my eyes. Then it hit me, the weight of yesterday pressing down like a stone.

I lay there for a few more minutes, staring at the ceiling, my mind running over the decision I’d made. For the first time, I felt a strange calm settle over me. It wasn’t exactly relief, but it was close. I had decided. And no matter what happened next, at least I had that.

With a deep breath, I swung my legs out of bed. The clock on my nightstand read 6:45. I had more than enough time, but I wasn’t going to waste any of it lying around second-guessing myself.

I padded across t……