Zina's eyes flew open, her heart racing in her chest as she took in the unfamiliar surroundings. The room felt foreign, the soft light filtering through the curtains casting a surreal glow over everything. It didn't feel like a dream; it felt like memories from a past she had long buried deep within her subconscious.
As she sat up, her hands automatically reaching up to touch her head, a sense of bewilderment washed over her. How did she come to be wearing a veil? Why did it feel so hauntingly familiar, yet so unsettling at the same time?
And then it hit her like a thunderbolt. The memories flooded back, vivid and painful, like a dam bursting open. She remembered being fourteen, a time of vulnerability and confusion. She remembered the day she ran away from home, seeking refuge from the darkness that had consumed her young life.
