Ty was jolted from his thoughts by a sharp slap on the back of his head. One of the guards scolded sternly, "Who gave you permission to halt?"
Startled, Ty's face registered bewilderment, a single tear tracing a path down his cheek.
For one moment, he was lost in a flood of memories, each one bright with joy before it vanished and left him back in the harshness of his current reality.
"Apologies, sir," Ty stammered, confused and hurting. "I was momentarily lost in thought.
It won't happen again." Before he could regain his composure, another shove on his shoulder came, the guard's voice harsh and dismissive, "Just shut up and keep moving, you monster."
As Ty stepped through the doors, emerging into the open, he was greeted by a breathtaking sight. The dual suns of this world, one a fiery orange and the other a deep blue, were on the cusp of setting.
Their light merged in the sky, painting a stunning tapestry of purple hues that stretched across the horizon.
