Silence settled between them, thick and lingering, as if even the air itself had grown hesitant to move.
Suzy reached out at last, her touch gentle, almost tentative, as she patted the girl's shoulder. The small gesture carried a quiet reassurance, a fragile attempt to anchor them both in the moment.
"What are you planning to do next?" she asked, her voice soft enough not to disturb the stillness too much.
Gloria lowered her gaze, shaking her head slowly. There was a hollow distance in her expression, like someone adrift with no shore in sight. "I don't know…" she murmured. "I'll just… stay alive for now."
The words felt thin, like they barely held together.
It wasn't that she hadn't thought about revenge—she had, more times than she could count. The idea burned quietly in the back of her mind, a stubborn ember that refused to go out. But reality was cold and unyielding.
With the strength she had now, going up against them wouldn't be revenge.
It would be suicide.
