https://rosemadi.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/8-24.mp4 Jioni couldn’t keep her eyes off the door. Each step came with an ache. She yanked it, but it wouldn’t open. She pulled again until she realized it was locked. Her hands worked quickly, and Jioni was out the door. She stumbled out into the street, finally able to breathe the fresh night air. …
https://rosemadi.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/8-23.mp4 “City Three has an old Outergen station. I saw the building as a kid, but I never knew much about it other than it doesn’t work.” Tracey’s voice lowered. “Atlas, my mentor, is the mayor there.” “Ok,” Jioni whispered. “But I’m not going to stand here and get blackmailed by a child,” Tracey continued. …
https://rosemadi.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/8-22.mp4 Jioni uncovered her face. “I’m sorry…like you said, I’m a terrible student. But If you tell me how to get to Outergen, no one will know about the illegal trial tonight,” Jioni exhaled slowly. “I won’t disappoint you, my parents, or this city again if I leave.” “Blackmail, Jioni?” “No, I didn’t mean to.” …
https://rosemadi.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/8-21-1.mp4 “You want things to be better? You need to become an Agent.” “I don’t want to be an Agent,” Jioni said. The words felt rebellious coming out of her lips. As soon as Jioni said it, she immediately wanted to take it back. But it was out, and Tracey’s distraught look meant she clearly …
https://rosemadi.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/8-20.mp4 “Outergen,” Jioni said. “How do I get there?” “You’re starting to really annoy me.” Jioni’s breath became short. Fear informed her to drop the subject entirely, but the silence gave room for Tracey to continue rambling. “There’s no point,” Tracey shook her head in defense. “You’re several decades too late to be thinking about …
https://rosemadi.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/8-19.mp4 Jioni sat there motionless. She stared blankly at Tracey’s attempt to wipe as if it’d change the situation. As if scrubbing would erase the consequences of tonight. The urge to sleep was strong. Jioni hoped that maybe when she woke up tomorrow, Tracey would pay for her on payment day, and the secret of …
https://rosemadi.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/8-18-1.mp4 “I thought you could handle it,” Tracey’s voice jumped in chaotic sympathy and then flashed to anger. “If you had just done page 31 like I told you, this wouldn’t have happened to begin with.” “Do you think there’s a hospital here that can—” “What? No!” Tracey snapped. Her voice cracked. “No, because you’re …
https://rosemadi.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/8-17.mp4 “Dialing it down is faster than turning the simulation off,” Tracey said, wiping Jioni’s face. “Where else are you bleeding?” Jioni blinked slowly. “Were the Tenebris simulated?” “The sky, trees, and ground were,” Tracey replied. She lifted Jioni’s dreads. Instantly, Jioni’s heart dropped to her stomach. Her feet shuffled back, but it was too …
https://rosemadi.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/8-16-2.mov Jioni was silent. She failed the exam. Again. Shame overwhelmed as her mind raced with being overcome by Tenebris. Embarrassment quickly followed from the early termination of the exam. Something deep inside, she wanted to feel pride; level 15 was leagues harder than level 3. The Junior Agent Exam would’ve been a cakewalk compared …
https://rosemadi.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/8-15.mov “You’ve improved so much,” Tracey pushed Jioni off her. “I didn’t want to stop you.” Jioni struggled to reply, but she held her arm and breathed heavily. She hid her trembling hands in her pocket. “It’s been an eventful couple of days.” “Has it?” back next
