“Tori, they’re turning!” The words screamed into Tori’s bunk, jerking her awake.

She mumbled something incoherent even to herself and tried to sit up, forgetting about her sleep straps.

“Tori?” Lu’s voice hit a pitch Tori hadn’t heard her friend use before.

“I’ll be right there. Don’t stress it—whatever’s going on, they’re still a long way off.”

Tori struggled out of her sleep straps and into clean clothes. How long had she been sleeping?

She glanced at her armband, staring stupidly at the pale, splotchy skin that had replaced it. How long had she been living without that thing? Why did she always still look for it?

Maybe it would be a forever thing. She couldn’t worry about that...

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