Chapter 9

Camila's pov No longer am I capable of thinking clearly; every choice feels like betrayal, and regardless of what I do, someone always ends up getting hurt whether that is me or them; the burden of every action weighs heavily upon my shoulders. Freedom or Survival Which Would I Choose? Freedom has always been out of my grasp, while survival seems more important as each day passes. Every breath feels heavier, each step more uncertain, as pressure in my chest keeps increasing. I can no longer pretend that nothing has changed that nothing's about to be lost nor can I pretend as though nothing has been lost yet. Renata stands before me with cold eyes focused on mine, reflecting back the familiar hardness of her life lived in shadow. She knows this world well, living it, breathing it and surviving it. Every word Renata speaks is sharp, cutting through tension-ridden air to bring forth confrontation. I hate that Renata is right about everything she believes. "Do you want out, Camila?" She as