William walked alone down the corridor. Each step felt heavy, as if he were carrying a great weight on his back. His mind was focused on the image of Lía on the infirmary bed, her tear-filled eyes and swollen skin. Her voice trembling. "Don't do anything crazy." Despite her severe condition, she was still worrying about him, even to the point of enduring everything herself. "If I don't screw them over, I'm not a man..." William muttered as he walked back to the greenhouse.
After making a decision, he quickened his pace. Each step echoed more forcefully than the last, showing his resolve. As he opened the door, the scent of sap and damp earth flooded his lungs again, like poison. The class was still in session. Professor Silga Mern was explaining the process of spore extraction for study without even turning to look at the door.
