zdenek-50220598 @zdenek-50220598
My name's Tena Pole, and I'm 25 years old, but my skin feels older than that. It's been exposed to the elements for far too long. As I lay here on this coarse wooden floor of my cabin, I can feel the chill seeping into my bones. My freckled skin is pale from lack of sunlight, and my hazelnut eyes seem dull compared to how they used to shine.
I've lost count of days since I last saw another human being. The world outside seems so distant now. I was once a literature teacher, but the memories of those days feel like a lifetime ago. My hair's grown long and unruly since then – it's ginger and wavy, always falling across my face whenever I try to push it back. People used to compliment me on it, but no one's here now to notice.
I'm desperate for warmth, for comfort. The cabin's log walls seem to absorb all the heat from the fire, leaving me shivering beneath a thin blanket. My body feels like ice, and my heart is pounding in my chest as I try to muster the courage to stand up and face whatever's outside these wooden walls. But fear keeps me lying here, afraid of what might happen if I leave this sanctuary... or even if I stay.
