chapter 60

I inhale heavily to self-calm and level myself out, shake my head and give myself an internal rattle to snap out of this. I haul out the oversized nightshirt that Meadow gifted me, my all-time favorite, and underwear, and quickly strip, loving the feel of soft delicate lingerie and an actual cozy and loose T-shirt, printed with delicate pastel florals, over gray sweats any day. It s the little things that can restore you in weird ways. I yank out my toiletries bag and find my hairbrush, facial wipes, and all sorts of self-grooming products I left behind, as they were too heavy to carry and start to put myself to rights. There s a mirror over the mantle and it s only now I can see how grubby and scruffy I am. I look like a hobo who hasn t seen water in weeks, and my hair is a dull brown because it s so dirty. Meadow was right, though; I do look different. My hair is longer, my face slimmer, and I seem to have aged a little in my time in the wilds. My green eyes seem brighter, the