Chapter 70. Free

It’s followed by the squeak of one of the cleaning carts, and I exhale when it rolls right past my room and fades into the distance. My body weak with relief, and I sprawl out star-shaped on my bed, exhaling so heavily I let out a whooshing noise and then moan at my stupid despair.

Stop freaking out, Alora. You’re going to get yourself in such a mess and not be able to follow through. Relax, breathe, count.

I put everything into doing just that, remember the techniques I used when I stayed in the home and couldn’t relax or sleep on nights when everything got to me too much. I picture a meadow, a sweet-scented field full of pretty flowers, and one by one, as I walk through them, I count the heads, picking them out, touching them as I go. I visualize the colors, the feel of their soft, silky petals on my fingers, and how the subtle scent blows around on the breeze. They all dance and sway in ripples, coming to me in mixed smells. It helps me drift into a calmer state of mi