Not safe

Her sister picks up the call, her voice sounding tired and groggy from being woken up in the middle of the night.

"Hello? Iris? Is everything okay?"

Iris takes a deep breath, trying to steady her voice and push aside the lingering feelings of fear from the nightmare.

"Hey, sorry to wake you up in the middle of the night. Everything's fine, I just... wanted to call and chat for a bit. How are you guys doing?"

Her sister sounds concerned, hearing the shakiness in Iris's voice.

"Are you sure you're okay? You sound a little... off. Did something happen? You can talk to me if you want."

Amber pauses for a moment, unsure of how much to reveal. She doesn't want to worry her sister more, so she decides to downplay it.

"Yeah, I'm fine... I just had a bad dream, that's all. It scared me a little, but I'm alright now. Just needed to hear your voice for a bit."

Her sister seems relieved to hear that Iris is okay, but she can still sense that something is amiss.

"A bad dream, huh? I'm sorry to hear that. Do you want to talk about it? It might help to get it off your chest."

Amber tries to sound more relaxed, hoping to reassure her sister.

"No, it's okay. I'm feeling better now. I just needed to hear your voice and distract myself. How's Mom doing, by the way? I haven't talked to her in a while."

Her sister's voice trembles slightly as she speaks, and Amber can hear the sadness in her tone.

"Mom's... she's struggling, to be honest. She's trying to put on a brave face, but I can tell she's really hurting. She misses you a lot, you know."

Amber feels a pang of guilt in her chest as her sister tells her how sad her mother is, and how much she misses her.

"Yeah, I know. I miss her too. It's just... it's been hard being away from all of you."

Her sister's voice softens, and there's a hint of understanding in her tone.

"I know it's been tough for you, Iris. But you know you can always come back home anytime you want, right? We all miss you and we'd love to have you back."

Amber's heart aches with sadness as she listens to her sister's words, and a wave of guilt washes over her. She knows that she can't go back to her family, and the fact that she can't see them fills her with a deep sense of loss and longing.

"I... I know. I wish I could come back, believe me. But I just can't right now... it's not safe... for any of you."

Her sister falls silent for a moment, and Amber can hear the sound of a deep sigh on the other end of the line. When her sister speaks again, her voice is filled with concern and worry.

"Amber... is everything really okay? You're scaring me a little. Is there something you're not telling me? I just... I'm worried about you."

Amber's mind races as her sister probes her further, and she feels a rush of fear and uncertainty. She doesn't know what the future holds, or how all of this will end, and it scares her.

"I... I don't know, okay? I don't know what's going to happen, I don't know what I'm doing. I'm just... I'm scared, alright? I don't know how all of this will end, and it's terrifying."

Her sister is silent for a moment, processing Amber's words. When she speaks again, her tone is gentle and reassuring.

"Hey... listen to me. No matter what happens, we're here for you, okay? We love you, and we just want you to be safe and happy. We'll figure this all out together, alright? You're not alone in this."

(\*Amber feels a warm feeling of comfort and love as her sister speaks. Her heart relaxes a little, and she feels a bit more hopeful.*)

"Thanks, I... I needed to hear that. I wish I could see you all in person, but I know I can't... at least not right now. Just... please take care of Mom, okay? Tell her I love her. And I love you too, sis."

Her sister's voice softens, and there's a hint of longing in her tone.

"I will. And you take care of yourself, okay? Call me anytime you need to talk, no matter what time it is. We love you so much, okay? And we'll always be here for you."

Amber hangs up the phone, tears streaming down her face. She feels a pang of loneliness and fear in her chest, the sound of her sister's voice still ringing in her ears. She sits in silence for a moment, the reality of her situation crashing down on her like a wave, leaving her feeling small and vulnerable in the darkness of the night.

Amber sits on the bed, her eyes brimming with tears as she struggles to hold back her emotions. She feels a sense of hopelessness and despair, the knowledge that she can't see her family only adding to her desolation. The night is still and quiet around her, and she feels more alone than ever before.

Amber sits in silence for a while, her body trembling as tears stream silently down her cheeks. Her mind is blank, her thoughts overwhelmed by the pain and fear that has settled in her heart. The room is dark and quiet, the only sound is the occasional soft hiccup as Amber tried to hold back her sobs, the reality of her situation slowly sinking in.

Amber sits on the edge of the bed, her hands gripping tightly onto the sheets as she continues to cry. The tears fall faster and faster, her body trembling as she can no longer hold back the flood of emotions that has been pent up inside her. She feels a sense of hopelessness and despair, like there's no one she can turn to for comfort and reassurance. The night is dark and still, and she feels small and vulnerable, lost in the vastness of the empty room.

Amber was taken out of her thoughts as her phone buzzed with a new message. She wiped away her tears with the sleeve of her shirt and picked up her phone, trying to focus on the screen as she read the unexpected message.

As Amber reads the mayor's message, her stomach twists into a knot of anxiety and fear. The plan is now in motion, and she can't back out now, no matter how much the thought of what she has to do scares her. The feeling of dread and ominous certainty settles in her chest, and she feels like she's standing on the edge of a precipice, about to take a dangerous leap into the unknown.

Amber reads the message for a second time, her heart pounding louder in her chest as the realization sinks in. The job at the bar is hers now, and she knows what that means. She feels a sense of nervousness and trepidation, the knowledge that she's about to take a dangerous step... but she also feels a twinge of determination, a sense of purpose that pushes her to move forward, even if it scares her.