Chapter 1: The Place She Could Never Bring Herself to Visit
For years, Elira had avoided one particular place.
It was an ordinary stretch of road, bordered by trees, an old fence, and a small entrance that most people passed without giving a second thought. Drivers traveled along it every day on their way to work, school, shops, and homes. To anyone unfamiliar with its history, there was nothing especially remarkable about the location. It was simply another part of the landscape, one of thousands of places that existed quietly in the background of everyday life.
But for Elira, it was different.
The road carried a memory she had spent years trying to live around.
She rarely spoke about it. When friends suggested taking the route, she would casually recommend another way. If someone mentioned a nearby landmark, she might change the subject before the conversation could lead to anything more personal. And whenever the familiar stretch of road appeared unexpectedly through a car window, she would turn her face away and concentrate on something else.
