Chapter 35: Burn the Past.

Ava weaved through the familiar streets of Green Arbor, her pace quick and her mind restless. Each step felt heavy, the weight of decisions she wasn’t ready to face bearing down on her. She needed to find Lucas—he always had a way of making sense of the chaos in her head.

When she reached the Sentinel office, Miko was meticulously cleaning his rifle. He glanced up as she walked in, her expression giving away more than she realized.

"Ava, you okay?" he asked, pushing his spectacles up his nose.

"Yeah, fine. Have you seen Lucas?" she replied, her tone tight with urgency.

Miko nodded toward the school. "He’s probably at the school. What’s going on?"

Ava gave a quick thanks and hurried out, not bothering to explain. The walls of Green Arbor felt like they were closing in around her, and she needed clarity before she suffocated under the pressure of her past.

Ava entered the quiet schoolhouse, her mind swirling with thoughts she wasn’t ready to face. She found Lucas at the front, prepping maps for his students. He turned as she approached, his usual calm demeanor giving way to curiosity when he saw the tension in her face.

"Lucas, I need you to do something for me," Ava began, her voice low but firm.

Lucas looked at her, sensing the weight behind her words. "What’s going on, Ava?"

"I need you to burn everything you have—about my village, about Shalewood. I don’t want it. I don’t want to know," she said, her words coming out in a rush as if she feared what would happen if she slowed down.

Lucas paused, his eyes narrowing slightly. He was silent for a long moment, then he nodded toward the small fireplace in the corner of the room. "I can do that," he said softly. "But are you sure that’s what you want?"

Ava didn’t hesitate. "Yes," she replied, her voice sharp with certainty. She watched as Lucas opened the small door of the stove, stoking the embers until they glowed brighter.

Lucas took the small folder from his desk and, with a somber look, tossed it into the flames. The papers curled and blackened, their contents disintegrating into ash. "It’s gone," Lucas said quietly. "But there’s a copy at the Sentinel base. You know, for when you’re ready."

Ava nodded but said nothing. She stared at the fire for a moment longer, the flickering flames casting shadows that danced across the room. Her shoulders slumped, as if a burden had been lifted but left something hollow in its place.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Lucas asked gently, sitting down beside her.

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Ava shook her head. "Not much to say. I came from a small farming community, nothing more than that. It wasn’t special. Just... gone now."

Lucas leaned back in his chair, thinking for a moment. "I didn’t grow up in a place like that," he said, his voice thoughtful. "Where I come from, it was different. We had Sentinels everywhere. It was peaceful, but always a reminder that the world outside wasn’t. It felt almost like the towns of old—before the cataclysm. No tech, but... the way people lived was similar."

Ava listened, her mind wandering as he spoke. "Must’ve been nice," she murmured, more to herself than to him.

Lucas glanced over at her. "It was, but it wasn’t perfect. Everywhere has its challenges. But at least it wasn’t the chaos most people grew up in."

Ava stayed silent, her thoughts drifting back to her own childhood. "I wish I could remember more," she finally said. "But it’s all just fragments now. Faces, moments... gone before I can really grasp them."

Lucas didn’t push her. He knew better than to pry. "When you’re ready, Ava. Whatever you need, I’ll be here."

Ava gave him a small, grateful smile. "Thanks, Lucas."

The fire crackled softly as the last of the papers turned to ash. They sat in silence, the weight of unspoken things hanging in the air. Neither felt the need to fill the quiet with words. For now, the past could remain buried—both in the fire and within Ava herself.

"I don’t know what’s next," Ava admitted after a long pause.

"Maybe you don’t have to know right now," Lucas suggested gently. "Sometimes it’s okay to just... be. To let things settle before you decide where to go from here."

Ava sighed, leaning back in her chair. "Maybe."

The two sat in quiet companionship, each lost in their own thoughts, but together in their understanding.

Ava stood up by the fireplace, watching the last of the papers burn. As the flames danced, the weight of everything seemed to press down on her. The walls of the small schoolhouse felt like they were closing in, the quiet space too suffocating for her thoughts.

"I need to get out of here," she muttered, more to herself than to Lucas, who was still seated nearby. She ran a hand through her hair, pacing a few steps before stopping, her mind racing. "The walls... everything just feels too close."

Lucas watched her, a knowing expression crossing his face. He could see the restlessness in her eyes, the need to escape, to move before her thoughts overwhelmed her. "You don’t have to run, Ava," he said gently, standing up. "But maybe... you just need a change of scenery."

Ava looked at him, her frustration barely masked. "I don’t know, Lucas. I just feel like if I stay here any longer, I’ll lose it."

Lucas smiled softly, crossing his arms. "Funny you should say that. There’s a request for a Sentinel teacher at a small community not too far from here. They need someone to help out, maybe teach a few of the kids. I could use some Ronin company—just in case," he added with a playful smirk.

Ava raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued. "You think there’s trouble?"

Lucas shrugged, his smile widening. "Who knows? But it might be what you need right now. A chance to get away, clear your head, and do something different. Plus, you’d be helping out. It’s not running—it’s taking a breath."

Ava let the idea sit for a moment. The thought of being on the road again, away from the weight of Green Arbor and her past, was tempting. And being with Lucas meant she wouldn’t be alone.

She nodded slowly, the tension in her shoulders easing just a bit. "Okay," she said, her voice firmer now. "Maybe that’s what I need."

Lucas smiled and pulled her into a hug. "We can leave in the next few days. Give you some time to think."

Ava returned the embrace, feeling a sense of calm wash over her. "Thanks, Lucas. I needed this."

They stood in the quiet schoolhouse for a moment longer, the crackling fire now just a soft background noise as the ashes settled. Ava knew that she wasn’t running this time—she was taking control of her own path, and with Lucas by her side, maybe she could find the clarity she needed.