Chapter 26: Morning Light

The next morning arrived with the pale, watery golden sunlight of late October filtering gracefully through Lily's bedroom curtains, painting delicate geometric patterns across her polished wooden floorboards. She woke up naturally before her loud alarm clock even had a chance to buzz, her hand automatically reaching over across the mattress to touch the small tin box of pressed wildflowers resting quietly on her nightstand. Everything in her bedroom looked identical to how it had yesterday, yet the entire universe felt fundamentally different, charged with a quiet, electric anticipation.