Lester awoke to the sound of birds outside his window.

  The soft chirping filled the air, a melody he hadn’t heard in what felt like forever. He sat up, his breath coming in shallow gasps, his heart racing with a fear he couldn’t place.

  *Was it real?*

  For a moment, the old, familiar panic gripped him. The feeling of the Cycle—the endless war, the resets, the never-ending battles—still lingered in the back of his mind, a shadow that refused to fade. He could still taste the ink, the blood, the bitterness of all those years spent fighting in a prison that felt like it would never end.

  But then—

  He looked beside him.

  Franklin was there, beside him, curled up in a peaceful sleep. His face was calm, untouched by the weight of war. They were kids again. Younger. Free of the burden of the Cycle. Free of the bloodshed.

  Lester’s breath caught in his throat as the truth hit him like a wave.

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  The war had never happened.

  The world outside his window was quiet. Peaceful. The sun streamed through thecurtains, casting soft light across the room. The walls were familiar, but there was something different about them—something lighter, as if they hadn’t been cracked and worn by the weight of a thousand battles.

  The Cycle was gone.

  No more deaths. No more endless resets. No more waking up to the same battle, the same hopeless fight. The weight on his chest lifted, and for the first time in eternity, he felt something he hadn’t known was possible: relief.

  Franklin stirred, blinking groggily as he woke up, his eyes soft with sleep. He looked around, confused for a moment, then met Lester’s gaze.

  “What… what happened?” Franklin asked, his voice hoarse from sleep.

  Lester swallowed, his throat tight with emotion. He couldn’t find the words, so he just shook his head, a smile breaking through his disbelief.

  “It’s over,” he said, his voice barely a whisper. “We’re free.”

  Franklin blinked, then a slow grin spread across his face, as if he, too, could feel it—the peace that had settled over them. No more war. No more endless fighting. Just *life.*

  They were no longer prisoners.

  For the first time in forever, they could *live.*

  Lester let out a shaky breath, his heart still racing, but now with excitement, with possibility. For the first time, there was a future.

  And in that moment, he knew that no matter what came next, he wouldn’t have to face it alone.