Chapter 1

Everyone in Lyria City knew Elise Rowan as the girl who ran everywhere.

People assumed she was late, or maybe she was just naturally high-energy.

They didn’t know she ran because if she slowed down for even a moment, her whole life might collapse.

The Rowan apartment sat on the ninth floor of a grey high-rise overlooking East Lyria. Elise woke there every morning before the sun even considered rising.

At 5 AM, her alarm buzzed. She didn’t hit snooze; she never had that luxury.

The hallway was cold as she stepped out of her room and tied her hair into a messy ponytail. She tiptoed into the kitchen, careful not to wake the others. The floor tiles were cracked, the air stale, but Elise moved with practiced familiarity.

She heated water.

She sliced bread.

She fried eggs in the pan with burnt edges.

She set the table with precision, aligning the plates because it made her feel like at least something in her life was balanced.

By 6 AM, the Rowan family trickled in.

Her mother entered first, dressed for work in a wrinkled blouse and a stressed expression.

She didn’t look at the food.

She didn’t look at Elise.

Mom: “Hurry up, Elise. I’m late.”

Elise: “Yes, Mom.”

Not “thank you.”

Not even “good morning.”

Just instruction.

Her father appeared next, reading the news on his cracked phone. He sat without meeting Elise’s eyes.

Dad: “Don’t forget to pay the bills.”

Elise: “I will.”

Dad: “And check the mailbox. I’m expecting documents.”

Elise nodded again.

Nodding was easy.

Living wasn’t.

Leo, her little brother, shuffled in barefoot and pouting. He plopped into his chair and leaned against Elise’s shoulder.

Leo: “Ate… you never play with me.”

Elise’s chest pinched.

She stroked his hair gently.

Elise: “I’ll try next time. I promise.”

But she knew she wouldn’t.

Not because she didn’t want to, but because her life was already a battlefield of responsibilities.

Leo frowned at her soft, tired smile.

Leo: “You always say that.”

And he wasn’t wrong.

When everyone finished eating, they left their plates for her to clean. Elise washed dishes while the building vibrated with the morning rush of trains below.

She glanced at the clock.

6:48 AM.

She was late for work.

Again.

So she ran.

Down the hallway.

Down the stairs when the elevator was too slow.

Across the pedestrian bridge with the cold wind slapping her cheeks.

People always stared as she darted past them, shoes hitting the pavement like a heartbeat.

If I slow down… I’ll fall behind.

If I fall behind… everything falls apart.

That was the truth Elise carried alone.

By the time she reached the subway platform, she was sweating, trembling, and out of breath. Her vision wavered a little, but Elise ignored it.

She always ignored it.

The train doors opened.

She stepped forward.

Then the world tilted.

Her knees buckled.

Her heart clenched with a sharp, unfamiliar pain.

The concrete rushed up to meet her.

The last thing she heard was someone shouting her name.

Then everything went dark.

The morning sun filtered weakly through the tall buildings of Lyria City. Elise Rowan’s alarm had gone off at 6:00 a.m., as it did every day, but her body felt heavier than usual. She dragged herself out of bed, slipping into the same worn sneakers she had been running in for months. The scent of coffee and toast lingered faintly in the small kitchen.

Mom: “Hurry up, Elise. I’m late for work.”

Elise: “Yes, Mom.” She moved quickly, silently, knowing any complaint would only waste time.

Her father was already at the door, briefcase in hand.

Dad: “Don’t forget to pay the bills.”

Elise: “I will.” She nodded, hiding the ache in her chest.

Leo: “You never play with me.” The small boy’s frown tugged at her heart.

Elise: “I’ll try next time. I promise.”

She knew she couldn’t.

By 8:30 a.m., Elise was on the subway, clutching the handrail as the train rattled along the tracks. Her vision swirled. The morning crowd pressed against her from all sides, yet no one noticed the pallor of her skin or the tremor of her hands.

Elise (thinking): Just a few more stops. I can make it.

Then the world tilted. Her knees gave way. She stumbled, then collapsed onto the platform. A wave of panic surged through the people around her. Someone caught her shoulder. A stranger’s voice called out.

Stranger: “She’s fainted! Someone call an ambulance!”

Elise (thinking, barely conscious): I can’t… not now… there’s too much to do…

At the hospital, sterile lights and the hum of machines enveloped her. Nurses moved with quiet efficiency.

Doctor Morales: “Elise Rowan? We need to run some tests immediately.”

Elise tried to sit up.

Elise: “I’m fine… really.”

The doctor frowned.

Doctor Morales: “Elise… I’m afraid it’s serious. You have a cardiac tumor. It’s advanced.”

The words fell like stones in her chest.

Elise: “How long…?” Her voice trembled.

Doctor Morales: “Months, maybe less. We need to start treatment immediately.”

Her mind spun. All the running, all the sacrifices, all the unnoticed effort—it all seemed so fragile now.

Elise (thinking): I can’t stop. I won’t. They depend on me. I don’t have time for myself.

Her phone vibrated. It was Adrian.

Adrian (text): Where are you? You missed our lunch. I waited.

Her chest tightened further. She knew she couldn’t tell him the truth—not yet.

Elise (thinking): If I tell him, he’ll stop me. He’ll plead. I… I can’t let him see me broken.

She typed a short reply:

Elise (text): Sorry… headache. I’m okay.

At home, Leo sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the clock.

Leo (thinking): She’s not home yet… again. Why is she always running?

His mother passed by, tense and distracted.

Mom: “Leo, stop worrying. Elise knows what she’s doing. Don’t bother her.”

Leo frowned. A hollow ache twisted in his chest.

Leo (thinking): She’s never around for me. She’s always running.

Back at the hospital, Elise rested on the crisp white bed sheets, her hands gripping the edge as she tried to steady her breathing. The monitor beside her beeped steadily, a cruel reminder of her fragility.

Elise (thinking): I have to keep moving. There’s too much to do. They’ll collapse without me…

The nurse checked her IV line, giving her a sympathetic glance.

Nurse: “You need to rest, Elise. You’re not invincible.”

Elise forced a weak smile.

Elise: “I don’t have time to be weak.”

Deep down, she knew the truth: she had been running all her life—running for her family, running for Adrian, running for everyone but herself. And now, the ground beneath her was giving way.

Chapter 3

The rain fell steadily over Lyria City, turning the streets into slick mirrors of neon lights. Outside the hospital, Adrian Hale paced beneath a battered umbrella, his eyes flicking toward the entrance every few seconds. His coat was soaked through, but he barely noticed. All he could think about was Elise.

Adrian (thinking): Where is she? She promised she’d tell me if something was wrong… she wouldn’t just disappear.

He glanced at his watch again. Sixty minutes. He had waited for an hour.

Then, a figure emerged from the sliding hospital doors, hunched and pale, hair plastered to her cheeks. Adrian’s heart lurched.

Adrian: “Elise! You didn’t show up. I waited for you for an hour.”

Elise paused, her shoulders trembling slightly as if the weight of the world pressed on her back.

Elise: “I’m sorry… I had a headache. I didn’t mean to worry you.”

Adrian (voice rising, a mix of concern and frustration): “A headache? Elise, you’ve been canceling everything lately. Are you avoiding me?”

Elise forced a weak smile, hiding the nausea and exhaustion clawing at her chest.

Elise (thinking): If I tell him, he’ll panic. He’ll try to stop me. He’ll see me… broken.

Elise: “No… I just have a lot to do. I… I don’t want to burden anyone.”

Adrian stepped closer, gripping her wet hand. His voice softened, but the intensity remained.

Adrian: “Promise me you’ll tell me if something is wrong. Don’t hide from me. I want to be here for you.”

Elise’s lips trembled. She wanted to confide in him, to tell him everything—the tumor, the exhaustion, the endless running—but she couldn’t.

Elise (thinking): I can’t. I won’t.

Elise: “I promise.”

Inside, though, she whispered, unheard by anyone:

Elise (thinking): I can’t… I can’t let anyone catch me.

Adrian searched her face for any hint of deceit but found only the fragile mask she always wore.

Adrian: “I’m here, Elise. Always.”

Elise nodded, letting him hold her hand for a brief moment. Then she pulled away, glancing at the hospital entrance.

Elise (thinking): I have to go. I can’t stop. There’s too much to do.

---

Meanwhile, at home…

Leo sat on the edge of his bed, arms crossed, the guilt twisting in his chest.

Leo (thinking): She’s never here for me. Why is she always running?

His mother entered the room, tension in every step.

Mom: “Leo, stop staring at the clock. Elise knows what she’s doing. Don’t bother her.”

Leo’s frown deepened.

Leo (thinking): She’s running from them… but from me too.

---

Back at the hospital, Elise walked to the nearby bench outside, Adrian following a few steps behind, giving her space but never letting her out of his sight.

Adrian: “You’re trembling. Elise, what’s going on? You can tell me.”

Elise: “I’m fine. Really.” Her voice was soft, almost inaudible over the rain.

Adrian: “No, you’re not. I can see it. You’re hurting… and you’re hiding it from me. Why?”

Elise’s throat tightened. She could feel tears pricking her eyes.

Elise (thinking): If I tell him, I’ll have to stop running. And I can’t. Not yet. They need me. I need to keep moving.

Elise: “You’ll leave if I tell you.”

Adrian’s eyes widened.

Adrian: “I won’t leave. Not ever. I want to help you. Please… just let me in.”

Before Elise could respond, her phone rang. She glanced at the screen.

Leo (on phone): “Elise… Mom collapsed. We’re at the hospital. Hurry!”

Without thinking, she hung up.

Adrian: “Elise! Wait! Where are you going?”

She didn’t stop. Rain poured down, soaking her clothes as she ran through the streets, adrenaline and exhaustion mingling in her veins. Adrian sprinted after her, but he couldn’t keep pace with the girl who had been running all her life.

Adrian (thinking): Why is she always running from everyone? What is she hiding?

---

At the hospital, her mother lay in a bed, pale and trembling, a nurse hovering nearby.

Mom: “Elise… don’t make this about you. Just help me.”

Elise: “Yes, Mom…” She handed her mother the water cup, her chest tightening as she tried to steady her own breathing.

Elise (thinking): I run for them. Always for them. But who runs for me?

Adrian arrived shortly after, soaked and gasping, but Elise barely noticed him. Her attention was on her family—on her duties—on keeping everything together, even if it broke her from the inside.

Adrian (thinking): She’s hurting so much… and she won’t let me help. How can I reach her?

The rain fell harder, but Elise didn’t stop. She couldn’t. Not yet.