The ringing in my ears was a high-frequency whine that eventually settled into the dull, rhythmic thrum of a cooling fan. When I finally forced my eyes open, the world was no longer vibrating in violet. The "Iron-Woods" had gone silent. The silver dust, which had once been a swirling vortex of static, now lay on the ground like a blanket of inert tinsel. For the first time since we crossed the border, the Western Reach felt like it was actually part of the physical world rather than a glitchy simulation.
"Don't move," Mira said, her voice sharp with a mix of authority and fear. She was kneeling over me, her hands hovering just inches from my right arm.
