Maya stepped off the plane into air that smelled different. Not the familiar humidity of home, but something sharper. Cleaner. Foreign. She followed the crowd through the jet bridge, her suitcase wheels catching on the seams. The corridor was bright, fluorescent lights humming overhead. Voices around her blurred into a wash of accents she couldn't quite place. Her phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out. Idris: Did you land? She typed: Just got off the plane. How do you feel? She stared at the screen. How did she feel? The question sat in her chest, too big to name. I don't know yet. You'll figure it out. She almost smiled. I'm going to find baggage claim. Text me when you get to your flat. I will. She pocketed the phone. Followed the signs. --- Baggage claim was chaos. People crowded around the conveyor belt, grabbing suitcases, checking tags, disappearing through the glass doors. She stood back, watched the bags circle. Her hands were cold. She shoved them in h
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