JACINTHA'S POVThe violent, jarring thud of fiberglass grinding against wet gravel sent Jacintha flying forward. Her forehead smacked hard against the steering console, the sudden impact jerking her out of a restless, exhaustion-induced sleep.The engine gave one final, spluttering cough before dying completely. The transport boat had finally hit the mainland shore, wedging itself tightly into a secluded cove at the edge of the commercial harbor.As she tried to sit up, a wave of agonizing, white-hot pain radiated from her left leg, making her vision go entirely black for a terrifying second. She dry-heaved over the side of the deck, clutching her ribs. When her vision finally cleared, she looked down through her tears, and her stomach twisted in pure revulsion. Her left ankle was a horrific sight—bloated, discolored a sickening shade of purple, and swollen to twice its normal size, straining against the fabric of her sock.The physical torment, however, was nothing compared to the
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