The classroom door closed gently, and Ethan found himself standing alone in the hallway. He leaned against the wall, his hands shoved deep into his pockets, feeling the void beside him like a physical presence. He could hear the faint sound of children’s voices, of laughter and chatter, and it was both comforting and alien in its normalcy.

For a long moment, he just stood there, breathing deeply, grounding himself in this new reality. He knew he couldn’t stay forever, but he also knew he would wait as long as it took to feel his heart steady again.