Chapter 91
This was My Chance to Clear My Name
The first sign appeared without ceremony.
Smallvill.
The sign itself looked unsure of its own promise. A faded plank nailed to an old fence post, letters worn thin by years of wind and heat. Smallvill didn't announce itself. It waited. And then it appeared, resting at the end of the valley like a held breath. A single street. Weathered wooden buildings. Mountains pressing close, green and patient, as if guarding it from the rest of the world.
Dafa slowed the SUV until we were almost crawling.
The town was quiet, but not empty. This was the kind of quiet that had always lived here. A few people glanced up from porches and gardens. Curious. Calm. A stranger's car was news, but not a threat.
"Here we go. We're finally here," Dafa said, his voice calm and grounding.
"The university is at the end of the street," I replied, my voice barely above a whisper. My palms were damp despite the cooling air.
