There she is, Skar, tied down, all bare soles and nerves, thinking maybe this won’t be so bad. But the room's quiet, too quiet, and then it isn’t. She laughs harder than she expected, then the words slip out on their own, “It tickles!” like it’s some dirty secret she never wanted to confess. Skar came in thinking she’d walk out the same; instead, she's learning the hard way: some games you don't play unless you're willing to lose.

There she is, Skar, tied down, all bare soles and nerves, thinking maybe this won’t be so bad. But the room's quiet, too quiet, and then it isn’t. She laughs harder than she expected, then the words slip out on their own, “It tickles!” like it’s some dirty secret she never wanted to confess. Skar came in thinking she’d walk out the same; instead, she's learning the hard way: some games you don't play unless you're willing to lose.