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Osmophobia Chapter 8 Sanctuary Jade awoke with

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a long yawn and stretch. She found her phone

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was under her face. Oh dang, she fell asleep

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while Cedric was reading. She looked to her phone.

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One missed message from Cedric. Good night. Rest

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well, it read. Oh shoot, Jade let out. She wiped

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the cheek smudge off her phone screen and began

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texting. So sorry, she typed. I don't even know

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when I knocked out. Did you rest well? She sent

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the message. Then eyes went wide when she started

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texting again. Oh, and good morning, cutie. She

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pressed send and blushed at herself, sending

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the name cutie without thinking. Well, too late

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now. Cedric read the message. A few heart symbols

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came through and a message. LOL, no worries.

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You are out like a light. It was actually really

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cute. Jade smiled and started to get up out of

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bed. Another message came through. What are you

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doing today? Jade typed out, I don't honestly

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know. You? I'm working with a client today, so

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I'm slammed. Have a beautiful day, princess.

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You too, Jade typed as she slammed back into

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bed. Her tail twitched in the air. What would

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today be looking like? Jade looked over at her

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bedside table. Her new book stared back at her.

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She smiled and jumped up. She dressed up in something

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casual and cozy and started her way outside.

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As she exited her apartment, she started on her

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way to the Golden District. For twenty minutes,

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Jade scrolled through her phone, making notes

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on books she was editing and getting manuscripts

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up. As she entered the Golden District, she looked

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up and smiled at the familiar sight of flaming

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fur and forgotten fragments. She dashed through

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the large wooden door and was welcomed with a

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warm smell of cinnamon and coffee. She looked

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around. Luther was probably in the back, as no

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one was in sight. She took a deep breath. This

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was feeling like home. She happily strolled to

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the back studying area and found a cozy, cushy

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seat to rest in and start her writing. Fifteen

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to thirty minutes passed in peace. She took a

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breath as she emailed a finished manuscript to

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a publisher via her phone. Jade heard some soft

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humming coming from behind her. She reeled around

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to a flaming crimson face. Luther perked up immediately.

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Well, my goodness, Jade! Welcome! I didn't know

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you were here. How wonderful! Jade smiled broadly.

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Glad to be here. I honestly couldn't wait to

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come back. It's cozy here. Luther laughed. No

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wonder you and Rick get along so well. He practically

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lived here, always into some fantasy or art piece.

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He would study every book I have on anything

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creative. He took it like ink to paper. Jade

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wondered for a moment. What was Cedric like as

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a child? Luther looked to the side and thought.

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My dear, honestly, he didn't have it easy. He

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wasn't like the other wolves in the city. He

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can't smell. He's not overly strong. He was,

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well, a bit of an oddity. Jade looked to the

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ground. Did he have much family? His mother,

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yes. She worked to the bone to take care of Rick.

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Violet is her name. His father passed away when

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he was very young. Violet always had a way of

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seeing light. Even in the darkest of times. Jade

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smiled softly. I believe, Luther continued, that

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that light carried over to Rick. You had that

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light as well, my dear. Jade locked onto Luther's

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golden eyes. Oh, I don't know about all that.

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I'm just here. My dear, it takes a light of great

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grandeur to survive in so much darkness. You

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have seen loneliness and loss, I can tell. But

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your light burns bright. That takes character.

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That takes strength. Jade looked to the side

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and started hugging her tail. Well, you're right

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on both accounts. Wait, Luther, why do you treat

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me so... so well? Why do I treat you with kindness?

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Luther asked. Jade nodded. Yeah, in this city,

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that isn't a concept. To treat a skunk as an

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actual person? The whole time I've been here,

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well, I've never known that. My dear, this world

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is full of shadow. When one sees a light as bright

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as yours, you don't avoid it or ignore it. You

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admire it. That's how I was raised. And that's

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how I raised Rick. Kindness, at its most pure

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form, can spark life into anyone. Jade kept her

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eyes locked to Luther, released her tail, and

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asked, Um, can I hug you, maybe? Oh, my dear,

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yes. Before he could finish his sentence. Jade's

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arms were around Luther. You have seen enough

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of sorrow. You are welcome here any time, my

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dear. Jade released Luther and wiped a tear forming

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in her eye. When Rick was a pup, he needed a

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sanctuary. He found it here. My hope is that

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you will find sanctuary in him. Jade's eyes lit

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up as she took a breath. Well, you know Cedric

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better than anyone. Do you think he... Well,

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you know. Luther laughed. Yes, he likes you.

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That is an easy one. He is drawn to true beauty.

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So yes, he adores you. Jade smiled and hugged

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her tail once more. Now, now, I'll leave you

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be. Work here as long as you like. I'll be in

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the back if you need me. Jade's eyes lit up and

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she nodded. She cozied down in her chair and

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just let her mind wander. She picked up her phone

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and started texting Cedric. She typed, thinking

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of you, and hit send. She watched her phone silently,

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waited a moment, and a message came through.

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Thinking of you too, it read. This has been Osmophobia.

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If you like this content, please follow for more.

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The story continues.