my pledge

That's what they told me, anyway. Eternal. Forever at their beck and call. But what does that even mean? To give everything, every moment, every breath, until there's nothing left. My life becomes a routine, a cycle of giving and giving—endlessly, tirelessly. Service. It's a noble word, isn’t it? A mask for what it truly is: sacrifice. A polite way to say I've lost myself. I’m tired. Exhausted, really. Eternal service? They can keep it. I’m ready for something more. Something that’s actually mine.