too big to carry alone

Who knew that packing your whole life into a single trunk was possible? Everything she now owned was neatly organized into the gigantic leather trunk her aunt insisted on buying for her—probably just to shove all of Layal's remaining existence into one box and ship her off as fast as possible.

Or at least, it used to be neatly organized. After all the pulling, shoving, and heaving Layal did, she wasn't entirely sure.

Her hands could barely fit around the handles, and standing next to the huge chest, she felt tiny trying to shift it. But she wasn't stopping. She could do this. All around her, the platform was way too loud—parents hugging their kids and younger siblings crying. Layal just focused on her bag. She didn't care enough to look at any of it.

For the tiniest moment, Layal doubted her decision to come alone. Should she have allowed her aunt to come?

The feeling disappeared as fast as it came, though.

After the millionth failed attempt to get the ridiculously heavy trunk onto the train, she let it fall back onto the platform with a heavy thud. Taking a deep breath, she snatched her cap off her head with one hand and wiped the sweat with the other.

And anyway, why was the platform so dusty? Wiping her eyes, she yanked her backpack off her shoulders and snatched a water bottle from inside. All the dust and stuff had managed to even clog her throat.