It was the third day on the Ashes of Valeria set, and the morning air inside the auxiliary holding room hung thick with the scent of cheap industrial floor cleaner and stale coffee. Nina arrived exactly at her designated call time, her leather bag slung over her shoulder, the weight of it familiar and grounding… a small anchor in the chaos of production life.
She scanned the long, narrow room with practiced efficiency, spotted an empty folding chair near the back corner, and claimed it without hesitation. Pulling her knees up slightly, she leaned her head against the cold plaster wall and settled in to wait, her breathing slow and measured. The chill of the wall seeped through her shirt, but she welcomed it… anything to stay present, to stay focused.
