But in that moment, I didn’t know if I should tell her the secret I’d been hiding deep inside my heart.”
I stared at her in silence, and time seemed to slow to a crawl.N
Cold sweat soaked my back before she finally gave a hesitant nod.”
I let out a breath of relief, took her hand, and spoke carefully, deliberately.}}
“Then I’ll tell you… the people we call our parents–they’re not our real parents”
“And this exam… it’s not the real college entrance exam. It’s a trap, Luna. A prison that’s been built just for us.”
“Come with me. We’re getting out of here. We’re escaping–together.”
As the words left my mouth, I watched the blood drain from her face. Under the pale moonlight, she looked ghostly white.”
果
Her voice trembled. “Camila, what are you saying? Are you sick or something? My parents…”
“Luna, trust me.”}
I cut her off again, steady and calm, my eyes locked on hers.”
There was something in my tone that stilled her panic. Gradually, her fear faded. She met my gaze–and nodded slowly.”
We sat together in silence, curled up in the shadows. But when our stomachs growled, I remembered the half–eaten baked donut I’d found earlier.
Just as I picked it up, Luna reached out and slapped it from my hand.”
“Camila, it’s filthy. Don’t eat that.“”
“I still have some money left. I’ll buy us something. Just wait here for me.“”
I tried to grab her sleeve, to stop her–but she was already running off.”
I followed her to the edge of the alley and watched helplessly as she dashed across the street into a small convenience store. This girl… so naive. So trusting. When she came back, I’d take her someplace safer, far from here.§
A few minutes later, she returned, clutching a plastic bag with a loaf of bread and two bottles of the cheapest mineral water. She handed me the bread and twisted open a water bottle, passing it to me.”
“Camila, where should we go next?“}
My throat was raw from dryness. I took the bottle and drank two long gulps.” “We’ll find a place to lay low for a couple of days. They’ll be here soon.” “Who will?” she asked.”
I was about to answer–when dizziness suddenly hit me like a wave.”
I looked down at the bottle in my hand, then up at Luna in shock.”
She backed away a step, biting her lip.”
“I’m sorry, Camila,” she whispered. “I have to save my parents.“”
I collapsed to the ground.”
From the blur of my vision, I saw shadowy figures approaching us in the distance. I let out a bitter laugh.”
Luna… do you even know how tragically you died in your previous life?
