After reassuring my friends that everything would be fine, I couldn’t shake the anxiety gnawing at . My heart started racing, and I was suddenly out of breath. I knew I had to get away from them, or they’d notice sothing was wrong.
I forced a smile. "I’ll be right back, I need to use the washroom," I said quickly, excusing myself. Without waiting for a response, I hurried off.
Once inside the washroom, I let go. My chest tightened, and tears started streaming down my face. I didn’t understand why I was crying, or why I was so scared. My breathing was labored, and I could feel the sobs building in my chest.
"Am I mourning myself?" I whispered, staring at my reflection in the bowl of water I was holding. "Is my spirit saying goodbye already?"
The tears wouldn’t stop, and the harder I tried to suppress them, the stronger they ca. My shoulders shook with the force of it.
"Stop!" a voice inside shouted. "You can’t give up now. Wipe your tears and fight!"
The voice startled , breaking through my despair. I shuddered, trying to regain control. I splashed so water on my face, but when I looked down, the water showed a strange reflection. I saw myself, smiling in a white gown with a crown on my head. The next mont, my reflection changed—my face was twisted in agony, tears streaming down.
Frightened, I threw the bowl to the floor, stepping back as if it were cursed. "What’s happening to ?" I muttered, my heart racing. "What does this an?"
After a few monts, I felt the panic subside. The tears stopped, and my breathing returned to normal. I washed my face again, this ti without looking into the water, and rushed out of the room.
’I have to get out of here before my fears take over completely,’ I thought, hurrying back to the field where the others were waiting for .
As I approached, I forced a smile, hoping it would hide the storm inside . The last thing I needed was for them to get suspicious.
"Kimberly! What took you so long? Did you eat too much last night?" Liza teased, laughter bubbling up from the group.
I chuckled along, though I didn’t feel like laughing. It was easier to go along with the joke than explain myself.
"I thought you were going to miss out on work for the rest of the day," Kaitlyn added, grinning.
"I just needed a little break," I said, still smiling, trying to steer the conversation away from .
There was a pause, and then Kaitlyn spoke again, but this ti with a more serious tone. "I’ve been thinking," she said quietly. "Do you think we’ll ever get out of here? I an, do you think we’ll ever get to live a normal life, like with a family, soone to love us?"
Her words caught off guard. Kaitlyn wasn’t usually one to talk about her feelings, especially sothing as personal as wanting love or a family.
None of us spoke for a mont. We all had the sa thought buried deep down, but we rarely talked about it.
Mohandia broke the silence first. "Kaitlyn, I think there’s always hope. As long as we’re alive, there’s a chance. I know it seems impossible, but things can change."
Liza sighed, looking less optimistic. "I don’t know. Look around. The older servants—none of them have ever left this place. None of them have families, either. I don’t want to sound hopeless, but I think maybe... this is it for us."
There was another pause, the weight of her words hanging in the air.
I couldn’t stay silent anymore. "I understand why you feel that way, Liza, but I believe that everything has an end. Even this." I looked around at the three of them, trying to infuse my voice with as much hope as I could. "We can’t let what we see now control what we believe is possible. If we want sothing different, we have to keep fighting for it. I refuse to believe this is all we get."
Mohandia nodded, and Kaitlyn looked a little more hopeful. Even Liza smiled faintly.
"You’re always so optimistic, Kimberly," Liza said. "What keeps you going?"
"Dreams," I said simply. "As long as I’m alive, I have a purpose. My dreams give sothing to fight for, even when everything seems dark."
Liza and Kaitlyn exchanged a look, and then smiled at . "I guess you’re right," Liza said. "Maybe I need to dream bigger."
Just then, the bell rang, signaling the end of our work for the day. We gathered our tools and headed back to our rooms. I was walking alone when I felt sothing strange, like soone was watching . I glanced back but didn’t see anyone.
I shook off the feeling and continued walking, but then I saw Mohandia approaching from the direction of the washroom. Her expression was calm, but there was sothing in her eyes that made uneasy.
"Mohandia, what are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be getting ready for breakfast?" I asked, trying to sound casual.
She smiled but didn’t answer right away. "Can we talk?" she asked softly. "In your room?"
Her tone was gentle but serious. I hesitated but nodded, leading her to my room. Once we were inside, she sat on the bed and looked at , her expression full of concern.
"Kimberly," she began, "sothing’s wrong. I can see it in your eyes. What’s troubling you?"
Her words hit like a punch to the gut. I hadn’t expected her to be so direct. I opened my mouth to deny it, but the look in her eyes stopped .
"I don’t know what you an," I said weakly, avoiding her gaze.
"Your eyes don’t lie," she said quietly. "You’re hiding sothing. I’ve been there—I used to put on a brave face, but at night, I’d cry myself to sleep. I know that look. You can’t fool ."
Her words were so sincere, so full of understanding, that my walls started to crumble.
"I... I’m fine," I said, but my voice wavered.
"You’re not fine," she said, reaching out and placing a hand on mine. "You saved from my own despair. Now, let help you."
I felt a lump in my throat, but I forced myself to smile. "Thank you, Mohandia. I promise, in two days, I’ll tell you everything. I just need a little more ti."
’If I survive tomorrow’s sacrifice,’ I thought to myself. ’Then you’ll know everything.’
She smiled, squeezing my hand. "I’ll hold you to that."
We hugged, and as she left, I felt a new determination settle over . I had to survive—for all of us.
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