Days passed like a slow, dark dream. Every day, the heavy metal door would creak open. Armed men would walk in, point their fingers, and drag two or three girls out. Those girls never came back.
Mara and Kiara didn't let go of each other. Not for a second. They ate together, slept together, and prayed together in the corner of that cold room.
Then, the door opened for them.
"You two. And you," a man shouted, pointing at them and one other crying girl.
Terror hit them like a cold wave. Their teeth started to chatter, and their eyes filled with hot, stinging tears. The armed men didn't care about their crying. They grabbed them by the arms and dragged them out of the room.
When they stepped outside, the air felt different. It was a massive place that looked like an old factory. There were cars everywhere and men with guns standing guard. But the scariest thing was the cliff. Just a few meters away, the land just ended
The men led them to a man in a expensive suit He looked at them like they were pieces of meat. He pointed his finger at Mara.
"I want that one," the man said
The world stopped. Mara and Kiara gripped each other's hands so hard tat it hurts They began to sob, the sound of their hearts breaking filling the air. They couldn't be separated. They wouldn't survive without each other.
Suddenly, the man's phone rang. He snapped at the person on the other end, shouting and waving his arms. For a split second, the armed men turned their heads to watch him. They were distracted.
Mara leaned into Kiara's ear. "Run," she whispered.
Kiara's legs felt like lead. She was terrified, but she knew one thing: being dead was better than being separated.
"Run!" Mara screamed.
They bolted. They ran toward the cliff, their bare feet hitting the rough ground.
"Hey! Stop them!" the men shouted behind them. The sound of heavy boots started chasing them.
They were so close to the edge. Just a few more steps.
BANG.
The sound echoed off the factory walls. For a moment, time froze. The wind stopped blowing. The birds stopped singing.
Kiara stopped. she turned around to look at Mara, expecting her to be right behind her.
But Mara was standing still. Her face was pale, a look of pure shock in her eyes. Her hands were pressed against her stomach. When she moved her fingers, Kiara saw it—bright, red blood was soaking through her torn clothes, dripping onto the dust.
"No," Kiara screamed, running back to her. "No, Mara! You can't do this! Please!"
Kiara held her with shaking hands her hands becoming stained with Mara's blood. She was crying so hard she could barely see. The men were closing in, their shadows getting longer, but Kiara didn't care. She only cared about the life leaking out of her mara
Mara struggled to breathe. Blood began to bubble at the corner of her mouth. With trembling fingers, she reached for the necklace around her neck. She pulled it off and pressed it into Kiara's hand.
"Go... Ki..." Mara whispered. Every word looked like it hurt.
Kiara shook her head, her tears splashing onto Mara's face. "No! I'm not leaving you! Mara, please!"
Mara looked at her with pleading eyes. It was the look of a mother, a protector, a sister. She wasn't asking; she was begging.
"Go," Mara mouthed one last time.
Reluctantly, Kiara let go. Her heart felt like it stayed behind with Mara. The man was just inches away, his hand reaching out to grab Kiara's hair.
Kiara didn't think. She turned and ran straight for the edge. She didn't stop. She didn't look back. She jumped.
The wind rushed past her ears as she fell. For a second, she was flying. Then, the cold, dark water swallowed her whole.