“You’re Rei,” she whispers. “It’s our secret. I’ll live as you and you’ll live as me.” Her bottom lip trembles. “Take care of Daddy. Tell him you love him every day on my behalf.” I open my mouth to say something, but she pushes me. “Now, run. Don’t look back. Never look back.”
Footsteps approach as I hold on to her hand.
“Run!” she hisses.
My feet kick into gear as I stumble in the opposite direction.
“I’m here!” Reina’s voice echoes behind me, but I follow her instructions and don’t look back.
Never look back.
“Boss! The girl is here!” yells a thickly accented voice.
I round the corner and run until my legs nearly give out, until my breathing stutters. Snot and tears cover my face, but I don’t stop running. I run and run until I think I’ll collapse and they’ll catch me.
Don’t look back.
Never look back.
I don’t know how long I run. I don’t know how far my legs carry me. Then, I stumble and fall.
Someone in a uniform approaches me. I shrink into the pole, breathing harshly and hugging my knees to my chest.
The tears won’t stop. Mom and Reina’s voices won’t leave my head.
They just won’t.
Murmurs. Screams. Hisses.
They’re all there, in my head.
“Are you okay, kid?” The uniformed man crouches in front of me. He has a red beard and tattoos down his arms.
He looks like the pigs who’ve chased Mom and me all our lives.
I shrink further into the pole, clutching my bracelet tight.
“Kid? Have you lost your way home?”
He doesn’t have an accent like those guys, but he could be one of them.
Don’t trust anyone. The world is out to get you, Rai, Mom used to tell me.
“Wait.” He reaches into his pocket and retrieves a picture then studies it and me intently. “You’re that mogul’s missing daughter.” He retrieves a device from his pocket and says a number then something about finding the missing child. “What’s your name?” he asks me. “Do you remember your name and where you came from?”
Rai Sokolov. Daughter of Mia Sokolov. I’ve been on the run since the day I was born, homeschooled my entire life, and had no friends until Mom brought my long-lost twin sister to meet me a month ago.
Then, they were both taken away.
My mom and my sister.
The only one I have left is my dad. If I want to be with him, I have to forget my life and embrace another one.
A tear falls down my cheek as I whisper, “Reina. My name is Reina Ellis.”
Reina has returned to the forest.
What the fuck is she doing here?