In the background, the footfalls of the playing children resounded between the suppressed cry of a girl devoid of hope. Her sobs, though quiet, dominated all sounds.
"I'm scared," Rose uttered.
"A boy my age back in the slums... he said he loved me. He brought me the cursed food after fighting for it."
"He was killed by one of the abominations."
"Now, these masked people showed up and started threatening me. They're forcing me to betray you and I can't refuse, I don't want to... I told the soldiers that I didn't eat the cursed food but I did."
She pathetically groaned in frustration, covering her mouth as tears streamed on her face.
"I ate many of them. And I lied because I didn't want to die!!!"
Zarria couldn't say a word. She just looked at the girl while concealing her own inner turmoil.
"I watched my grandpa turn into a monster..."
"He suffered so much, I've never heard him scream with such fear."
She looked at Zarria with widened, desperate eyes.
