All rights reserved.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and events are either products of the author's imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to reality is purely coincidental.
© 2025 Vanessa Aleey
This book was translated from Spanish to English, as I am a Spanish-speaking writer. Throughout the book, I will be leaving clues, so stay alert.
SYNOPSIS
The bodies of two women who had disappeared approximately three months earlier were found in Mexico City. Upon finding the bodies, multiple signs of violence were found, and the police investigation continues to determine whether sexual assault occurred.
Authorities have found similarities in both cases, as family members and friends of the victims claim that a young man was harassing them. However, the identity of the perpetrator remains a mystery due to the lack of clues about his appearance. Police have reported that a sketch of the alleged attacker will be released soon.
"Put away your cell phones, young people. They're not allowed in my class ." My teacher's voice interrupted my thoughts. I quickly put my phone away and looked up to give her a smile, knowing that warning was meant for me.
"You need to stop watching the news," my best friend whispered. Her tone was almost a whisper, but I still heard it. I looked at her with a dull expression. "Everyone understands you're going through a difficult time."
Even my teacher, who is usually very strict, occasionally asks me how I'm feeling. Two days ago, my sister was found dead in a forest. According to the police, she had been buried, but due to the rain, her body was exposed.
I was in high school when I found out. The principal called me into his office to pick up the phone and talk to my parents.
The swelling around my eyes still hasn't gone away. I'm pale most of the day because I've refused to eat. My parents are worried about me, but sometimes it seems like they forget me, because they lost a daughter... but I lost my older sister. We're all grieving in our own ways, but I still can't find a reason for her death.
Because...?
She had a bright future. She dreamed of becoming an international model and was achieving her goal by participating in runways. She was only 18 years old.
I couldn't help her. I didn't do anything to find her.
But I'll make sure whoever's responsible rots in fucking hell for what they did to my sister.
—I'm going to the amusement park with my boyfriend.
"Cover me, sister, and I'll pay you tomorrow ," she told me that night she disappeared. " You know very well that if I tell him I'm dating him, they won't let me."
"There must be a reason," I replied, not convinced it was right for her to go off alone with that guy. She'd told me they'd been dating for two weeks. "I don't get a good feeling about it."
"You already sound like Mom," she laughed , dismissively. " I promise everything will be okay."
Nothing went right.
Hours passed, and she didn't appear anywhere. Our parents noticed her absence and started asking me about her. Although I promised not to rat her out, I ended up doing so out of concern, since she hadn't texted me in over two hours.
When we went to the police, they didn't take us seriously at first. Just as we were filing a report, I received a text from her saying she was fine, that she'd gotten distracted in the park and forgot to text us.
But those last messages didn't sound like her.
It was her way of speaking, yes, but deep down I felt she wasn't the one who had written them. I mentioned it to the police, but they insisted we wait a day. If I didn't come home, then they would accept the report and activate a nationwide Amber Alert.
For me, it was too late when they started looking for her.
I felt like something valuable had been taken away from me.
Her empty room. Her absent laughter. Her place at the table during meals. There was no longer anyone to fight with for the seat in the passenger seat next to Dad.
Everything disappeared the day she left.
But I saw his face.
I hid behind my bedroom window and watched him pick her up in his car. He didn't notice me.
I thought about telling the police, but all they did was offer their condolences.
My parents knew too, but they were convinced nothing would change. Even so, my father hired a private investigator, who would meet with me at home to discuss what he knew.
The teacher continued speaking, but stopped, confused.
"Miranda, are you okay? Do you need to step outside for a moment?" he asked, but I didn't know what to say. I was lost in my own thoughts . "If you want, you can go wipe your tears."
Tears?
I brought my hands to my cheeks and felt the moisture of the drops running down them. I quickly got up from my seat and left the classroom. My friend tried to follow me, but stopped holding on when she noticed I wanted to be alone.
I walked to the bathroom on the same floor. Luckily, no one was there. I walked to the sink, turned on the faucet, and began washing my face. When I looked up, I saw my reflection in the mirror, sighed, and grabbed some paper towel to dry myself.
I took out my cell phone and dialed my mother's number. The call went to voicemail, so I sighed and tried again.
"Well? What happened, daughter?" Her voice sounded amidst murmurs and background noise.
"Could you come get me?" I asked with a trembling voice.
"I'm at work, but I'll try to pick you up on my break," she replied sympathetically. She knew returning to school after all this was too difficult for me, even more so since my sister's death had become news across the state.
"Okay, I'll wait for you ." I hung up the call and put my cell phone in my vest pocket.
"So it'll take a while?" A male voice made me flinch. I immediately turned around and took a few steps back, frightened to recognize the fake smile on his face. It was the same smile that had dragged my sister to her death.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
Why are you here?
"Why did you kill my sister?" I asked angrily, clenching my fists. His response was a mocking laugh.
"I still remember his last words," he said, leaning against the wall, right next to the door. "I should have listened to my sister when she told me you were a bad person."
Sister...
—I have to admit it hurt that you never loved me, but I thought everything would be okay. Unfortunately, your sister ruined everything.
"How can you blame her?" I snapped at him furiously. My eyes kept searching for an opportunity to run for the door.
—I just wanted to help her. I did everything for her, even murdered... but it was never enough for her.
Did he kill more people?
—Help her? You killed her, you damn idiot! Is that helping her?
"I wasn't going to let her leave me, not after everything I'd done for her. " He took a step toward me.
Quickly, I took the pepper spray out of my pocket and sprayed it in his eyes.
He grunted in pain, and I ran for the door, but in a second he grabbed me from behind, covering my mouth with his hand.
I tried to get away, but he put his arm around my neck.
He had less and less strength.
I couldn't scream.
My eyes were slowly closing.
The last thing I saw was his silhouette standing in front of me, covering my eyes with his hand.
Help me.
I don't want to die.
Why did this happen to us, little sister?