Tessa's tears slipped down her cheeks as Alice wrapped her arms around her.
"Alice… I'm not pregnant, right? That's impossible." Her voice cracked with desperation.
Alice's expression wavered, uneasy. "Think about it. What happened before you left home yesterday?"
Tessa pulled back, trying to think. Then her eyes widened. "Wait… oh my God." She remembered the red marks across her body. "Those weren't mosquito bites. They were hickeys."
Her heartbeat quickened as the realization sank in. "So… I was raped?" Her throat tightened at the word. "But… how? I was in my room, my mom was home. How could that even happen?"
Alice sighed heavily, starting the car. "Then did anyone come into your house?"
"No. I was home all day. No one came in."
"Then maybe…" Alice shrugged, though her tone was sharp, "…it's a miracle."
Tessa stared at her, appalled. "Alice, be serious. How could this be a miracle? More likely I was drugged. I felt something wasn't right."
Alice only nodded, eyes fixed on the road.
"So… where do we go?" she asked quietly.
"I don't know. I can't think straight."
Alice tightened her grip on the wheel. "If the hospital isn't giving us answers, then maybe… the native Sharma will."
Tessa frowned. "Sharma? Those things are lies. Do you honestly believe that nonsense? Science explains everything now."
"At least we should try," Alice pressed.
Tessa scoffed, but the fatigue in her chest won over. "Fine. But don't expect me to take it seriously."
They pulled up to a small, worn-down house.
"How do you even know this place?" Tessa asked, suspicious.
Alice hesitated. "I… once helped him. That's all."
Before Tessa could question further, Alice knocked. The door opened to reveal a middle-aged man.
"Ah, you're here," he said, eyes settling on Alice. They entered, and he offered them seats and orange juice.
"So, why do I owe this visit?" he asked casually.
"My friend is… unwell. Please, check on her," Alice said with a pointed wink.
The man nodded slowly. "How old are you, miss?"
Tessa hesitated until Alice nudged her shoulder. "Twenty."
"Give me your hand."
Tessa glanced at Alice before obeying. He pressed two fingers to her wrist, reading her pulse, then studied her eyes. Suddenly, he gasped and recoiled as though burned.
Tessa frowned. "So dramatic," she muttered.
The man stood quickly. "You must leave. Now."
Alice leaned forward. "Sir, please. Tell us what you saw."
He shook his head, trembling. "Miss, I help when I can. But not this time. I value my life too much." He opened the door and gestured them out.
"Sir, this is important. Please," Alice pleaded.
But he only repeated, "Leave," refusing to look at Tessa.
Back in the car, Alice's face darkened.
"What's with the frown, pretty miss?" Tessa teased weakly.
Alice glared. "You still have the energy to joke? This is your life, Tessa! Don't you care?"
Tessa's smile faded. "I do. I just… don't know what else to do. If I don't laugh, I'll break."
The rest of the day blurred into a weary routine of visiting Sharmas—each one either turning them away in fear or spinning obvious lies. By sunset, both girls were drained.
"Enough," Tessa sighed. "Let's go home."
Alice nodded. "But don't you think it's strange? Every single one of them refusing us?"
Tessa stared out the window, silent, doubt gnawing at her.
Then—
A scream.
"Shit!" Tessa cursed as the car jolted to a stop. They had hit someone.
Both scrambled out and found an old man lying on the road, his stick rolling away. Blind.
"Sir, are you okay?" Tessa asked, helping him up.
"I'll walk," he muttered, gripping his stick tightly.
"No, please," Alice insisted. "Let us drive you."
The man shuddered. "You don't own yourself anymore. Your master is frightening. I must protect myself." His words sent a chill through them both.
Tessa's voice shook. "Sir… what do you mean?" she really is very confused right now
After more pleading, he finally allowed them to guide him into the car.
Silence thickened as they drove. Then his voice cut through, low and grave.
"Miss… you are pregnant."
Tessa's heart pounded. "Yes," she whispered.
"And no one is the father, is there?"
Her eyes widened. "You… you believe me?"
Happy that someone finally believe her except Alice. But she's still concerned as to why he knows that she's pregnant
The blind man turned his empty gaze toward her, and for an instant, it felt as if he truly saw her.
"Believe me, child," he rasped. "That life inside you… will be your end."