While sector 21 burned with gunfire and things that should not exist, sector 5 remained unaware. Another bus finally crossed the border, coming from sector 16 to sector 5.
Its tires rolled gently over familiar roads - the kind of sound meant to calm people down, saying, "Yeah, we are safe." This bus carried children returning from a picnic. Their laughter long spent, replaced by half-closed eyes. Heads leaned against windows, against backpacks, and some were against each other. Sleep came easily when the day had taken every bit of energy from you.
For a moment, the world felt normal.
Then, Sofia flinched.
Her eyelashes trembled violently before her eyes snapped open as if she had just woken up from a nightmare. Slowly, she lifted her head from Lys's lap.
Lys froze.
"Sofia..." His voice cracked the instant he uttered her name once, "Are you alright? How are you feeling now?"
His hands hovered inches away from her shoulders, unsure whether to touch her or pull back. His face twisted with guilt, "I'm so sorry. I never should've left you there. I should've checked. I'm so, so sorry."
The others on the bus watched them quietly. Lys usually stayed reserved and stoic. Even if he was playful, it felt controlled or maybe fake. But now the concern he radiated - it looked raw. Really a beautiful sight.
Lys asked again, this time with more urgency. "Do you need water? Anything?"
Sofia opened her mouth to answer.
Instead -
bleughhshhh jleehhh
She vomited.
All over Lys.
For a second, time stalled.
No one spoke. No one moved. The sound of the bus seemed suddenly too loud. The smell hit before the shock wore off, and still no one reacted.
Sofia wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, "Yeah, I'm okay."
Lys stared at her, soaked. For a heartbeat, no one knew how he'd react. But then, he smiled, not an inch of disgust in those eyes. He just said, "That's great."
From the back seat, Jenna let out a long groan. "Lys, think about yourself for once, you idiot. Your shirt's a disaster, dude."
A few kids snorted under their breath.
The supervisor sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Simon, pull over at the next convenience store, will you?"
Simon checked the rearview mirror.
Sofia was fumbling with tissues, trying to wipe Lys down, apologizing. Lys just sat there, letting her, smiling like a fool.
"Sure, boss," Simon muttered, easing his foot off the accelerator.
The bus slowed and rolled to a stop beside a small convenience store. Its fluorescent sign buzzed and flickered, struggling to stay bright. Outside, the night air felt cool and sharp. And, moths circled a streetlamp.
The engine idled.
Inside, the supervisor rose from his seat and cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention.
"Alright, boys and girls," he announced, "We've finally reached Sector 5."
A few heads lifted and yawned.
"We're taking a short break. Grab whatever you need from the store - wash up, snacks, water." He paused and looked at Lys, "But be careful. Don't do anything stupid and don't let anyone do anything stupid." A pause, "Please and I want everyone back here within twenty minutes."
The bus doors hissed open. Students filed out one by one. Lys guided Sofia gently, helping her down to a wooden bench beneath the glow of the streetlamp.
"I'll get you something," he said softly. "Water, maybe something sweet. Just sit, okay?"
Sofia wrinkled her nose, glancing pointedly at his shirt. "Babes, please change first," A crooked smile tugged at her lips, "The smell is doing things to my head."
He laughed under his breath. "Fair." He leaned in and pressed a quick kiss to her lips, then straightened and looked at her friends. "Watch her. If she needs anything, make it happen. Understood?"
Her friends all nodded in unison as Lys jogged off toward the washroom. For a moment, the bench sat in uneasy quiet.
Just then, Kalli approached with a water bottle in her hand. She offered Sofia's friends a tight, controlled smile. "Can I have a moment with Sofia, please?"
No one answered right away. They exchanged glances - concerned for Sofia, but clearly wary of Kalli. The fear overpowered the concern. So after a beat, they nodded in affirmation and stepped away, giving them space.
Kalli sat beside Sofia, "I'm sorry," she said. "For everything."
Sofia blinked slowly. Her stomach still felt wrong. "Was it really you?" she asked. "You locked me in there? I didn't hear anyone, you know. No voice. Nothing."
Kalli opened her mouth -
"It wasn't her."
The voice came from behind them.
Sia stood a few steps away, hands clenched at her sides, eyes glossy with guilt.
"It was me," she said, forcing the words out. "I locked you in. Kalli just… took the blame." Her voice cracked. "I'm sorry, Sofia. Please. I really am. Forgive me."
Kalli whipped around. "Sia, don't-"
Sia lifted a hand. "No. I need to say this." She stepped closer, facing Sofia directly. "I don't know what I was thinking. I was angry and frustrated. About the picnic. About what happened there."
Sofia's gaze sharpened-not angry, not loud. Precise.
"I didn't do anything at the picnic," she said calmly. "I asked you to grab me something. How was I supposed to know four or five drunk idiots were sitting there?" She tilted her head. "That wasn't intended. That was just misfortune. Wasn't it?"
Sia gulped.
"But what you did," Sofia continued with her voice still even, "you did knowing you were right. You locked me in there because you believed I deserved it. Didn't you?"
Sia's shoulders sagged. "I-I didn't know about your condition. It was supposed to be a prank. I didn't think it through." Her words rushed out. "Kalli and Jenna don't like you, and I got carried away trying to teach you a lesson. I really didn't understand how bad it could get. I'm so, so sorry. Honestly, my two brain cells couldn't figure out how badly I'd mess up."
Sofia studied her in silence. Then she stood.
She walked past right towards Sia, slowly, and stopped. Gently, she placed a hand on her shoulder.
"It's okay," Sofia said. "I'm fine now."
Sia looked up at her, stunned. "You're… you're not mad? After all that?"
Sofia smiled. Warm. Reassuring. Almost tender.
"No," she said. "You're not a bad person. You were just… confused. You liked me a lot before that incident at the picnic, right? Let's forget it all, and start with something fresh, ok?" Her thumb pressed lightly into Sia's shoulder. "Everyone needs guidance sometimes. I can help you find the right path."
Sia's breath hitched.
The guilt, the fear - it all collapsed into something else. Something heavy and reverent. For someone who felt deeply sinful, those words of Sofia's came to her like some divine revelation. She didn't just see a girl.... she saw a goddess with wings popping out of her butt.
Sia dropped to her knees without thinking. "Yes," she whispered. "Yes, Master."
Kalli gawked, "Master?"
Sofia didn't look at her.
She just smiled.
"Good girl. Now go fetch juice for your master."
Sia moved instantly, almost tripping over herself as she rushed toward the convenience store.
Kalli stared after her, then back at Sofia, disbelief tightening her face. "Did you just gaslight my friend into worshiping you?"
Sofia leaned back against the bench, folding her arms, "She had been calling me master for weeks now. That "brining juice" was her actual punishment. She made my Lys worry. I can't let that go uncorrected. Sorry for doing that to your friend, though. But she had it coming."
Kalli scoffed. "Evil woman."
"Not evil," Sofia replied, still smiling. "I accepted her flaws with a smile. That's mercy, if anything."
Then her tone darkened as she added, "Kalli… I don't care what you do to me. Insults, pranks, hatred- I learnt to live with that." Her eyes finally met Kalli's. "But never touch my Lys. Never drag him into your mess."
A soft breeze flew past them.
Sofia finished her sentence, "I won't spare that."
Kalli looked down at the pavement. "I could never do anything bad to him. And again, I was the one who fueled Sia's hatred," she admitted quietly. "That part's on me." A breath. "I'm sorry. For all of it."
Sofia studied her for a moment. Then the warmth returned, still measured, deliberate.
"It's fine. You didn't act; Sia did. You hated me, sure, but that's something time can change. I can only give you nothing except a chance to redeem yourself. Lys told me that once, haha."
The words should've felt comforting. They didn't. And such a timing, right at that moment, from the store entrance, Sia reappeared- juice in her hands, and eyes fixed only on Sofia.
Kalli watched the way Sia stood. The way she leaned in. The way she waited. A chill crept up her spine. And for the first time, she understood something clearly:
Sofia didn't demand control. She made people give it to her.
After Sia hurried off again, Kalli let out a quiet huff. "You and Lys," she muttered. "I'll never understand what goes on inside your heads."
Sofia laughed. "We just see the world differently. And I'm sorry for Lys. I know he probably went overboard."
Kalli recalled that slap that Lys gifted, and the sting came back, "Yeah. He definitely did."
Sofia tilted her head back, eyes drifting toward the stars. "He just loves me a lot," she said. "And when he thinks I'm in danger, he stops seeing anything else. After his mom died, that part of him just… spiraled. Overprotective doesn't even begin to cover it. Tell me, who gets that aggressive in a relationship?"
Kalli smirked. "You're really asking me that? You're just as intense."
Sofia shrugged, "Maybe. I love him too, you know."
Then, quieter- more sincere- "But still. He shouldn't have treated you like that. Sorry on behalf of him."
For reasons Kalli couldn't explain, that apology unsettled her more than the threats ever could.
She exhaled slowly. "It's fine. He hates me anyway. Mom, too. All of them do." Her voice dipped. "I can be a burden sometimes."
"No, he doesn't," Sofia said gently. "Remember ten days ago? When you wanted to join the army, and Alena said no?"
Kalli nodded.
"Lys tried convincing her to let you," Sofia continued. "He failed, sure, but he tried. That's his way. He cares, Kalli. Just… not in the visible way you expect."
Again, back at Alena's house...
Kostas continued his search from room to room with restless steps, calling Kate's name until the walls stopped answering him back. Every door he opened revealed nothing. Every corner came up empty.
And finally, His hunt led him to the basement door.
It was locked. Secured not only with a heavy padlock but also reinforced with two nailed planks, as if someone had wanted to make sure whatever lay beyond would never be opened again.
"Alena!" he shouted. "Bring the basement key. And a hammer."
Footsteps hurried down the hallway.
Moments later, Alena appeared with a hammer clutched in one hand and a bundle of keys rattling in the other.
Kostas's gaze locked onto the hammer.
"Is that… blood?" he asked slowly. "Alena- this is your hammer, isn't it?"
Her grip tightened.
"I-I don't know how it got there," she stammered. "I found it in Kate's room just now."
For a moment, he just looked at her. He asked again, "Did you put these planks here on the door by the way? The work seemed recent."
Alena said, "Yeah, just before I fell asleep. I tried to lock whatever's down there." Her voice cracked. "Kostas, I swear, I don't understand any of this. Help me. What's happening?"
Kostas sighed and reached out, taking the hammer and keys from her hands. "Yeah," he muttered. "I'll figure it out. For now, stay here."
He used the hammer's claw to pry the nails loose. The planks fell to the floor. Then, he selected a key from the bundle, sliding it into the lock. The mechanism was so ancient that it resisted at first, but with a firm twist, it finally gave way.
The door creaked open; the sound was so deep. Like something just woke up.
"Okay, here I go," Kostas murmured, more to himself than anyone else, pulling the flashlight from his belt. Its beam flickered to life before stabilizing, cutting a narrow path into the darkness below.
Alena hovered at the doorway, fingers digging into the doorframe, "Be careful, Kostas."
"Yeah," he said quietly. "I'll try."
Saying so, Kostas descended slowly, the wooden steps groaning beneath his weight. The faint glow from the open doorway above grew smaller with each step, as though the shadows were swallowing him whole.
As if it had been waiting.