Chapter 2

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As Mila slowly blinked awake, the cheerful melody of birdsong greeted her ears. It was a sound she hadn't experienced in nearly a decade, not since she was a child of eight. Back then, life had been different. The city had welcomed the guards, and with their arrival, the once-familiar sight of birds soaring through the sky had vanished, as if they had never graced the world with their presence.

Mila's eyes fluttered open, and she instinctively reached up to rub the sleep from her face. Propping herself up with her elbows, she glanced around, perplexed by her unfamiliar surroundings. Yesterday's events felt like a distant dream. Her bare feet brushed against the cool, dewy grass, sending tiny shivers up her legs. Biting her lip, she made her way to the tent's entrance, the unknown landscape outside beckoning her with a sense of curiosity and trepidation.

A young boy greeted Mila with a playful grin as he swept aside the tent's tarp, revealing the world outside. "Looks like Sleeping Beauty's finally up," he remarked, a hint of teasing in his voice. "You were out cold for quite a while."

Her brow furrowed as her gaze locked onto the strikingly handsome boy before her, his olive-toned skin, dark, tousled curls, and captivating green eyes. She had a nagging feeling of familiarity, a memory just beyond her reach. Before she could make the connection, the handsome boy wasted no time, gently but firmly guiding her back to the cot where she had awoken.

He tossed a warm sweater her way. "It's chilly out there. They're bringing in a doctor for check-ups."

Confusion etched Mila's face as she wrapped the sweater around herself. "Where am I?"

The boy's eyes held a mysterious glint as he replied, "You'll figure it all out soon."

Without giving Mila a chance to respond, the boy vanished from the tent, sealing it off from the outside world by fastening the tarp. Panic surged within her as she rushed to the only exit, tugging on the tarp desperately, but it was futile. There was no apparent mechanism to open it from the inside. Frustration welled up as she reluctantly donned the sweater, her mind racing to unearth the elusive connection with the boy and understand just where she had seen him before.

Mila's patience waned as she anxiously awaited the boy or anyone else to shed some light on her situation. Restlessness took hold as she paced the confines of the tent, her thoughts churning. After a while, no one was coming to provide answers. Anxious and desperate, she dashed to the tarp-covered entrance, her fists pounding on the fabric in a plea for attention.

"Let me out! Now!"

She spent what felt like an eternity repeating those words with increasing intensity. Her voice grew hoarse, and exhaustion set in. She sank to the ground, burying her face in her hands, her mind consumed by worries about the fate of her family.

Medicines.

Mila's jaw hung agape as the realization hit her. Just the day before, she had ventured out in search of medicine, finding herself taking what she needed, though it felt more like stealing. The sour contents of her stomach ejected onto the grass, casting a pungent odor over the tent. Suddenly, a young girl and a boy peeled back the tarp. The boy recoiled instantly, while the girl wrinkled her nose in repulsion. As they yanked the tarp aside once more, a brisk, chilling breeze swept through the tent.

"Why on earth did Stephen bring her into the fold?" She rolled her eyes. "She's barely arrived, and she's already causing a scene."

The boy offered a nonchalant shrug. "We were running low on supplies."

The girl shot a stern look at Mila. "Don't mention food around someone with a queasy stomach. Sit down. Right now."

The boy from earlier strolled into the tent, a friendly smile gracing his face. He gently rested a hand on the girl's shoulder. She lowered her head, allowing her long, golden hair to shield her pale complexion. After a gentle nudge from him, she nodded and departed, leaving Mila in the company of the two boys.

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