World is Broken

Chapter V

"We need to make a trip outside the village" Her father explained "Someone needs to sail those ships out of here and into the sea"

"Then take me!" Juana pleaded, her eyes shining with desesperation "Take me and Zara. We'll be kind, we won't bother, we-"

"It's dangerous" Her mother cut "The village is safe."

Lies, lies, lies, was all she could think of. She still had the syringe hidden in her bedroom. Lies, lies and more lies. Was she actually the only one who had realized something was off?

"And where will we stay?" She asked, sighing, because there was no way she would convince them now. And she didn't have the heart to tell them about the speaker, or anything that had happened yesterday.

"With your grandparents and your uncle" They told her.

She felt the urge to bump her face with something, anything at all, but she glupped and forced a smile on her face.

"When are you leaving?" She asked as a last resource, trying not to sound scared, or broken, or anything at all but monotone.

"Tonight"

***

Juana packed furiously, bitting her inner cheek hard so the pain was physical. Physical pain was more bearable.

"Juana, is it true?" Zara asked in a little voice, entering the room.

She softened at the sight of her little sister.

"Yes, we're staying at our grandparents', and with our uncle" She said, because there was no point in hidding the truth now "But I promise that no one, not a single sould will lay a hand in you. Have you packed your weapons?"

"Pocketknife?" She asked, showing the older girl a tiny knife with the blade still perfectly untouched. She was glad her sister didn't have to use it yet.

"Everything you've got. Also, pack a lot of clothes, winter ones, and your raincoat"

"Why?" The little girl asked, sitting in the bed and swinging her feet. Juana smiled at the fact she could barely stay put "We're just staying two weeks"

"Just in case" She lied. She hated lying, but it wasn't really a lie. Just an omission. She would tell her the truth when the time came.

When Zara leaved, she started packing for herself. She packed her bow and arrows, knives, and a pack of firecrakers, why not? Ashe also packed clothes, energy bars and all of her savings. She knew she would need them.

When she was done, she put on an overall with pink and yellow flowers with an orange t-shirt underneath, and then combed her hair into two buns, placing her messy golden waves into place with scrunchies. When she was done, she looked into the mirror and took a deep breath.

She looked normal, ordinary. That was great, after what had happened, she didn't want to be anything out of the ordinary.

She grabbed her bags, strapped a dagger to her leg and then got out of the house, breathing heavily. She somehow knew she wouldn't be returning in a long while.

She looked around, trying to recall every detail. Her bed, with star bedding and white pillows. Her wardrobe, which was full of pictures of every lovely thing she saw... It was covered.

She closed her eyes for a second and then got out of her room. Zara was already there.

"I'm done!" She gave her a smile, making her smile too.

"Then go say bye to Papá and Mamá, ok?" She told her, crouching to be at her height. "I'll wait for you outside then take you to our grandparents'"

"Sí!" The little girl affirmed, nodding, before running.

She slowed down as she got out, trying to grasp everything she knew to be real. Her house was real. Her parents were real. The wall she touched as she walked was real.

She dug the dagger in her finger and, when blood appeared, she sighed. That was real too. As was pain. That reassured her.

She found her parents downstairs, and waved.

"Well... I guess this is goodbye..." She said, looking into them.

"We love you, corazón" Her mother said, tucking a loose strand in her hair behind her ear "Remember that, ok?"

"Yeah!" Her father smiled, then patted her back and went to talk with her sister, leaving her alone with her mother.

"Mamá..." She started, uncertain "What if...? I mean... What if I found something that could change everything?"

The woman stared at her, kindess in her eyes, then smiled.

"Ay, mija, you've always been different, haven't you? Well, if you found something, make sure that the whole world hears it. Scream it at the top of your lungs."

She smiled, but then the grip her mother had on her shoulder turned tighter.

"They are watching your steps, Juana..." She whispered quickly "Leave while you still can"

"What?" She asked, confused.

"I'm so proud of you" Her mother continued "Be brave, ok?"

She was really confused, but something started burning in her chest.

"I will, mamá, I promise" She said solemnly, then hugged her.

Her parents leaved, and she took Zara by the hand as they walked through the streets. She noticed that the girl's tiny hand was trembling.

"Hey, listen" She whispered, looking into her black eyes "Don't worry, ok? We won't be there too long"

"Two weeks" Zara sighed "Two long weeks..."

"Hm..." She looked up as she kept walking "Can you keep a secret?"

Her sister's eyes lit up, and her mouth hung open.

"Yes!" She exclaimed "I mean, yes!" She corrected herself in a whisper

"Very well then" Juana said, smiling, as they reached their grandparents'. "What if I told you that we're going on an adventure?"

"An adventure?!" She had her eyes wide open, and could barely contain her excitement "When?"

"We're leaving tommorrow at nighttime, don't bother about unpacking" She winked.

Her sister smiled widely. "Ok!"

While they walked, she thought about her mother, about what she'd said. She had told her to watch her steps... Could she know? How...? And, when she told her to leave while she could...

Did her mother somehow know everything she'd been doing? And, even worse, if she knew, did it mean that someone else could know?

"They are watching your steps, Juana..."

"Leave while you still can"

"Go back... The village is safe... Go back..."

What was wrong with everything? With every passing minute, she was more sure that she had to leave, the sooner the better.

Suddenly, she heard leaved ruffling, and by reflex started running, dragging her sister along.

"What's wrong?" Zara asked, afraid.

"Shh" She shushed, and pushed her into her grandparents' house. She sighed in relief when they were inside, although she didn't know why she had reacted like that.

***

"Failed attempt"

"Why have you lost her? It's just a kid, for God's sake!"

"Well, if she's just a kid, how can she have discovered it?"

"Shut up and get ready. The Castillos are gone, it's time to act. Kill her before it's too late, before she tells someone"

"What if she isn't alone?"

"Kill them too. We can't afford this spreading. The village is safe"

"It is safe. I've got the guns, let's go"