The men in the strange uniforms stomped into the room, their heavy boots echoing against the floor. Bella clutched the edge of the bed, her eyes widening as she tried to make herself as small as possible. She could feel Nobel tense beside her, his fists clenched and his lips pressed into a tight line.
One of the men knelt down, his face hidden in shadow. His voice was deep and cold. "You two are going to follow rules now," he said slowly, as if he was speaking to much younger children. "Eat when we say, sleep when we say, and no questions. Understand?"
Bella nodded quickly, not really understanding but knowing she needed to agree. She saw Nobel glance up at the man with an expression she couldn't quite read. He looked angry, but he didn't say anything.
The other man pulled something from one of the bags and held it out to them—small, plain uniforms. They were scratchy and dark, almost like the ones the men wore, only tiny. The man handed one to Bella and the other to Nobel.
"Put these on. You're with us now," he said, his tone leaving no room for questions. Then, just as quickly as they'd entered, the men turned and left, the heavy door thudding shut behind them.
Bella looked down at the uniform in her hands, her fingers tracing the rough fabric. It felt strange, like it didn't belong to her. *You're with us now.* She didn't know what that meant, but it didn't feel right.
Beside her, Nobel broke the silence. "We have to get out of here," he whispered, his voice low. He looked at her, his eyes serious. "I don't know why they brought us here, but we can't trust them. Not ever."
Bella's heart pounded in her chest, but she nodded. She didn't know where they were or how they'd leave, but she knew one thing: Nobel was right. She wasn't alone, and together, they'd find a way out.
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YOU ARE READING
THE GIRL WHO WAS LOST
AventuraThis story is about a girl who was lost and taken away from her family. When she was five
