𝐒𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐁𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐨𝐝𝐨𝐫𝐞

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏

              ✪Elijah Sanchez✪

As the crowded hallway buzzed with the energy of students rushing to their classes, 𝗂 found 𝗆𝗒𝗌𝖾𝗅𝖿 unintentionally separated from 𝗆𝗒 elder brother Alex. Panic bubbled up inside 𝗆𝗒 𝖼𝗁𝖾𝗌𝗍 as 𝗂 scanned the sea of faces, desperately trying to catch a glimpse of his familiar figure. The noise and commotion seemed to swallow 𝗆𝖾 whole, making 𝗆𝖾 feel small and lost in the chaos. 𝖬𝗒 heart raced 𝗆𝗒 𝖻𝗋𝖾𝖺𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗉𝗂𝖼𝗄𝖾𝖽 𝗎𝗉 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗂 𝗌𝗊𝗎𝖾𝖾𝗓𝖾𝖽 𝗆𝗒  𝖾𝗒𝖾𝗌 𝗌𝗁𝗎𝗍，𝖿𝖾𝖾𝗅𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗍𝗈 𝗆𝖺𝗇𝗒 𝗉𝖾𝗈𝗉𝗅𝖾 𝗍𝗈𝗎𝖼𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗆𝖾 𝖺𝗍 𝗈𝗇𝖼𝖾，𝗌𝖾𝗇𝖽𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗆𝖾 𝗂𝗇𝗍𝗈 𝖺 𝗉𝖺𝗇𝗂𝖼𝗄𝖾𝖽 𝗌𝗍𝖺𝗍𝖾．𝖨 𝗁𝖺𝗍𝖾 𝖻𝖾𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖺𝗍 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝗇𝖾𝗐 𝗌𝖼𝗁𝗈𝗈𝗅 𝖺𝗅𝗋𝖾𝖺𝖽𝗒 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗂'𝗏𝖾 𝖻𝖺𝗋𝖾𝗅𝗒 𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗇 𝗐𝖺𝗅𝗄𝖾𝖽 𝗂𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖽𝗈𝗈𝗋．

𝖨 𝗍𝗋𝗒 𝗍𝗈 𝗍𝖺𝗄𝖾 𝖺 𝖽𝖾𝖾𝗉 𝖻𝗋𝖾𝖺𝗍𝗁 𝖻𝗎𝗍 𝖾𝗇𝖽 𝗎𝗉 𝖿𝖺𝗂𝗅𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗐𝗁𝖾𝗇 𝗉𝖾𝗈𝗉𝗅𝖾 𝖼𝗈𝗇𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗎𝖾 𝗍𝗈 𝖻𝗋𝗎𝗌𝗁 𝖺𝗀𝖺𝗂𝗇𝗌𝗍 𝗆𝖾 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗉𝗎𝗌𝗁 𝗆𝖾 𝗂𝗇𝗍𝗈 𝗈𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋 𝗉𝖾𝗈𝗉𝗅𝖾，𝗇𝗈𝗇𝖾 𝗈𝖿 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗆 𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗇 𝗇𝗈𝗍𝗂𝖼𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗂𝗆 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋𝖾．

𝖨 𝗍𝗋𝗒 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗀𝖾𝗍 𝗈𝗎𝗍 𝗈𝖿 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖼𝗋𝗈𝗐𝖽 𝖻𝗎𝗍 𝖿𝗂𝗇𝖽 𝗆𝗒𝗌𝖾𝗅𝖿 𝗈𝗇𝗅𝗒 𝗀𝖾𝗍𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖽𝗋𝖺𝗀𝗀𝖾𝖽 𝖿𝗎𝗋𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋 𝗂𝗇𝗍𝗈 𝗂𝗍．𝖨 𝖿𝖾𝖾𝗅 𝗍𝖾𝖺𝗋𝗌 𝗉𝗋𝗂𝖼𝗄 𝗆𝗒 𝖾𝗒𝖾𝗌，𝗍𝖾𝖺𝗋𝗌 𝗈𝖿 𝗉𝗎𝗋𝖾 𝗉𝖺𝗇𝗂𝖼 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖺𝗇𝗑𝗂𝖾𝗍𝗒．𝖨 𝖼𝖺𝗇 𝖿𝖾𝖾𝗅 𝗆𝗒 𝗁𝖺𝗇𝖽𝗌 𝖻𝖾𝗀𝗂𝗇 𝗍𝗈 𝗌𝗁𝖺𝗄𝖾 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗆𝗒 𝗅𝖾𝗀𝗌 𝖻𝖾𝖼𝗈𝗆𝖾 𝗐𝗈𝖻𝖻𝗅𝗒 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗎𝗇𝗌𝗍𝖺𝖻𝗅𝖾，𝗂 𝖿𝖾𝖾𝗅 𝖺𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝗈𝗎𝗀𝗁 𝗂𝗆 𝗀𝗈𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗍𝗈 𝖼𝗈𝗅𝗅𝖺𝗉𝗌𝖾．

𝖩𝗎𝗌𝗍 𝖺𝗌 𝗂 𝗇𝖾𝖺𝗋𝗅𝗒 𝗅𝗈𝗌𝖾 𝗆𝗒 𝖻𝖺𝗅𝖺𝗇𝖼𝖾，𝖺 𝗌𝗍𝗋𝗈𝗇𝗀 𝖿𝗂𝗋𝗆 𝗁𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗀𝗋𝗂𝗉𝗌 𝗆𝗒 𝗐𝗋𝗂𝗌𝗍，𝗍𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗍𝗅𝗒 𝗒𝖾𝗍 𝗌𝗈𝖿𝗍𝗅𝗒，𝗆𝗒 𝖾𝗒𝖾𝗌 𝖺𝗋𝖾 𝗌𝗁𝗎𝗍 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗂𝗆 𝗍𝗈 𝖿𝖺𝗋 𝗂𝗇 𝗆𝗒 𝗉𝖺𝗇𝗂𝖼 𝗍𝗈 𝗉𝖺𝗒 𝖺𝗍𝗍𝖾𝗇𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇 𝗍𝗈 𝗐𝗁𝗈𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗋 𝗂𝗌 𝗉𝗎𝗅𝗅𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗆𝖾 𝖺𝗐𝖺𝗒 𝖿𝗋𝗈𝗆 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗌𝖾𝖺 𝗈𝖿 𝗉𝖾𝗈𝗉𝗅𝖾．𝖨 𝖼𝖺𝗇 𝗁𝖾𝖺𝗋 𝗌𝗈𝗆𝖾𝗈𝗇𝖾 𝗍𝖺𝗅𝗄𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗌𝗈𝖿𝗍𝗅𝗒 𝗂𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖽𝗂𝗌𝗍𝖺𝗇𝖼𝖾，𝗂 𝖿𝖾𝖾𝗅 myself 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝗌𝗍𝗋𝖺𝗇𝗀𝖾𝗋 𝖼𝗈𝗆𝖾 𝗍𝗈 𝖺 𝗌𝗍𝗈𝗉 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗂 𝗌𝗂𝗇𝗄 𝖽𝗈𝗐𝗇 𝗈𝗇𝗍𝗈 𝗆𝗒 𝗄𝗇𝖾𝖾𝗌．

"𝖧𝖾𝗒,𝗒𝗈𝗎'𝗋𝖾 𝗈𝗄𝖺𝗒.𝖢𝖺𝗇 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝗍𝖾𝗅𝗅 𝗆𝖾 𝗒𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝗇𝖺𝗆𝖾 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝗆𝖾 𝗌𝗐𝖾𝖾𝗍𝗁𝖾𝖺𝗋𝗍?"𝖨 𝗁𝖾𝖺𝗋 𝖺 𝖽𝖾𝖾𝗉 𝗒𝖾𝗍 𝗌𝗈𝖿𝗍 𝗏𝗈𝗂𝖼𝖾 𝗌𝗉𝖾𝖺𝗄 𝗂𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖽𝗂𝗌𝗍𝖺𝗇𝖼𝖾.𝖨 𝗉𝗋𝖾𝗌𝗎𝗆𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗒'𝗋𝖾 𝗍𝖺𝗅𝗄𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗍𝗈 𝗆𝖾,𝗌𝗈 𝗂 𝖿𝗈𝗋𝖼𝖾 𝗆𝗒𝗌𝖾𝗅𝖿 𝗍𝗈 𝗈𝗉𝖾𝗇 𝗆𝗒 𝖾𝗒𝖾𝗌.𝖶𝗁𝖾𝗇 𝗆𝗒 𝖾𝗒𝖾𝗌 𝖺𝗋𝖾 𝗈𝗉𝖾𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋𝖾𝗌 𝖺 𝖻𝗅𝗎𝗋𝗋𝖾𝖽 𝖿𝗂𝗀𝗎𝗋𝖾 𝗂𝗇 𝗆𝗒 𝗅𝗂𝗇𝖾 𝗈𝖿 𝗌𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗍.𝖨 𝖻𝗅𝗂𝗇𝗄 𝗌𝗅𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗍𝗅𝗒 𝗍𝗈 𝖼𝗅𝖾𝖺𝗋 𝗆𝗒 𝗏𝗂𝗌𝗂𝗈𝗇,𝗀𝖾𝗍𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗋𝗂𝖽 𝗈𝖿 𝖺𝗇𝗒 𝗈𝖿 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗉𝖺𝗇𝗂𝖼𝗄𝖾𝖽 𝗍𝖾𝖺𝗋𝗌.

"𝖶𝗁𝖺𝗍𝗌 𝗒𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝗇𝖺𝗆𝖾,𝗌𝗐𝖾𝖾𝗍𝗁𝖾𝖺𝗋𝗍?" 𝗁𝖾 𝖺𝗌𝗄𝗌 𝗌𝗈𝖿𝗍𝗅𝗒.𝖨 𝖻𝗅𝗂𝗇𝗄 𝗎𝗉 𝖺𝗍 𝗁𝗂𝗆 𝖼𝗈𝗇𝖿𝗎𝗌𝖾𝖽𝗅𝗒 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝖺 𝗌𝖾𝖼𝗈𝗇𝖽 𝖻𝖾𝖿𝗈𝗋𝖾 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝗅𝗂𝗌𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗁𝖾 𝖽𝗈𝖾𝗌'𝗇𝗍 𝗄𝗇𝗈𝗐 𝗆𝖾 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗂 𝖽𝗈𝗇𝗍 𝗄𝗇𝗈𝗐 𝗁𝗂𝗆.𝖨 𝗌𝗐𝖺𝗅𝗅𝗈𝗐 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝖼𝗄𝗅𝗒 𝖻𝖾𝖿𝗈𝗋𝖾 𝗅𝖾𝗍𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗈𝗎𝗍 𝖺 𝗊𝗎𝗂𝖾𝗍 𝖺𝗇𝗌𝗐𝖾𝗋 𝗍𝗈 𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝗊𝗎𝖾𝗌𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇."𝖤𝗅𝗂𝗃𝖺𝗁" 𝖨 𝗐𝗁𝗂𝗌𝗉𝖾𝗋 𝗈𝗎𝗍.𝖧𝖾 𝗌𝗆𝗂𝗅𝖾𝗌 𝖺𝗍 𝗆𝖾,𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝗌𝗆𝗂𝗅𝖾 𝗌𝗈𝖿𝗍 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖻𝗅𝗂𝗍𝗁𝖾．

"𝖤𝗅𝗂𝗃𝖺𝗁 𝗂𝗌 𝖺 𝗅𝗈𝗏𝖾𝗅𝗒 𝗇𝖺𝗆𝖾,sweetheart." 𝖧𝖾 𝗆𝗎𝗋𝗆𝗎𝗋𝖾𝖽 𝗍𝗈 𝗆𝖾 𝗌𝖾𝗋𝖾𝗇𝖾𝗅𝗒. "𝖳𝗁𝖺𝗇𝗄 𝗒𝗈𝗎.𝖶𝗁𝖺𝗍𝗌 𝗒𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝗇𝖺𝗆𝖾?" 𝖨 𝗆𝗎𝗆𝖻𝗅𝖾,𝗆𝗒 𝗍𝗈𝗇𝖾 𝗊𝗎𝗂𝗓𝗓𝗂𝖼𝖺𝗅.𝖳𝗁𝖾 𝖾𝗅𝖽𝖾𝗋 𝖻𝗈𝗒 𝗌𝗆𝗂𝗅𝖾𝗌 𝗌𝗅𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗍𝗅𝗒 𝖻𝖾𝖿𝗈𝗋𝖾 𝖺𝗇𝗌𝗐𝖾𝗋𝗂𝗇𝗀，"𝖬𝗒 𝗇𝖺𝗆𝖾𝗌 𝖳𝗁𝖾𝗈𝖽𝗈𝗋𝖾,𝖻𝗎𝗍 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝗌𝗐𝖾𝖾𝗍𝗁𝖾𝖺𝗋𝗍,𝖼𝖺𝗇 𝖼𝖺𝗅𝗅 𝗆𝖾 𝖳𝗁𝖾𝗈." 𝖨 𝗍𝗂𝗅𝗍 𝗆𝗒 𝗁𝖾𝖺𝖽 𝗍𝗈 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗌𝗂𝖽𝖾 𝗌𝗅𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗍𝗅𝗒,𝖼𝗈𝗇𝖿𝗎𝗌𝖾𝖽 𝖺𝗌 𝗍𝗈 𝗐𝗁𝗒 𝗁𝖾'𝗌 𝗀𝗂𝗏𝖾𝗇 𝗆𝖾 𝖺 𝗉𝖾𝗍𝗇𝖺𝗆𝖾 𝖻𝗎𝗍 𝗂 𝗌𝗁𝗋𝗎𝗀 𝗂𝗍 𝗈𝖿𝖿 𝖺𝗌 𝗆𝖺𝗒𝖻𝖾 𝗂𝗍𝗌 𝗃𝗎𝗌𝗍 𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗀.

𝖨𝗍 𝗍𝖺𝗄𝖾𝗌 𝗆𝖾 𝖺 𝗌𝖾𝖼𝗈𝗇𝖽 𝗍𝗈 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝗅𝗂𝗌𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝖼𝗈𝗆𝗉𝗅𝖾𝗍𝖾 𝗌𝗍𝗋𝖺𝗇𝗀𝖾𝗋,𝗐𝗁𝗈 𝗂 𝗇𝗈𝗐 𝗄𝗇𝗈𝗐 𝗂𝗌 𝗇𝖺𝗆𝖾𝖽 𝖳𝗁𝖾𝗈𝖽𝗈𝗋𝖾 𝗈𝗋 𝖳𝗁𝖾𝗈,𝗃𝗎𝗌𝗍 𝖽𝗂𝗌𝗍𝗋𝖺𝖼𝗍𝖾𝖽 𝗆𝖾 𝖾𝗇𝗈𝗎𝗀𝗁 𝗍𝗈 𝗌𝗍𝗈𝗉 𝖺 𝗉𝖺𝗇𝗂𝖼 𝖺𝗍𝗍𝖺𝖼𝗄.𝖨 𝖿𝗈𝗋𝖼𝖾 𝗆𝗒 𝖿𝖺𝖼𝖾 𝗍𝗈 𝗋𝖾𝗆𝖺𝗂𝗇 𝗂𝗆𝗉𝖺𝗌𝗌𝗂𝗏𝖾 𝖻𝗎𝗍 𝗈𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗂𝗇𝗌𝗂𝖽𝖾 𝗂𝗆 𝗌𝗁𝗈𝖼𝗄𝖾𝖽.𝖬𝗒 𝖾𝗅𝖽𝖾𝗋 𝖻𝗋𝗈𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖽𝖺𝖽 𝖼𝖺𝗇𝗍 𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗇 𝖽𝗈 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍,𝗌𝗈 𝗁𝗈𝗐 𝖼𝖺𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝗌𝗍𝗋𝖺𝗇𝗀𝖾𝗋?𝖳𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝗋𝖺𝗇𝖽𝗈𝗆 𝖻𝗈𝗒,𝗐𝗁𝗈 𝗌𝖾𝖾𝗆𝗌 𝗌𝗅𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗍𝗅𝗒 𝗈𝗅𝖽𝖾𝗋 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗇 𝗆𝖾,𝗁𝗈𝗐 𝗁𝖺𝗌 𝗁𝖾 𝗆𝖺𝗇𝖺𝗀𝖾𝖽 𝗍𝗈 𝖼𝖺𝗅𝗆 𝗆𝖾 𝖽𝗈𝗐𝗇 𝗌𝗈 𝗊𝗎𝗂𝖼𝗄𝗅𝗒?𝖠𝗇𝖽 𝗐𝗁𝗒 𝗂𝗌 𝗁𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖿𝗂𝗋𝗌𝗍 𝗉𝖾𝗋𝗌𝗈𝗇 𝗍𝗈 𝗁𝖺𝗏𝖾 𝗀𝗂𝗏𝖾𝗇 𝗆𝖾 𝖺 𝗇𝗂𝖼𝗄𝗇𝖺𝗆𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍𝗌 𝗇𝗈𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗍𝗈 𝖽𝗈 𝗐𝗂𝗍𝗁 𝗆𝗒 𝗇𝖺𝗆𝖾？

𝖨 𝗅𝖾𝗍 𝗈𝗎𝗍 𝖺 𝗍𝗂𝗋𝖾𝖽 𝗌𝗂𝗀𝗁,𝗂 𝗅𝖾𝗍 𝗆𝗒 𝖾𝗒𝖾𝗌 𝖿𝗅𝗎𝗍𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝗌𝗁𝗎𝗍 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝖺 𝗆𝗈𝗆𝖾𝗇𝗍,𝗋𝖾𝗌𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗆𝗒 𝗁𝖾𝖺𝖽 𝖺𝗀𝖺𝗂𝗇𝗌𝗍 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝖳𝗁𝖾𝗈𝖽𝗈𝗋𝖾 𝖻𝗈𝗒'𝗌 𝗌𝗁𝗈𝗎𝗅𝖽𝖾𝗋．𝖥𝗈𝗋 𝗌𝗈𝗆𝖾 𝗎𝗇𝗄𝗇𝗈𝗐𝗇 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝗌𝗈𝗇,𝗂𝗆 𝗇𝗈𝗍 𝖻𝗋𝗈𝗈𝖽𝗂𝗇𝗀,𝗅𝗂𝗄𝖾 𝗂 𝗎𝗌𝗎𝖺𝗅𝗅𝗒 𝖽𝗈 𝖺𝖿𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝖺 𝗉𝖺𝗇𝗂𝖼 𝖺𝗍𝗍𝖺𝖼𝗄.𝖭𝗈,𝗂𝗇𝗌𝗍𝖾𝖺𝖽 𝗂 𝖿𝖾𝖾𝗅 𝗍𝗂𝗋𝖾𝖽,𝗒𝖾𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍𝗌 𝗇𝗈𝗋𝗆𝖺𝗅 𝖻𝗎𝗍 𝗂 𝖺𝗅𝗌𝗈 𝖿𝖾𝖾𝗅,safe almost? 𝖳𝗁𝖾𝗋𝖾𝗌 𝗃𝗎𝗌𝗍 𝗌𝗈𝗆𝖾𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖺𝖻𝗈𝗎𝗍 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝖳𝗁𝖾𝗈𝖽𝗈𝗋𝖾 𝗀𝗎𝗒 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗃𝗎𝗌𝗍 𝗆𝖺𝗄𝖾𝗌 𝗆𝖾 𝖿𝖾𝖾𝗅 𝗌𝗈,𝗉𝗋𝗈𝗍𝖾𝖼𝗍𝖾𝖽？𝖬𝖺𝗒𝖻𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗐𝗈𝗋𝖽 𝖻𝗎𝗍 𝗂𝗆 𝗇𝗈𝗍 𝗌𝗎𝗋𝖾.𝖳𝗁𝖾𝗋𝖾𝗌 𝗃𝗎𝗌𝗍 𝗌𝗈𝗆𝖾𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖺𝖻𝗈𝗎𝗍 𝗁𝗂𝗆 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍𝗌 𝗆𝖺𝗄𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗆𝗒 𝗁𝖾𝖺𝖽 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗁𝖾𝖺𝗋𝗍 𝗐𝖺𝗇𝗍 𝗍𝗈 𝗍𝗋𝗎𝗌𝗍 𝗁𝗂𝗆．