A Short BINI OT8 AU wherein eight girls attend a leadership camp in a remote mountainous area, cut off from the outside world with no signal or internet. What starts as a typical summer retreat quickly turns unsettling as supplies stop arriving and...
Marianne had always believed she was born to be a leader. Headstrong and sharp, she had a natural instinct for taking charge and steering others. Maybe it started the day her baby sister, Jasmine, was born. From the moment Jas entered her life, something clicked in Marianne. Taking care of Jasmine became second nature, as if it was what she was meant to do.
Over time, that instinct to look after Jas grew to include others too.
She adored her little sister—idolized her even, kahit three years lang naman ang tanda niya. Marianne took pride in teaching Jasmine new things, from tying her shoes to reading simple sentences. It gave her joy to be needed, to be looked up to. But her protective streak was more than just sibling affection—it was a promise. One she took seriously.
When Marianne was seven and Jasmine was four, their parents brought them to a beach resort for the summer. The sun was shining, the water glimmered, and the air smelled like salt and coconuts. The two sisters spent the day chasing waves, their laughter carried off by the sea breeze. It had been a perfect day—until Jasmine disappeared.
Marianne could still remember the sheer panic that gripped her small chest when she realized Jas was gone. One second they were running along the shore, and the next, her sister had vanished. The weight of responsibility crushed her tiny shoulders.
She darted across the beach, her heart pounding so loud it echoed in her ears. Sand stuck to her legs as she ran, tears stinging her eyes, calling Jasmine's name over and over again. "Jas! Jas!"
She didn't tell their parents right away—half out of fear of being scolded, half determined to prove she could find Jasmine herself. If taking care of her sister was her job, then she needed to fix this on her own. Every second she spent searching was an eternity, her throat tightening with panic as terrible thoughts crept in...
What if Jas drowned? What if someone took her?
Just when she was about to lose hope, Marianne found Jasmine sitting by the pool inside the resort. The little girl was playing with some rubber toys, completely oblivious to the panic she had caused. Relief flooded Marianne's chest so fast it made her dizzy. She sprinted toward her sister, wrapped her in a tight hug, and cried into her damp hair.
After pulling away, Marianne pinched Jasmine's cheeks—not out of anger, but to make sure she was really there, safe and sound. "Huwag ka nang mawawala ulit, ha!" Marianne had whispered fiercely, more to herself than to Jasmine. "Promise me, Jas."
"Promise!" Jasmine had giggled, clueless to the fear she'd stirred in her sister.
That day, Marianne made Jasmine swear never to leave her sight without telling her first. No matter what, Jasmine had to answer her calls, her texts—always. Marianne never wanted to feel that kind of helplessness again. And, for the next sixteen years, Jasmine kept that promise.
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