Chapter 616

This was what kept her going.
She wanted, more than anything, to see her mom again.
She just wanted to know what it was like to be loved.
The truth was, she couldn’t even remember her mother’s name anymore. She couldn’t remember her face, either. But every time she struggled through those brutal training sessions, whenever she was about to break, a gentle voice would float through her mind, calling her “sweetheart.”
“My precious girl, you’re amazing,” the voice would say. “Hang in there. Mommy’s always with you.”
That voice was pure warmth, wrapped in love so real she could almost reach out and touch it. She could feel it in her bones.
Her mom always said she was her treasure, that she couldn’t lose her, that she wanted her by her side forever.
Charlie had promised—she’d stay with her mom, always.
Now, Charlie’s nose tingled. Tears threatened. Her mom had loved her so much.
And she loved her mom right back.
She had to survive. She had to get home to her mom.
Charlie forced down the last bite of bread. She’d been hungry for so long, the bread barely took the edge off, but it gave her just enough strength to keep going.
Years of relentless, almost inhuman training had made Charlie’s willpower unbreakable.
She braced herself and pushed up from the ground, determined to find something else to eat.
She had to keep going.
Her mom loved her that much. And now that she was gone, her mom would be heartbroken, devastated.
Charlie gritted her teeth against the pain and started walking.
She’d just stepped out of the alley when she spotted Evelyn, heading her way with two girls Charlie didn’t recognize.
Their paths drew closer.
Evelyn’s voice floated over, and even though the tone was different, the sound- something about it-matched the gentle voice that echoed through Charlie’s memories.
Charlie, still moving, suddenly froze. She looked up and across the street.
She saw Evelyn.
The face was unfamiliar.
But those eyes-Charlie knew those eyes. She’d seen them in her own reflection.
The same voice. The same eyes.
Could this be her mom?
Charlie wasn’t sure, but the word tumbled out before she could stop it: “Mom.”
She didn’t say it loudly, but the word carried across the street.
Across the way, Evelyn was chatting with
swore girls when, suddenly, she she heard someone shee “Mom.” her
Evelyn stopped in her tracks.
For a second, she was completely lost.
10°
Was this another one of her hallucinations, or had she really heard Charlie’s voice?
After all these years, Evelyn had gotten used to the tricks her mind played on her.
She missed Charlie so much.
She could never let go of losing her. Never truly accept that Charlie was gone.
Sometimes, she’d hear her daughter’s voice-at home, out in the street, anywhere.
Every time she realized it was just her mind playing games, the grief hit her all over again.
She knew Charlie couldn’t come back, but her heart just wouldn’t believe it.
So now, Evelyn’s first instinct was to assume she was just hearing things again.
The girl beside her asked, “Evelyn, you okay? What’s up?”
Evelyn shook her head gently. “I’m fine.”
The girl gave her a quick once-over making sure she really was
then slipped her arm
okay,
Evelyn’s and kept walking.
AS
Charlie stood frozen, watching
Evelyn’s profile, stunned as she net
walked on without looking back.
t belongs to swnow
Was she just imagining things? Was she so desperate to see her mom that she was fooling herself?
Was this really not her mom?
Or maybe her voice had been too soft. Maybe her mom hadn’t heard her.
Charlie watched as Evelyn’s figure drifted farther away.
Without thinking, she changed direction and hurried after Evelyn.
She drew in a shaky breath, gathered every last scrap of strength, and shouted, “Mom!”
Her voice rang out, slicing through the air straight to Evelyn’s heart.
Evelyn’s whole body jerked.
Her eyes went wide, trembling.
That was-
Charlie’s voice.
She had really heard Charlie’s voice.
Charlie was calling her “Mom.”
Her Charlie was still alive?!
“Charlie!” Evelyn spun around, eyes searching desperately for her daughter.