Nia looked around. The urban oasis was far away, but she decided that she needed to go there. There was nothing more for her to do here, near the hospital. Soon they would start looking for her, and then it would all be over. She needed to run. Before it was too late.
She needed to get to the city as quickly as possible, but in such a way that as few people as possible noticed her. Nia understood that she would have to move carefully, avoid crowded places, and hide in the shadows. Become a shadow in this city of shadows.
She ran towards the metropolis, trying not to pay attention to the pain in her legs. Strange vehicles rushed past, people in identical suits, billboards with incomprehensible images. Everything was alien and unfamiliar. I am a stranger here. And I always will be a stranger, the girl realized.
Nia felt lost and lonely. But she knew that she couldn't give up. She had to find answers to her questions. She had to find out who she was and why she was in this strange place. And she had to find a way to survive. At any cost.
After the desperate jump and the, albeit cushioned, but painful landing, Nia felt every bump under her feet. The pain in her legs pulsed with every step, reminding her of her risky escape. The roads she walked seemed endless, gray ribbons running into the distance. They were laid between some strange fields, where not so much trees, not so much bushes grew, all equally gray and lifeless. Like her life.
She wandered, stumbling, along these godforsaken paths, feeling hunger twisting her stomach more and more strongly. Due to the lack of change of day and night, Nia completely lost track of time. It seemed that an eternity had passed since she woke up in the alley. She didn't know how long she had been walking, but she knew for sure that she needed to eat. And drink. And find out who she was.
There was no one around. Only these endless gray fields and strange, emaciated plants. Nia began to doubt that she had chosen the right direction. Maybe she should have stayed near the hospital? But they would have found her there anyway. There was no turning back.
Chapter 4
When hope had almost faded, she saw a figure in the distance. A person? Or was she imagining it? Nia squinted, trying to get a better look. Yes, it was a girl. She was standing in the middle of the road, as if waiting for someone. Who could be waiting in this godforsaken place?
As Nia got closer, she couldn't believe her eyes. The girl was incredibly beautiful. Sparkling hair flowed down her shoulders, perfect makeup emphasized her expressive eyes, and her clothes were so stylish and elegant that they didn't fit in with this bleak landscape at all. She looked as if she had just stepped off the cover of a fashion magazine. What is she doing in the middle of nowhere? Nia thought.
The girl saw Nia and smiled.
– Hi! Are you okay? You don't look very well, – her voice was soft and melodic.
Nia was a little confused.
– I'm lost, – she squeezed out of herself. It sounded pathetic. – And my leg hurts.
The girl examined Nia carefully.
– Yes, I see. You've hurt your leg. And you look very tired. Let me help you. I live not far from here. We can go to my place, I'll treat the wound and feed you.
The offer was very tempting. Her leg really hurt terribly, and she was tormented by hunger. But something about this girl seemed suspicious to Nia. She was too well-groomed and beautiful so far from the city. She offered help too easily. Intuition screamed danger, but her body demanded rest and food.
