But my desperate warning was met with a powerful, deafening slap. “Olivia,” he spat, his voice laced with pure loathing, “I’m telling
you, the more you do this, the more I detest you!”
I struggled, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t break free! I was on the verge of tears, frantic. It was bad enough he wouldn’t
go back, but why was he stopping me from getting reinforcements from other islands? Any later, and it would truly be too late! I
pleaded with him, desperately.
But Miles not only refused to untie me, he coldly stated he would keep me bound all night, as punishment for my ‘lies.‘
With that, he wrapped his arm around Sienna’s slender waist and rejoined the bonfire, dancing gracefully amidst the cheers and
singing.
Tears streamed down my face. My heart, dead within me, watched them miss the last precious moments to save everyone… It was
over. Everything was lost.
Sienna’s birthday party lasted until dawn. Only then did the revelers reluctantly end their celebration, restart the transport vessel,
and head back towards the dock.
On the way, they were still laughing and chatting, but when the vessel finally docked, what greeted their eyes was nothing but a
landscape of collapsed ruins, and disheveled bodies scattered everywhere.
An eerie silence hung over the entire island. The air in the shelter tunnels reeked of a heavy stench of decay and blood.
I stood at the entrance, my fingers desperately digging into the doorframe, tears streaming down my face. This sanctuary, meant
to be filled with the elderly, women, and children, now held only dismembered limbs. It was over. Everything was lost.
Ethan’s boot sank into a puddle of still–wet blood. Submerged within the crimson pool was half a severed finger, wearing an old-
fashioned thimble. He recognized it instantly; it was the very one his mother always used for her sewing!
“How… how could this be..” His voice trembled uncontrollably. As he bent to pick up the blood–stained thimble, his knees hit the
ground with a heavy thud. He collapsed, sobbing uncontrollably.
A younger team member suddenly dropped to his knees, trembling as he picked up a tiny hairpin. It was the pink strawberry hairpin his sister wore in her bangs every single day. He clutched the hairpin to his forehead, his shoulders convulsing, slapping himself repeatedly. “Brother shouldn’t have left you, brother shouldn’t have left you.”
Regret spread like a plague. Some punched walls, others slumped to the ground, their eyes hollow as they murmured the names of loved ones. A few clung to each other, weeping, their tears mingling with the grime and blood on their faces, glaring under the
harsh, pale light.
I slowly slid down the wall, collapsing to the ground, my chest aching so fiercely I could barely breathe. A warm drop landed on the back of my hand. Only then did I realize my face was already soaked with tears.
Gazing at the horrific scene, Sienna choked back sobs, tears falling like an unbroken stream, as if too overcome with grief to spe- ak. “How could the raiders attack Havenport today?” she whispered, just loud enough for everyone to hear. “Could they… could they have known it was my birthday?”
