ARIANA
The night felt longer than ever.
I moved around the dining hall, holding the empty tray Juliana gave me. My feet hurt from standing so long, and I was sure I had at least five new blisters.
But none of that mattered now. I kept looking at Juliana from the corner of my eye, waiting for some kind of signal. She worked a few tables ahead of me, smiling, nodding, and pretending everything was fine.
But I knew it wasn’t.
The guards watched us closely, their eyes sharp like knives. Every time I passed one, I held my breath. I kept telling myself—Just make it through dinner. Then we run.
Finally, the last plate was cleared, and the bell rang. It was time for lights out.
“Move!” one of the guards shouted. We all got into a line again, walking back to our rooms. The halls were dim, o
