Anna's POV
We follow Mummy down an endless hallway that seems to stretch into forever. None of us speak. Our footsteps echo behind her until—suddenly—we burst outside, and everything changes.
Noise slams into us like a wave. Children run wild in every direction, laughing, shouting, some of them nearly crashing into us. The air smells different out here—like dust and sweat and something bitter beneath it all. I squint against the sunlight and tighten my grip on Piper’s hand.
As we walk, a group of girls nearby see us and immediately start whispering, laughing under their breath. Their eyes are on us—mocking, sizing us up.
“What’s so funny?” Piper mutters beside me, her voice low. I gently rub her shoulder.
“Ignore them,” I whisper. “They’re not worth it.”
But inside, everything about
