KATE

Part 1: The Promise Emily's POV: I stared at the cracks in the ceiling, counting them for the hundredth time. The night had always felt endless in this place—too quiet, too still, like the whole world had forgotten we existed. Kate shifted beside me, rolling around the way she always did when she couldn’t sleep. I wasn’t surprised. Tomorrow was supposed to be our birthday, the day we’d finally walk out of here. Only, we weren’t going anywhere. “Emily, you’re not sleeping again, are you?” Her voice broke through the quiet, and I turned my head to look at her. Kate always knew when something was off with me. “What gave me away?” I asked, forcing a smile. “You’ve got this look,” she said, propping herself up on one elbow. Her hair stuck out in every direction, messy as always. “Like you’re trying to solve all the world’s problems in your head. So? Spill. What’s going on in that big sister brain of yours?” “We’re the same age,” I reminded her. “Yeah, but you act older. Come on, you’re avoiding the question.” I sighed, trying to keep my face calm. “I was just thinking about tomorrow.” “What about it?” Kate asked, her eyes lighting up. “We’re finally getting out of this dump. Freedom, Emily. No more rules, no more Miss Harriet—no more chores. Just us, out there in the real world.” “And what would you do with all that freedom?” I asked, trying to keep my voice light. Kate flopped onto her back, her face turning toward the ceiling. “Oh, you know. I’d find a big city, the kind with lights so bright you forget it’s nighttime. I’d try every food truck I see, sleep wherever I want, maybe even join a street performance just to see what happens. What about you? What’s your dream?” Her question hit me like a punch to the chest. I’d thought about it before—my little café with the smell of fresh coffee and pastries, mismatched furniture, and people laughing in the corners. But that dream felt as far away as the stars. “I haven’t figured it out yet,” I lied. Kate groaned. “Seriously? We’ve been talking about this for years, and you still don’t have a plan? You’re impossible.” I laughed, but it came out shaky. “Eighteen years of surviving is a lot. I’ll think of something when we get there.” She turned to me, her expression softening. “We’ll figure it out together, Emily. You know that, right? Whatever happens, we’ve got each other.” Her hand found mine in the dark, and I held on tightly, the way I always did when she said things like that. She meant it—every word—but she didn’t know the truth. --- Earlier that day, I’d overheard Miss Harriet and one of the guards talking. It wasn’t like I meant to eavesdrop, but my name had stopped me cold. “They’re not leaving,” the guard said. His voice was low, but not enough to stop me from hearing. “The paperwork’s done. Those two are staying here indefinitely.” My heart nearly stopped. I pressed myself against the wall outside the office, barely breathing. “Good,” Miss Harriet replied. “Those two are troublemakers. No sense letting them out there to ruin someone else’s life. They’re better off here.” “They’re valuable,” the guard added. Valuable. The word twisted in my stomach. I didn’t know exactly what it meant, but I knew it wasn’t good. --- I couldn’t tell Kate. Not yet. She’d always been the dreamer, the one who believed in happy endings. I couldn’t crush that. “What are you thinking about now?” Kate’s voice pulled me back to the present. “Just wondering how you plan to survive in a city with no money,” I teased. She grinned. “I’ll figure it out. But seriously, you’d better tell me your plan in the morning. Otherwise, I’ll make one up for you, and trust me—it’s gonna be ridiculous.” I chuckled, but the sound felt heavy in my throat. “Goodnight, Kate.” “Goodnight, Emily.” Her breathing eventually slowed, falling into the soft rhythm of sleep. I stayed awake, staring at the cracks in the ceiling and trying to figure out how I was going to get us out of here alive.