Chapter 2

Sure enough, Oswald's hands went still, and he looked up along the direction I'd pointed, suspicion in his eyes.

But I never expected what came next.

The middle-aged couple turned and walked away.

My chest tightened.

"Oh dear, little one."

Oswald let out a sigh of feigned regret, that oily smile creeping closer.

"Doesn't look like your mom and dad waited for you after all."

"They, they just went to buy something. They'll be back soon!"

I forced the words out through gritted teeth.

Molly's patience finally ran out.

"Aria Harding! What has gotten into you? First you hit someone with no manners at all, and now you're lying! Didn't Mom and Dad teach you not to lie?"

"If you keep this up, I won't like you anymore."

I couldn't hold it in another second and burst into sobs.

"Even if you don't like me, I still don't like him! I don't like him standing so close to you!"

Oswald's fake smile stopped for a beat.

Molly frowned.

"What is wrong with you today?"

I opened my mouth, wanting to tell her about my last life.

But I knew how absurd it would sound.

Coming from a six-year-old, it would only sound like crazy talk.

All I could do was cling to my sister like she was the only thing that could save me.

"Mom and Dad said we can't eat things from strangers!"

"Molly, let's call the police, okay? Let the officer take us home!"

The moment I said it, everything around us froze.

The smile vanished from Oswald's face.

Molly startled and quickly scooped me up.

"Ari, don't say things like that! The man was only being kind, and besides, the officers are so busy. How can we go bothering them just because you're throwing a fit?"

Seeing Molly waver, Oswald took another step back and sighed.

Then, like a magic trick, he produced two bottles of water from inside his costume.

"I think the little one's just shy. Being shy is perfectly normal. My own daughter was the same when she was her age."

"Never mind, don't be too hard on her. Here, have some water first. It'll help settle the nerves."

My mind went blank with a roar.

Candy. Water.

In my last life, it was these two things that destroyed my sister's whole life!

"Get away! Don't touch us!"

I snapped completely, snatching the bottle and hurling it hard at his face, drenching him.

"Aria Harding!"

Molly lost it now.

"Don't drink it! Molly, whatever you do, don't drink it!"

I cried until it felt like my chest was tearing apart.

Oswald watched me quietly and raised an eyebrow.

He picked up the half-empty bottle from the ground and drank it down in one go.

"Little one, you're overthinking this."

That eager show of innocence left Molly stunned.

"Ari."

She didn't scold me right away. Instead she gently cupped my face.

"Tell me. What's really going on? Why are you so set on calling the police?"

The tears came pouring out.

"I had a dream. I dreamed you ate his food and then you disappeared!"

"Mom and Dad and I looked for you for years and years."

Molly froze for a few seconds.

"How could that be?"

Her voice broke, barely holding together.

"Later the officers found you in a place that was dark and reeked. Your face was burned, your arms and legs were broken, your teeth were gone. You didn't know me, and you didn't know Mom and Dad."

At those words, a tremor ran through her whole body.

Something urgent flickered in Oswald's eyes, and he edged one step closer.

I wailed with everything I had.

"Then call the officer! Call now!"

Maybe it was the look on my face.

She lifted her head to look at Oswald, backing away as she held me tighter, and pulled out her phone.

"Ari, we don't have any proof, so I can't just call the police for nothing. But I can call Mom and Dad."