Josie didn't sleep that night.
Not even for a second.
The coins were still on her table.
Two identical pieces of something that didn't belong in her life—
Yet somehow always had.
Her eyes kept moving between them.
The symbol.
That same strange engraving.
And the message.
Ask your mother.
Her chest tightened again.
"No…" she whispered.
Her fingers hovered over her phone.
She wanted to call.
She needed to call.
But something inside her—
Hesitated.
"What if… she lies too?" Josie murmured.
That thought hurt.
More than anything else.
But I couldn't ignore it anymore.
I took a deep breath—
And pressed the call button.
The ringing felt louder than usual.
Each second stretching longer.
Then—
A click.
"Josie?"
Her mom's voice.
Soft.
Familiar.
And suddenly—
Everything felt too real.
"M-Mom…"Josie's voice came out weaker than she expected.
A pause.
"Are you okay?" her mom asked immediately.
"There's something wrong, isn't there?"
Josie froze.
She knew.
Her grip tightened around the phone.
"I need to ask you something."
Her voice wasn't shaking anymore.
"Something important.
"…Alright," her mom said slowly.
Josie glanced at the coins.
"Do you know anything about… a coin?"
Silence.
Not confusion.
Not surprise.
Josie's heart dropped.
"…Mom?"
Another pause.
"…Where did you see it?" her mom asked quietly.
That was enough.
My chest tightened painfully.
"You do know," she whispered.
No answer.
"Mom, please."
My voice cracked now.
"I found one here… and I remember seeing one in your cupboard when I was younger."
Her breathing became uneven.
"What is it?" she asked.
"…Josie," her mom said softly.
"You weren't supposed to find that."
Her heart stopped.
"Then what was I supposed to find?" Josie snapped.
Silence again.
But this time—
It felt heavier.
"You need to leave that place."
Josie froze.
"What?"
"Leave the university,"her mom said firmly.
"As soon as possible."
Josie let out a small, disbelieving laugh.
"That's your answer?"
"Josie—"
"No!"
Her voice raise .
"I'm done with half answers!"
Her eyes filled again.
"I'm a target, Mom!"
Silence.
Complete silence.
"…Who told you that?"her mom whispered.
Josie's breath hitched.
"So it's true."
Her voice dropped.
"You knew."
"I was trying to protect you."
"But you didn't stop me." Josie's voicetrembled.
"You could have told me the truth. You could have warned me.
You could have convinced Dad not to let me join that university...
but you stayed silent."" Josie snapped.
That question hit hard.
"…It wasn't like that," her mom said.
"Then explain it to me!"Josie demanded.
Her chest was rising and falling quickly now.
"What is E.V.E?" she asked.
Silence.
Long.
Painful.
Josie waited.
"Mom... answer me."
Silence.
She could hear nothing except her mother's uneven breathing.
It's not just a system," her mom said quietly.
Josie held her breath.
"It's… a selection."
Her heart skipped.
"Selection of what?"
"...I'm sorry," her mother whispered.
Before Josie could say another word, the call ended.
To be continued…