Hilaria woke up.
Hilaria Valvi, an eight-year-old girl—an angel with fiery ginger hair and deep blue eyes. Beauty seemed to have gifted her everything… if not for her miserable fate, she would have been nothing short of perfect.
She hadn't slept the full eight hours like children her age. Instead, she had spent the night playing a cruel game of hide-and-seek inside a wardrobe—with her mother and sister. Inside that tight space, they stayed silent, barely breathing, while outside—
Crash!
The sound of wood breaking echoed through the house.
Bang!
Their father, George Valvi, was smashing everything in his path, searching for something—anything—with a soul to break. Something to satisfy the fire of his anger. And most of the time… that "something" was Eva.
At eight in the morning, Eva wanted to prepare breakfast for her daughters with love. But once again, fate was not on her side. All she could offer were two apples. She placed them gently in their hands and sent them off to school, hoping—praying—that school would be a safe place. A place where George couldn't reach them, where he couldn't hurt them the way he hurt her.
Gloria walked beside Hilaria in silence.
Crunch… crunch…
Each step Hilaria took pressed into the shattered glass scattered across the floor from the night before. She didn't react. Not even when a sharp piece bit into her skin. The faint sound beneath her feet echoed like something deeper breaking inside her.
They left the house and walked toward school, their small hands holding onto each other as if letting go would mean falling apart.
Hilaria entered the classroom slowly, her hands damp with sweat. The moment she stepped inside, she felt it—
Eyes.
Watching.
Waiting.
She looked down and walked quickly to her seat beside Adham, the only place that ever felt safe.
Adham turned slightly, a soft smile forming on his face the moment he noticed her.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
Hilaria looked at him. For a moment, the fear faded, and a small smile appeared on her lips.
"I will be."
The teacher's voice filled the room as the math lesson began, but Hilaria wasn't listening. She pulled out a piece of paper and began to draw.
Scratch… scratch…
The pencil moved quickly, almost desperately, as if it carried emotions her voice couldn't express.
Adham tried to focus on the lesson, but his eyes kept drifting back to her drawing. Somehow, he always understood what she felt just by looking at it.
Riiing!
The bell echoed through the classroom.
Students rushed out, chairs scraping loudly against the floor.
Hilaria stood up quickly and walked past Adham.
"Meet me in the yard in two minutes," she whispered.
"…Okay," he replied, confused.
Inside the bathroom, Hilaria locked the stall behind her.
Click.
Her hands trembled slightly as she took out the apple. She stared at it for a moment before taking a small bite.
Crunch…
She didn't want anyone to know.
Didn't want anyone to see how little she had.
Because at home… fear had taken her appetite.
Outside, whispers echoed.
Soft at first.
Then clearer.
Closer.
Knock. Knock.
Hilaria froze.
Her breath caught in her throat.
She didn't move.
BANG!
A sudden kick hit the door.
"Hey, carrot," a voice mocked. "Hiding again?"
Laughter followed.
"Just like you hide from your stupid father?"
More laughter.
"If you don't come out…" another voice said slowly, "we'll go find Adham instead."
Silence.
Then—
Click.
The stall door opened.
Hilaria stepped out, her head lowered.
A hand suddenly grabbed her hair.
"Your existence annoys me."
They dragged her across the floor.
Scrrrape…
Her shoes barely kept up as they pulled her toward an old locker.
The door creaked open.
Creeeak…
Then—
THUD!
They shoved her inside.
"This is where you belong."
SLAM!
Darkness swallowed her whole.
In the schoolyard, Adham waited.
One minute.
Two.
Five.
She didn't come.
His chest tightened.
Something was wrong.
He started running.
Footsteps echoed through empty hallways.
Tap—tap—tap—
He searched everywhere.
Classrooms.
Corners.
Stairs.
Nothing.
Then he stopped.
There was one place left.
The bathroom door opened slowly.
Creeeak…
Silence.
Then—
A sound.
Soft.
Broken.
Crying.
"Hilaria…?"
No answer.
Just sobbing.
He followed the sound.
Step by step.
Until he stood in front of a locker.
"Hilaria, I'm here… it's me."
A quiet sob answered him.
He pulled at the handle.
Locked.
His hands shook.
Then—
CRACK!
It forced open.
The door slowly opened.
And there she was.
Curled.
Trembling.
Broken.
The moment she saw him, she rushed forward and buried herself in his arms.
Then she cried.
Loud.
Uncontrolled.
Like everything inside her was finally breaking free.
"I'm here… it's okay… I'm here…"
But his voice shook.
Because something inside him had already shattered.
(…everything continues same style until fire scene…)
When they reached the house—
Smoke filled the air.
Thick.
Heavy.
Then—
A scream.
"AAAAAH—!"
Eva.
The door burst open.
BANG!
George stumbled out, a bottle slipping from his hand.
Fire.
Everywhere.
Hilaria didn't think.
She ran.
"No—Hilaria, STOP!"
Too late.
Her small body disappeared into the flames.
Adham couldn't move.
Couldn't breathe.
The fire roared.
And she was gone.
Was she trying to save her mother…
Or escape her pain?