Chapter 12 - THE GIRL WHO WAS NEVER SUPPOSED TO EXISTIn the darkness, Lila moved.
She remembered the choreography.
One step left.
Turn.
Pause.
The floor opened beneath her.
She fell.
But someone caught her.
Noah.
They landed in a narrow tunnel.
Marin was there.
Elise was not.
“Where is my mother?”
Noah pointed ahead.
“She went the other way.”
Lila hesitated.
Then she heard Celeste's voice.
“Keep moving.”
They ran.
The tunnel led to an old room filled with mirrors.
Lila stopped.
Every mirror reflected something different.
In one, she was three.
In another, six.
In another, seventeen.
In one, she saw a girl she did not recognize.
The girl was dancing.
Lila stared.
“Who is that?”
Noah looked at the mirror.
“Anya.”
“No.”
The girl was younger.
Much younger.
Lila stepped closer.
The mirror changed.
Now she saw a woman holding a baby.
The woman was Anya.
The baby was Noah.
Then the image changed again.
Anya was holding another child.
A girl.
The girl had dark hair.
And the same crescent mark beneath her eye.
Lila's heart stopped.
“Who is that?”
Noah looked away.
“Your mother.”
Lila turned.
“What?”
“No.”
“She had another child?”
Noah nodded.
“Before you.”
Lila felt dizzy.
Celeste had never mentioned another child.
The mirror changed again.
Celeste stood in the underground room.
She was holding the baby.
Anya was crying.
Elise was standing nearby.
Then Adrian entered.
The image shattered.
Lila stepped backward.
“What happened?”
Noah whispered:
“She was taken.”
“Who?”
“The girl.”
“Where?”
Noah looked at the final mirror.
A woman stood inside it.
Older now.
Perhaps thirty.
She had the same eyes as Celeste.
The same eyes as Lila.
Lila stopped breathing.
The woman looked directly at her.
Then placed her hand against the mirror.
Lila slowly raised her own hand.
Their palms touched through the glass.
The woman whispered:
“Sister.”
Lila pulled away.
“No.”
The mirror cracked.
A door opened behind them.
A woman stepped out.
She looked exactly like the person in the mirror.
Lila could not move.
The woman stared at her.
“Lila.”
“Who are you?”
The woman smiled sadly.
“My name is Eva.”
Lila shook her head.
“My mother never had another child.”
Eva looked toward the mirrors.
“She did.”
“Why didn't she tell me?”
“Because she thought I was dead.”
“Are you?”
Eva smiled.
“Not yet.”
Lila stared.
“What happened to you?”
Eva looked at Noah.
“Ask him.”
Noah looked at her.
“You found her.”
Eva nodded.
“I found the memories.”
Lila looked between them.
“What is going on?”
Eva walked toward her.
“Your mother and Anya created the second finale to save me.”
“Save you from what?”
“Adrian.”
“Why did he want you?”
Eva's face became cold.
“Because I was the first successful transfer.”
Lila froze.
“What?”
Eva looked at her.
“I was the first person to carry another person's memories.”
“Whose?”
Eva answered:
“Anya's.”
Lila felt the room spin.
“Then you are not Celeste's daughter?”
Eva smiled.
“I am both.”
Lila stared.
“Explain.”
“Celeste gave birth to me.”
“Then?”
“Anya gave me her memories.”
Lila looked at Noah.
“And Noah?”
“Anya gave him some.”
“Marin?”
“Some.”
Lila looked at herself.
“And me?”
Eva nodded.
“Your mother gave you the rest.”
Lila suddenly understood.
The three of them were pieces of one memory.
Anya's memories.
Distributed among different people.
Adrian wanted to reunite them.
“Why?”
Eva's expression darkened.
“Because when the memories are complete, they reveal the original sequence.”
“The first finale.”
“Yes.”
“What does the first finale reveal?”
Eva looked toward the ceiling.
“The names of every person involved.”
Lila's heart stopped.
“The entire Bellamy program.”
Eva nodded.
“Every child.”
“Every death.”
“Every person who helped.”
“Adrian.”
“Yes.”
“And the people who are still alive.”
Eva looked at Lila.
“That is why he wants us.”
Lila clenched her fists.
“Then we won't let him.”
Eva smiled.
“You sound like your mother.”
Lila looked at her.
“Where is she?”
May you like
Eva pointed toward the far door.
“Fighting.”
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