2.1 Bright lights

"Mira" she whispered.

She stood there looking at her friend, stunned. Mira's eyes were pleading. She's confused and afraid. She was shaking and the grasses below her withered as if like feeling her pain. She's crying now, the pain and anger in her face was gone replaced with fear.

Serra convinced herself that it wasn't Mira's doing, but no one is around them, just the two of them in that lonely part of their village. She searched all the reasons to support herself that Mira's not doing it but found none, for there was no single reason that those grasses grow violently and almost strangle Maddy to death.

She thought that sometimes out of love, we let ourselves be deceived by lies to convince us that our loved ones can't do bad things. But still, the truth will pierce you and will drill deep into your mind, slipping through your thoughts.

Serra felt like her heart shrank into the size of an atom, lost and then gone as the truth hit her like a poisoned arrow, painful and torturous. Mira is a Badblood. Mira is a Badblood. Mira is a Badblood. Her mind repeats. Should she be scared? Mira is a Badblood. Should she hate her? She's a monster. Her kind killed your father, a voice inside her said. She's your friend and will never hurt you, another voice inside her said. She just stood there confused and unmoving. She felt a lump on her throat and her eyes started to blur.

"Mira" she whispered again.

"Serra" Mira said in her breath. Her voice was shaky. "I'm s... sorry. I didn't know"

Serra saw the tears that streaked on her friend's cheeks like pearls as it glimmers in the sunlight. She felt like her heart was continuously stabbed with needles, very agonizing.

"H...help me" she pleaded. Hearing it was like her stomach was squeezed. Mira took some steps toward her and reflexively, Serra stepped back which shocked both of them. There was a look of pain and betrayal in Mira's eyes. "Please"

Serra was crying now and she quickly wiped it with the back of her hand. She closed her eyes for a moment as she tried to collect herself. She let go a deep agonizing breath. 'She's my friend and she's not evil' she said to herself.

She darted toward her friend. With wide arms, she hugged her. Mira's a Badblood yet her touch was still familiar and comforting, nothing's changed.

She felt Mira's tears on her dress. "I'm sorry" she whispered and forced herself not to cry. She broke off and cupped Mira's face in her calloused hands. "It's gonna be alright, okay?" She lied. It's not alright and will never be. She has no idea what to do now.

"What will happen to me now? Where will I go?" Mira cried.

Serra closed her eyes and tried to focus, looking for ways to help her friend. The villagers will kill her for sure. If she escaped, the Reapers will kill her also. But there's a bigger chance she'd survive outside the gates than inside. Serra's heart was broken on the options but they don't have better choices.

"We have to get you out of here" she said with a heavy heart.

"The Reapers will kill me Serra" Mira cried again.

"They will also kill you here" she said.

Mira didn't answer. She turned and saw a crowd toward them, Maddy on the front pointing at their direction. Serra’s heart was now hammering inside her chest.

"We don't have much choice Mira" she said. "I'm sorry"

Mira wiped the tears in her eyes. She looked defeated. "Okay, but how will I get out of here" she said sadly but firm.

Serra looked around. The river is dangerous and guarded; they can't escape through the walls. There aren't holes on the wall either. They're trapped. The realization felt like a punch on Serra. They now hear the villagers toward them. She could see weapons from afar, their tips gleaming in the sunlight: spears, knives, arrows, and guns.

She grabbed Mira's hand. "Come on we don't have much time" she said and ran, dragging her friend.

The gates will be the only choice, Serra thought. Most of the villagers will probably come after them and she hoped that the gates will leave unguarded.

They ran, passing through grasses and stones, ignoring the obstacles. They're now running again with their hands clasped together, but this time in a different situation and different feeling. They passed beside the storage houses; at the back of it was the tea farm. The sky above darkened as the sun hides behind the sea of clouds as if like the sun itself is scared, sympathizing them. The wind was colder but still felt warm on their skins as if like all the emotions they feel now shielded them from feeling anything. Their heart throbbing and every step they take felt like agony.

They passed the potatoes, and the beans, stepping over them. Serra would have worried as she might be scolded by Maddy but it doesn't matter now. Mira matters the most at the moment.

She didn't imagine ever in her life that Mira was a Badblood. Mira must have hidden it from her, afraid that she might hate her. Anyone would do such thing and she understands her friend.

"Did you know?" Serra asked as they run. She can't stop herself from asking those words as if like it troubled her. Did she really mean to hurt Maddy?

Mira looked at her. "No" she said.

Serra knows her all her life as they have grown together. They shared secrets together. They know all their fears and strengths. She knows her more than she knows herself, and looking at her eyes now, she know that Mira's telling the truth. "I didn't know how I did it. My mind was clouded from all that happened to Haris" she said Haris's name like knives in her throat, painful and longing. "I got angry. I'm sorry. I don't know"

So she really doesn't know that she's a Badblood and she didn't mean to hurt the old lady, but Serra's still not relieved thinking of their situation.

The gate is visible now as well as the villagers behind them, all angry and vicious as the Reapers, weapons on their hands. Serra suddenly fall down, stumbling on a rock she didn't see, letting go Mira's hand. She growled in pain. There was a cut on her right foot where the rock sliced and scarlet blood coming out from it. She hissed, sipping inn air through her teeth, then bit her lip. It was painful.

Serra looked at her, concerned. "Are you alright?" she asked faintly

She stood up and Mira helped her. "Yes" she nodded.

The crowd was now near them, she could see Maddy's face in the front, sending gush of anger to her nerves. They continue to run but this time, it was Mira dragging her, gripping her wrist firmly but gently.

"Hurry, we are almost there" she said but her cut slowed them down. It was hell every step, agonizing and felt like a torture. Serra fought the pain and willed herself to run fast.

The gate is very visible now and stood there were two patrols and spears ready on their hands, and the archers above the towers were pointing their bow and arrows on them. They both tensed and slowed down. Their hearts felt like twisted into a knot. Mira's grip on her wrist tighten, terrified.

The trader’s wagons lined up on the side and they ran towards it. Serra saw a torch and a match on the back of the wagon, atop the basket and bags of cherries. She picked it up and gave it to Mira. They then head towards the gate.

The patrols were Bong and Bato; they were twins who both look terrible. They were her sister's men and Serra doesn’t like them. The twins saw them and quickly pointed their sharp spears on them; their faces were painted with anger and disgust which makes them look uglier.

"Stay behind me" Serra whispered. Mira let go of her grip and stood behind her. She was shaking and Serra could hear the loud beat of her heart.

Serra put her arms sideways, covering Mira from behind.

"Stop right there!" Bong said as he tightens his grip on his spear. His bald head was shinier than the sun but his face was dark as the moon.

Serra didn't listen. She took slow, brave steps toward them and Mira followed the match and torch on her hands. One of the twins - Bato - courted her couple of weeks ago in which she rejected as she doesn't like him, not that he was ugly but because he had the vibe of uselessness, Serra thought. Maybe she can charm him and ask to let Mira out. She knows it was a ridiculous idea but she couldn't find any better.

"Help us" she said in a low sweet voice. She shoved away the fear and panic and tried to look composed. "Just let my friend go"

Bato blinked his eyes that send a spark of hope in her heart.

"Your friend?" a sharp voice behind them said. They turned and it was Rila, a spear on her hand pointed to them. The crowd was behind her, all armed and looked toward them with menacing eyes. Agatha was among them with a short sword on her hand. Serra felt like she's been stabbed right into her heart. How could she look at her daughter like that? She felt Mira tighten beside her and sobbed quitely. "That bitch is evil! She's a freaking Badblood Serra. Why are you protecting her?"

Serra gave back the look as anger stirred inside her. "Mira didn't mean to hurt Maddy!" she said almost like a shout, her voice sharp and angry. "She threw a rock at us!"

Maddy stepped forward, her face angry and annoying as ever. Serra wants to jump at her right now and bite her face off. "Didn't mean to hurt me? You almost killed me stupid bitch!" she hissed. "Give her to me and I will kill her myself."

"No!" she hissed back. "I will not let you kill her. Leave her alone!"

She searched all the villagers’ faces though she doesn’t know what to look. Sympathy? Help? She's hopeless.

At the back she saw her mother. Drops of tears were coming out from her eyes and she looks destroyed. She mouthed 'Help' to her mother but Maria turned away and wiped the tears in her eyes.

Serra searched for Agatha and she saw her at the back of Maddy. She saw blur of tears on the surface of her eyes.

"Tiya" she cried, pleading. Her eyes were now wet with tears. "Please help us"

"Surrender her to us Serra" she said, sounding hoarse and hurt.

Serra looked stunned looking at Agatha, her heart throbbing in pain. Did she just give up on Mira? On her daughter? She can't imagine how painful it was for Mira hearing those words from her own mother. It must hurt so much, penetrates deep down to her soul. It must hurt than death itself. Are you even alive if the people you love wants you dead?

"Step out Serra" Rila said, sounding calm and emotionless. "Give her to us"

Mira's quite sob behind her felt like a stab on her heart. Rila stepped forward, dropping her spear and held her hand out. Mira stepped back, her arms still protecting her friend.

"No. I can't" she replied and she sounded defeated in her own ears. "Just let her out of the village". Rila looked at her with an unreadable expression. It was hard to read her sister. Rila put walls inside her, firm walls that separated her from her family and the world. But she was still her sister and she knows there is still a speck of affection left in her heart for her. "Please" she whispered.

They were all silent for a while and then Rila took a deep breath. "Okay" she said. "No filthy Badblood blood on my hands for now. I'll let the Reapers kill her outside. It'll be a more painful death"

Serra saw Agatha walked away.

Rila signaled the twins and the gates starting to open, revealing the ruthless world outside.

"Serra" Mira sobbed. She turned to her friend and they're both crying now.

She cupped her friends face. Mira's not just her childhood friend. They shared their sixteen years of their lives. They shared their dreams and wishes. They shared their strength and weaknesses. She wasn't just her best friend, she was her family. They were bound with love and all the years they spend on Sirka village. The memories they shared together were stronger than the walls of any village, deeper than anyone could reach and now she's about to lose her in the world full of terror and horror, a world where she might die.

"I'm so sorry" she cried and then she kissed Mira's forehead.

The gates were now open. They broke off. Mira turned away and walked towards the gate. Serra cried as she looked at her slowly getting away. It felt like her heart was crushed together and scattered into million pieces. Mira on her back on Serra and a torch on her hand, it will be the image that will hunt her every night of her sleep. Mira stopped and looked at her one last time and said something she didn't hear but she knows what those words are. I love you.

The gates closed and the last thing she saw of her was her face with a sad smile and tears in her eyes. Serra fell to her knees, crying.