Miriam ran. She went right as the boy, who the lion has called Davis, dove left. He was running as well. Thankfully, the lion chose to go after him even though she was clearly the slower of the two. She ran deeper into the ruins.

She turned every corner that she came across, taking alternate rights and lefts so she didn't end up going in circles. Eventually, she could run no more. She found a small gap in a mound of rubble and crawled into it.

She couldn't stay there. She would have to move soon. She glanced around but saw no one, heard no one. There was no sign of her double, the lion or the boy.

She sank to the ground. She's gone mad. That was the most obvious answer. This was all a delusion. Reflections didn't come to life. Lions didn't talk, and they certainly weren't blue. Young men didn't freak out at the sight of her and then try to save her.

Did he try to save her? Or was he hoping the beast would chase her? What was going to happen when the beast caught him?

That was the second time she had run away from someone who clearly needed help since she got here. Granted the first person had kidnapped her and the second had attacked her out of nowhere, but they were both going to die.

She could remember all too clearly the crying of the girl as she ran from her again. The boy hadn't cried. He had told her to run, that he would distract the lion until she got out there. He had been willing to protect her. But why?

Before this, Miriam had believed that she was strong. She had gone to protests last year trying to make the world a better place. Her teacher, Mr Smith, had taken her with Aaren and a few others to the protests. He was the first teacher to speak to her like an adult; to respect her. He had been delighted they showed an interest in the protests.

He had praised her for being determined; not chastised her for being stubborn. She had thought that she would stand up whenever she believed something was wrong. At first, she was only interested in protests because of Aaren, who was passionate about politics. She hadn't done it to be with him, although she had wanted that more than most things. She had gone because Aaren was the kindest, bravest person she knew and she wanted to be like him. Then she gained an interest all of her own. Her mother had been delighted by her.

"Nothing can change until people are brave enough to try and change it," she had told Miriam. "Courage can make the world better. Cowards never will."

What would she think of her now, hiding in a dusty hole and shaking? Miriam bit her lip. She couldn't blame the cold for the way her hands wouldn't stop shivering. She hadn't felt cold since the heat had spread from the strange earring. Just as she was beginning to regain some control over her erratic breathing, a noise made her heart jump painfully and she sank deeper into the hole.

Davis had told her to be quiet. He had said that Prendre couldn't see her unless she spoke. Miriam had thought he was insane but she still put her hands over her mouth, squeezing a little too much.

She couldn't let the lion find her. She had to go home. How was she supposed to see Aaren again if she got caught here? If she stayed put, she had some small hope of seeing his wide-open smile again.

Miriam dared to peak. Someone was outside, humming hauntingly. Could lions hum? Did it matter? Before running into that one she had been fairly confident that they couldn't talk and weren't blue. Had it given up on Davis and decided to go after the slower prey? Had the lion killed him?

Miriam's mother would never know what happened to her. She might think that Miriam had finally decided to make good on her threat to run away.

She'd think that Miriam had abandoned her as well. And her little sister? Miriam had promised to go to her birthday party and that they would go on holidays together; that she would take her camping.

Even the idea of not seeing her father or his horrid wife ever again made her eyes sting. She had to stay safe so she could get back to them. Staying safe meant staying in the little hole and not moving until she could.

Staying safe meant leaving the boy to the lion. This meant allowing someone else to get hurt. And despite making that horrible decision, despite proving that she was all talk and just a girl that needed to be protected by others, she could still be found cowering in a dirty little hole.

Aaren wouldn't even hesitate, she realised. No. He wouldn't have run away in the first place. Aaren wouldn't wait here.

She clenched her teeth and got out. She expected to see the lion waiting for her with grinning teeth. Instead, she saw her double standing there. The girl seemed genuinely happy to see her.

"Hey Echo," she said. "You up for a run? There's someone who needs us."

"Echo?" the girl repeated, questioningly before laughing and catching Miriam in a hug. Then she nodded and caught Miriam's hand.

Miriam was just as surprised by the hug as by the fact that she felt herself hugging the other girl back. Miriam had taken alternate lefts and rights to avoid running in circles, so following that route should lead her back to Davis and the lion.

The newly-named Echo noticed the earring and gently touched it. When she did Miriam felt a surge of affection rush through her. It was so sudden and so strange that she got dizzy and stumbled.

Echo steadied her and nodded, still smiling but a glint in her eye made Miriam think she knew that they were about to do something that was stupid and reckless. 'Stupid and reckless' was fine sometimes though. Aaren had told her that after he had talked her into skipping school one day and going to a concert. It was out of character for a straight A guy like him. That had been the best day and night of her life.

Hopefully this time, her being stupid and reckless might just save someone.