“Sarah? Please!”

Sarah looked around, feeling lost and confused, until she found the dark-green gaze watching her pleadingly.

“Selena?”

“Don’t let them go! Just tell them you’re not feeling well, that you’re not feeling like visiting Aunt Marie this weekend.”

Sarah smiled softly. Her younger sister, that was constantly battling for her right to be recognized as an adult, was still a child after all. Sure she knew all too well how to argue in defense of her rights to go out at night, or about her rigorous curfew. But when someone told her to stay home alone for one night she’d thrown a tantrum worthy of an eight-year-old.

“Come on, Selena. We’ll be back by tomorrow. And you’re the one who didn’t want to come, remember?”

“I have a test on Monday. And you know that it’s impossible to study at Aunt Marie’s!”

That was true, she had to admit. The house of her mother’s older sister was constantly filled with nice, well educated ladies, that spent their free time arranging tea parties and exchanging opinions on the latest VIP’s scandals.

“Then just stay and study for your test, and we’ll be back before you even know. Besides you have my cell number, just call if you feel too lonely.”

“Sarah! Please! Just this time … don’t go!”

For a moment her mind returned to the present, leaving her painfully conscious. The world around her started to spin and her stomach turned with an agonizing spasm. But there wasn’t anything else to throw up. An acid smell mixed with something ferrous and acre filled her nose. She tried to open her eyes but the darkness surrounding her left her lost, not knowing if it was the lack of light that didn’t allow her to see or if she’d simply gone blind. The slightest intention to move left her body aching in more than one place and that awareness left her terrified.

Not again!

Again, hands touching her. Hands carrying her. Hands grabbing her, subjugating her.

Sarah closed her eyes and bit down on her lip with such strength that the taste of blood filled her mouth. And then she was drowning in her own memories again, which pushed away the despairing reality.

A strong light touched her face, blinding her. They were holding her and raising her. She felt sick to the stomach but her body was too weak and hurt to answer accordingly. The sound of a siren screamed in her ears, echoing through her mind. Waves of emotions attacked her coming from everywhere. Horror. Sorrow. Surprise.

It took all she had to simply turn her head and only then did she notice the mask glued to her face, covering both her nose and mouth. At her side a man dressed in white was taking her pulse. The constantly flashing red lights made her confuse reality and illusion.

“You’ll be fine, don’t worry. You were very lucky! Really very lucky,” the man was telling her with a reassuring smile and stood up to give room to other two men.

And that’s when she saw the car. At first she couldn’t really understand what she was seeing. There were bright pieces of glass and metal scraps all over the floor. The bumper was completely smashed. Her confused mind recalled the last thing she’d heard. Something about Selena’s supposed boyfriend. Their mother had been worried since it was an older boy. Sarah had tried to appease her. After all, he was only two years older than her younger sister. And then white, bright lights had come out of nowhere, and a gigantic monster had taken over the entire road, devouring the small car where she’d been traveling with her family. The loud, violent impact had exploded in her ears and resonated through her entire body, leaving her breathless and completely deaf.

She couldn’t help moan in pain when they raised the stretcher where she lay, pushing it towards the ambulance.

The world lost all sense when she saw, near the crash site, two other stretchers carrying two large black body bags.

Her mind screamed in revolt but her more rational, analytic part remained in control, like an adult taking care of a child.

Hush, just sleep … Sleep and forget.

* If you want to know more about this book or simply access earlier updates, please visit the official site at http://carpersanti.net/gaea/

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