37

The terrible feeling in my stomach grew heavier with every passing second as I stared at the man behind the wheel. Everything about him and his vehicle sent a rush of pure fear straight to my heart. The car was incredibly old, the paint completely faded and covered in deep scratches, and the engine let out a loud, unhealthy rattling noise that sounded like it was about to fall apart. The driver didn't smile, didn't nod, and didn't show a single hint of friendliness. His eyes were cold and empty, staring at us as if we were nothing but objects blocking his path. Every single detail about this situation did not sit well with me at all. A loud voice began screaming inside my head, telling me to turn around and run away as fast as my legs could carry me. I opened my mouth, a desperate gasp escaping my lips as I prepared to shout, *Run, Ella! Let's go back right now, I don't trust this man!*

But before the words could actually leave my throat, Ella stepped right up to the dusty window, a bright, completely innocent smile covering her face. "Hello, sir! Can you please take us to the nearest good restaurant around this area?"

The driver didn't move a single muscle in his face. He simply reached over and unlocked the back door from the inside, his voice dropping into a harsh, flat rumble. "Hop in."

I hesitated for a split second, my hand trembling as I gripped the cold metal handle of the car door. I wanted to pull Ella back, but she was already sliding onto the worn leather seat with a happy sigh. Not wanting to leave her alone with a total stranger, I quickly climbed into the back seat right beside her, slamming the heavy door shut behind us. The driver immediately slammed his foot on the gas pedal, and the old vehicle lurched forward with a loud squeal of the tires, kicking up a massive cloud of dust as we sped down the empty asphalt highway.

To my great surprise, the drive turned out to be incredibly short and peaceful. The man didn't try to talk to us, and he didn't take any strange, sketchy turns down hidden roads. Within just a few minutes, the old car slowed down and pulled into a small, paved parking lot. The moment the vehicle came to a complete stop in front of a row of regular shops, the heavy mountain of anxiety inside my chest finally began to melt away. My racing mind calmed down completely, and a small sigh of relief escaped my lips. I scolded myself silently for being so paranoid; at least the driver was not a bad person after all. I quickly pulled out the black card to pay the fare, and we both stepped out of the vehicle, turning our bodies toward the entrance of the building.

The place looked incredibly calm, cozy, and inviting from the outside. It wasn't too big, it wasn't too small, and it certainly wasn't too fancy or expensive-looking either. Right above the glass front doors, a bright, cheerful sign painted in bold letters read: **Rainbows Fast Foods**. The entire storefront was small and filled with a lovely mix of bright colors that made the place feel very warm. I peeked through the clear windows and noticed that there weren't many customers inside at all, just a couple of people sitting quietly in the far corner, which was exactly the kind of peaceful environment I needed right now.

We pushed the glass doors open, a little bell chiming softly above our heads to announce our arrival. We walked across the clean tiled floor and picked a quiet table near the center of the room, sliding into the comfortable booth seats opposite each other. Within seconds, a young waitress walked over and placed two large laminated food menus right in front of us. Ella immediately picked up her menu, her eyes scanning through the list of items with absolute excitement while her fingers traced the colorful pictures of the dishes. I picked up my own menu too, my stomach letting out a loud growl as I looked at the options.

The waitress approached our table a moment later, pulling out a small notepad and a pen from her pocket. A polite smile formed on her lips. "What would you like to order today, please?"

Ella paused, tilting her head to look across the table at me so I could choose first. I pointed to a picture on the shiny paper. "I will have a large bowl of strawberry ice cream and a big plate of classic American cheeseburgers with crispy French fries, please."

Ella nodded rapidly in agreement, her eyes finally settling on her own final choice as she looked back up at the waitress. "I want the exact same thing, please! Give me a plate of golden chicken tenders with extra honey mustard sauce, and a big bowl of chocolate ice cream for dessert."

The waitress quickly jotted down the details on her pad, but before she turned around to leave the table, her entire body suddenly froze. Her eyes went completely wide, her jaw dropping slightly as she stared directly at my face. It was like she had just seen a terrifying ghost standing right in front of her. She didn't move for several seconds, her eyes wide with total shock as she looked at my features. When she finally forced her feet to move toward the kitchen, she kept turning her head around, staring at me from behind with a deeply confused expression until she disappeared through the swinging doors.

Ella’s brow furrowed in total confusion, her eyes darting between me and the kitchen doors. "Why on earth is that girl staring at you like that, Fedora? It's like she knows you."

I shook my head from side to side, my own features twisting into a puzzled frown. "I honestly have absolutely no idea, Ella. I am just as completely surprised as you are right now."

A few minutes passed before the swinging doors pushed open again. The waitress walked back over to our table, carrying a large tray loaded with our hot plates and bowls of melting ice cream. She carefully dropped the food down in front of us, but instead of walking away to serve other people, she leaned closer to our table. She locked her eyes onto mine, her voice trembling with a deep, emotional warmth.

"Where on earth have you been all this time, Juliana?" she whispered, her eyes shining with tears. "It has been so incredibly long since you disappeared from this town. You promised me that you would come right back to visit us, but you never did. We have all been waiting for you to return home."

My entire body went completely stiff, and my heart froze solid inside my chest at the unfamiliar name. I pulled back slightly, my voice shaking as I tried to correct her. "Please, ma... I am so sorry, but I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about. You have the wrong person."

The waitress’s expression hardened, a look of frustration crossing her face as she shook her head stubbornly. "Stop pretending, Juliana! I know it is really you. You can't hide your face from me."

A sudden wave of anger and frustration flared up in my chest. I slammed my hands lightly on the table, my voice rising slightly. "I told you, I don't know what you are talking about! My name is not Juliana!"

The woman jumped back slightly, a look of deep embarrassment washing over her face. She touched her hand to her head, shaking her head in deep confusion. "Oh... I am so, so sorry," she stammered, dropping her eyes to the floor. "Maybe I truly mistook you for someone else. But my goodness, I swear you look exactly like her. It's like looking at a twin."

She quickly turned around and hurried back toward the kitchen counters, leaving us in a heavy silence. But before Ella or I could even digest what had just happened, the glass front doors of the restaurant were violently kicked open with a loud, deafening crash.

Three massive men dressed in solid black tactical clothes marched into the small restaurant. They were holding heavy, terrifying black guns in their hands, their large bodies looking incredibly huge, muscular, and scary under the bright ceiling lights. They moved with practiced, military precision, their faces completely covered in dark masks. The largest man standing right in the middle raised his weapon toward the ceiling, his voice booming through the quiet room like a terrifying explosion.

"On your knees, everyone! Don't anybody move a single muscle!"