CHAPTER 3

The night was cold and too quiet.

My shoes clicked on the dry road as I walked home slowly, the sky looked heavy, dark, and ready to rain again.

Kelvin’s business card was still in my hand..i looked at it for a long time before putting it in my pocket.

I didn’t even know why I kept it, maybe because, for once, someone spoke to me kindly aside my parents.

I sighed and wrapped my arms around myself, walking faster.

But something didn’t feel right.

The air suddenly felt thick, my chest grew tight, and it was hard to breathe.

Then the ringing started again inside my head.

Soft at first.

Then louder.

A small voice whispered,

“Mommy… I’m scared.”

I stopped walking.

My heart jumped.

“No, not now,” I whispered. “Please, not again.”

My hands shook, my vision started to blur, I tried to walk, but my legs felt weak and the world started to spin,I could feel sweat on my forehead, even though the night was cold.

“Stop… please…”

The voice grew louder, crying, echoing inside my head.

Before I could take another breath, everything went black.

When I opened my eyes, I wasn’t myself anymore.

The ground felt cold under my bare feet…The buildings looked taller, the cars bigger.

I looked down at my hands small, soft, and tiny.

I touched my face and hair.

I wasn’t Rose anymore.

I was her.

Susy.

But I wasn’t gone.

I was trapped inside, watching everything through her eyes, i couldn’t move, I couldn’t speak.

It felt like being tied to a chair inside my own head, screaming with no sound.

Susy stood in the middle of the empty road, looking around with big, frightened eyes.

Tears ran down her cheeks as she whispered,

“Mommy… where are you?”

Headlights appeared from a distance, a car slowed beside her.

A woman stepped out, her face gentle and kind.

“Sweetheart,” she said softly, “what are you doing out here all alone?”

Susy looked up, crying. “I… I don’t know…”

“It’s okay,” the woman said, bending down “You can come with me I’ll take you somewhere safe.”

I wanted to scream No! Don’t go with her! I’m not a little girl! you cannot just trust anyone!

But I couldn’t.

Susy’s small hand slid into the woman’s, and I had no control.

The woman took it gently, and just like that, we were gone.

The police station smelled like paper and coffee, the lights were bright, almost too bright.

Susy sat on a small wooden chair, hugging her knees, staring at the floor.

A police officer came closer, crouching down beside her.

“Hey there, little one,” he said gently.

“What’s your name?”

“Susy,” she whispered.

“Do you know your mom’s phone number?”

She shook her head.

Inside, I screamed. Call Mom! Please, call Mom!

The officer looked down at her hand and saw something a small, crumpled business card.

He picked it up, smoothed it out, and read aloud.

“Kelvin Halt…?” He frowned a little,“Is this your dad?”

My stomach turned. No… don’t call him, please not him.

But the officer had already walked off and picked up the phone.

He dialed the number.

Minutes later, the door opened.

A tall man walked in wearing a black shirt, his face looked worried, then softened when he saw her.

Kelvin Halt.

The officer waved him over. “Mr. Halt, this little girl was found outside holding your business card, do you know her?”

Kelvin crouched down slowly, looking at her face.

“Hey,” he said quietly. “Are you okay?”

Susy sniffled “I’m scared.”

“You’re safe now,” he said gently “I’ll make sure nothing happens to you okay.”

Inside, I wanted to scream,I’m Rose your junior secretary! But I couldn’t.

He didn’t see me... Only her.

He looked at the card, then back at her.

“You were holding this?”

Susy nodded.

“Okay,” he said softly. “We’ll find your family.”

He smiled a little. “Do you know your mom’s phone number?”

I screamed in my head again. Call Mom! Please!

And somehow, Susy listened… She whispered a number quietly.

Kelvin leaned closer, repeating it carefully.

“Got it,” he said, and he called.

After a few seconds, a woman’s voice came through the phone shaking, scared.

“Hello?”

“Is this Susy mum?” Kelvin asked. “We found a little girl lost in the street, and she gave us this number.”

There was a long pause, then a cry.

“Yes! That’s my daughter! I’m coming right now!”

Mom came running into the station not long after, her hair was messy, and her face was full of tears.

When she saw Susy, she froze.

“Rose…” she whispered, her voice breaking.

The officer looked at her. “Ma’am, is this your daughter?”

“Yes,” she said quickly, rushing forward. “Yes, she’s my baby.”

She dropped to her knees and hugged Susy tightly, i could feel her arms around me, her heart was beating fast, her hands shaking.

Inside, I wanted to cry too, but I couldn’t, I was trapped.

Mommy… I was scared,” Susy said in a small voice.

Mom brushed her hair and kissed her head “I know, baby... Mommy’s here now, You’re safe.”

She’s not your mummy you silly child I said in my head.

Kelvin stood a few steps away, watching quietly, he didn’t say much he just handed Mom the business card again.

“Keep it,” he said. “If anything happens, call me.”

Mom nodded, her eyes full of tears. “Thank you… thank you so much.”

Kelvin gave a small nod, then turned away slowly.

Outside, the night was still cold, the wind blew hard as Mom carried Susy to the car she held her close and whispered,

“Mommy’s got you now.”

I watched the city lights pass by through the window, the world looked blurry and far away.

And right then, I knew this curse was worse than I ever thought.

It wasn’t just the faces.

It wasn’t just the voices.

It took me… my body, my voice, my soul.

Now, I was trapped inside her, watching and waiting.

And not knowing if I would ever come back again.