35 Xxxv Novels & Stories

But then he walks toward me. My heart races. My palms sweat. Beneath his sleeve, the Roman numeral five appears again. The same five. That can’t be possible. “Well… if it isn’t Mr. Bridge’s daughter,” he says. “Estela, right?” “Yes… sir,” I reply without meeting his gaze. “Come with me.” I follow him. His back is broad, powerful. His knuckles still bear traces of dried blood. He smells like expensive cologne… and something sweeter, thicker—maple honey.

XXX E N D

We didn’t just want to build a clinic; we wanted to create real change. As I glanced at Mrs. Narti’s dimly lit house next door, a question suddenly popped into my mind that had been swirling around without an answer. “Julien, Ratna said she’s seven years old, right?” I furrowed my brow, trying to formulate my words. “But Mrs. Narti looks… well, she’s probably over fifty. I’m just… curious. I mean, why at that age does she still have such a small child?”

Five steps. ***

Lathering begins… XXX

Besides, five minutes can’t hurt, right? XXX

She files it in the archive. She goes back to the case files. She reads year fifteen. She finds another margin note. End of Chapter Thirty-Five.

In that order. XXX

What was going on? XXX