TheThe night is quiet, and everyone is already asleep while I blankly stare at the mattress above me, replaying the scene in the cafeteria over and over again in my mind. Should I have said something different? Was it wrong to think that way? It isn’t the best idea to bring it up just a day before we have to face those creatures; perhaps they fear that they can’t rely on me. Which, of course, is ridiculous. If my sister were here with me, she would stand up for me immediately. When we were kids, we explored many places near our hometown and would have had to depend on each other if anything had happened in that peaceful town. But there were truly no dangers for children there; everyone was kind to one another. The crime rate was below average, especially in the villages on the west side of the city, where I grew up, compared to the city in the middle of the island.

I remember how Molly and I spent many wonderful days fishing at the bay or strolling through the streets, never having to worry about being kidnapped or anything like that. We often visited Joe's Bakery, where the old, kind-hearted baker always gave us free cream buns that we ate in front of his shop or while walking. Or that one time we invited the whole neighbourhood over to celebrate New Year’s. Milly and I would then sit on our balcony to watch the colourful fireworks light up the sky while eating watermelon – a treat made possible because it was summer for us while others experienced winter at that time of year.

These and many other memories filled my childhood, and they are precious. It feels strange to witness the place that was once so peaceful, my home, becoming so treacherous. I can feel the tears welling up in my eyes as I recall those happy times that can’t be relived. I curl up at the bottom of the loft bed. My eyes slowly grow heavier with each tick of the clock above the dorm door until they finally close.