SOME SCENES IN THIS CHAPTER MAY BE DISTURBING.
Read: "Music and content warning."

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Paris, France. March 2036.

   Nadine was sitting in one of the upper rows of the opera house, her feet resting on the railing as she read a thick handwritten book with different fonts and multiple authors. Greta had sent it to her through Rosadella, one of the most important volunteers in Pangea, where she could read all the information collected from the crisis. They were observations and theories, nothing confirmed. The sound of the pages turning was overshadowed by the joyful shouts of children playing.

   Every time she finished two pages, she would sit up to watch Wilfred, who was playing happily.

   The observation that interested her the most was the one about the children; some had been found wandering alone with just a few scratches, others being protected by drowned individuals. This observation was linked to the theory that the disease "activated" due to the total loss of endorphins and serotonin, but they didn't know why it occurred. One thing was clear: they were humans lost within the traps of their oldest instincts and a constant aggressive state. They were not monsters, but people who had lost a war against despair.
   Different scenarios were recounted by those fortunate enough to witness the transition from thinking and feeling human to a drowned one. They all spoke of situations where individuals lost something very significant to them, or they lost everything outright.

   The innocence of children prevented them from losing hope. They always found light in the worst situations, and if there was no light, they created it.

   No one in the book could explain why the drowned ones didn't harm them.

   At the end of this theory, in cursive handwriting, the signature read: "Rosadella".

   "It's just a theory, but once you start seeing the signs, you can't stop noticing them," Rosadella said, placing her hand on Nadine's shoulder.

   Nadine turned, smiling at her as she pointed to the seat beside her, inviting her to sit.

   She was a tall young woman, with dark skin and brown hair braided in different twists. Her delicate lips and thick eyebrows made her quite beautiful. She wore beige pants with many pockets, which were too big for her, and had on a thick black belt. She wore an old purple sweatshirt. Underneath, she had on a white sleeveless shirt.

   "When Greta gave me the book to write down everything I knew, I started writing, and the words just flowed. All that information was right here," Rosadella continued, tapping her index finger on her temple. "This writing helped a lot of people understand things they had witnessed. They said that reading my words made them feel like my theory made sense of their experiences."

   In response, Nadine told her about what she had witnessed in Burgundy, the mother who had lost her child, losing everything that characterized her as human the very next second.

   "Write it down," Rosadella replied, with a slight sideways smile.

   "What?"

   "Yes, that's what the book is for. Everyone who passes through here must read it and write down everything they can. Greta takes it to Iceland, and there they gather all the information... we already have hundreds of these."

   "...Greta comes and goes constantly, doesn't she?" Nadine asked as she turned sideways to face Rosadella. She observed her features attentively.

   "Yes, she takes the children and the elderly to the shelter. Then she travels between headquarters. You were lucky to show up just when she was around here, meeting her is a pleasure..."

   An explosion of laughter distracted them from the conversation for a moment. With a smile, they looked down, then continued:

   "The journey worries me. I know I can't go with Wilfred, I know I would be taking the place of a child. Still, I'm afraid to part from him, even though we'll see each other again at the shelter... even though that was always the plan, it terrifies me. I think my family is at the shelter, but first I have to look for someone else," Nadine let out a sigh, followed by a sheepish smile. "I'm not sure, but something tells me they're in Paris."

   "Antonia. Right?"

   "Yes..." Nadine responded, puzzled. "How do you know about her?"

   "Wilfred told me how much you've talked about her..."

   Nadine's cheeks turned red from one moment to the next, eliciting laughter from the other girl. And she didn't understand why, but she had the impulse to confess that everything had ended with Antonia.

   "Your little friend made it clear to me that your heart already belonged to someone..." Rosadella continued as she stood up, then leaned over towards Nadine, placing her hands on the back of the seat. Nadine's body tensed with nerves. "A pity, sweetheart. You could have stayed as a volunteer... with me."

   With that said, she handed Nadine a pencil, turned around, and left. Leaving her alone with her thoughts and the book. Nadine watched her go, unable to suppress a smile. She also didn't know how long she stood there staring at the hallway where the young woman had left. She shook her head in confusion when she realized she had spent the last few minutes thinking about Rosadella. She made an effort to focus on the notebook.

   Two uninterrupted hours took her to write down everything she had observed. Upon finishing, she reread what she had written. Shouts interrupted her, and she could hear someone calling her name. With a leap, she stood up and looked down desperately, searching for Wilfred.
Amidst the crowd, she couldn't find him, but she spotted a place where children were starting to gather around something on the ground. Adults were already running towards there.

   In just a minute, Nadine was downstairs, jumping between chairs, dodging children, her eyes brimming with tears. Desperately but carefully pushing aside the children, she found Wilfred lying unconscious on the ground, trembling slightly.

   "Leonardo!" Nadine shouted desperately, taking the boy into her arms; he felt warm. She stretched her neck, searching for Leonardo.

   He had already moved aside the children, letting the girl through. Running ahead of her, he showed her the shortest way to the infirmary. In the hallways, the volunteers stood aside, allowing passage, with closed eyes and bowed heads. In a silent prayer. This only increased Nadine's nervousness.

   Wilfred's arms hung at the sides of his body; Nadine could feel how little he weighed. Worry grew more than ever in her chest.

   Already in the room prepared for the medical team, Nadine sat on the floor, hugging her legs, her eyes closed, and her head resting against the wall. As they examined Wilfred, who was no longer convulsing but still not waking up, Nadine recalled their first day at Pangea.

   They had first examined Wilfred, then Nadine. While the boy met his new friends, the medical team informed her:

   "Nadine, your malnutrition is severe, but it's nothing a good diet can't fix. On the other hand, Wilfred... we believe a bacterium has seriously infected him: Escherichia coli. It's very common from consuming spoiled food. We can't confirm it as we don't have the equipment, but the symptoms match. We believe we're in time to help him, you've mentioned you've never seen blood in his vomit or stool, that's a good sign. However, there will be lasting effects..."

   In her memory, the medical staff took turns explaining to her, reassuring her. Her hand began to tremble violently upon receiving the bad news.

   "I know it's not pleasant to hear, but we can't lie to you. There's a chance he'll pull through, make sure he drinks fluid constantly, keep checking for blood. As long as we're vigilant, and his mood and energy remain as they are now, he'll be okay."

   She ran her trembling hand through her hair as she sobbed. It took her a while to hear Leonardo calling her sweetly. Without getting up from the floor, she opened her eyes and looked at him, expecting the worst. He knelt before her and took her hands.

   "He's awake, which is a good sign, but he's delirious due to the fever. They've sent me to talk to you while they finish examining him... come with me, please."

   In a complete state of shock, Nadine followed him into the next room, which was locked. It was completely empty, with no windows, just a single door. The walls were painted a dull, sad sky blue.

   Terrified, she turned around to face Leonardo. The man stood with his back to her, closing the door again.

   "What is this, Leonardo?" she said, her eyes overflowing with tears.

   As he drew a weapon, with an apologetic expression, he replied:

   "I promise it's just a tranquilizer dart. I'm truly sorry, we don't want to make you go through any worse than you already are, but we have to follow protocol for everyone's safety, including yours."

   "What the hell are you talking about?! Let me out of here now!" Nadine moved frantically around the room. With the same calm tone, Leonardo responded:

   "I just need to tell you something, and then I'll take you to Wilfred..."

   At the mention of the name, the girl stopped, more composed, tears streaming uncontrollably down her cheeks, she asked:

    "Since when do you need to be armed just to talk?"

   Leonardo looked down and swallowed hard, meeting her eyes again as he said:

   "The doctors believe Wilfred's illness has progressed; they think he has hemolytic-uremic syndrome. The symptoms are very similar to Escherichia coli... the problem is we don't have the necessary equipment to treat it. We don't know if he'll survive; we can help him, but we don't know how damaged his body is on the inside and if he'll be able to recover," Leonardo finished, armed but not pointing the weapon at her, but ready for anything.

   Nadine fell to her knees, breathing heavily. Impotence fueled a new wave of tears; she sobbed uncontrollably. Leonardo now aimed at her, but he only waited. After a few minutes, he holstered the weapon and knelt in front of her, embracing her.

   "I'm sorry, truly. I'm so, so sorry," he repeated, holding her tighter. "We can't allow anyone to turn into a drowned one in here. I hope you understand..."

   Minutes passed; they both talked and calmed down. They went back to the room where Rosadella was waiting for them. Seeing Nadine's unchanged expression triggered relief. Without thinking, she hugged her and whispered words of encouragement. Nadine wrapped her arms around her and buried her face in her neck; her scent comforted her. Together they entered the infirmary, the doctors left them alone. Rosadella stayed in a corner of the room, while Nadine approached the bed uncertainly.

   Wilfred was covered with a sky-blue blanket, but it was brighter than the walls. He seemed smaller than ever, his paleness tugging at anyone's heartstrings. The young woman silently gave him a gentle kiss on the forehead; in response, the boy opened his eyes and placed both hands on her cheeks.

   "Hi."

   "Hi." Nadine replied, with a sad smile.

   "I'm scared." They kept the conversation in whispers, their foreheads touching and the boy's hands still on her face.

   "I know, me too. But everything will get better, you'll see."

  "How will we play now?"

  "Don't worry about that, you just focus on resting. I'll take care of everything, and do you see our great friend?" Nadine said as they both turned towards Rosadella, who smiled in response. The boy and the girl had built a strong bond. "She'll help me take care of you."

   Wilfred was about to respond when he suddenly vomited, blood covering the sheets in a dark, thick red. Rosadella quickly went to fetch the doctors. Nadine wiped the boy's mouth, tucked him in, and stood beside him, silently watching him sleep.

Paris, France. March 2035.

   "Good morning." Nadine gave Antonia small kisses all over her face, trying to wake her gently. "Mon amour*..."

   "Someone's in a good mood today," Antonia said, still sleepy.

   "I just spoke with my parents, they're already packing their bags. They'll leave for the shelter next week."

   "Really? That's great news!" Antonia sat up and hugged her. "How is your mother?"

   "She's been better; she's in pain. But she insists that when they return, everything will be fine, just a bit neglected. The important thing is that they'll be safe," Nadine sighed in relief and continued, "Shall we go out tonight to celebrate?..."

   The proposition caught Antonia off guard, and nervously she responded:

   "I thought Triangle Rose was closed for the holidays..."

   "Yes, it is, but for once we could go to your favorite bar. Lately, you only want to go to the same place."

   Silence.

   "Antonia..." Nadine continued. "Does this have anything to do with our relationship? We don't have to make it public if you're not ready; I won't pressure you."

   "No, no, I'm sorry. You're right; let's go to the pub around the corner."

   "Antonia..."

   "Really, it's okay, I'm overreacting. It's just a bit embarrassing for me, but people don't really care."

   "You don't have to do it if you're not ready."

   "I'm ready! Okay?" She kissed her and looking into her eyes said more to herself, "Everything will be fine; it's just a party. We've been to thousands."

   "I love you."

   "I love you too."

   Between kisses, laughter, and caresses, pieces of clothing were discarded. Awkwardly, they got under the covers together. Antonia's lack of experience with women, and Nadine's lack of experience in general, was no obstacle at all. After all, love conquers ignorance.

Paris, France. March 2036.

   "Have you gone crazy? You can't go out at night," Rosadella said.

   Nadine stood before her, bundled up from head to toe. She had gone to her room to ask for the key to the front door. It was pitch black outside, everyone was asleep. Wilfred was resting in his room in the infirmary, a nurse (a friend of Rosadella's) was taking care of him.

   "I didn't ask for your opinion. I just want you to give me your key and stay with Wilfred for the night."

   "Oh, sure! No problem. I'll offer you my services and do you favors. But heaven forbid I express an opinion," Rosadella replied sarcastically. She stood up facing Nadine. "Where are you going?"

   "I'm going to get supplies."

   "You're lying."

   They stared at each other in silence.

   "You already know where I'm going."

   "I want you to say it," Rosadella remained serious but was actually having fun, trying to distract Nadine from her troubles for a while. It seemed to be working, as Nadine's eyes sparkled when they met hers.

   Nadine sighed and finally said:

   "I'm going to get the medication."

   "There's none left; the pharmacies are empty."

   "You're lying," Nadine raised an eyebrow. "There's something you're not telling me."

   "Exactly so you don't do stupid things like what you're trying to do."

   Upon this response, Nadine pushed Rosadella against the wall, placing her arms on either side of her face, preventing her from escaping.

   "I'm going to do it anyway. If you tell me, we simplify things," getting closer to her, arching her eyebrows, Nadine finished in a whisper, "Please..."

    Rosadella laughed at the girl's approach.

   "I was going to tell you anyway... I just wanted you to beg me," she whispered back. With a decisive move, she reversed the roles, leaving Nadine with her back against the wall this time. She raised her eyebrows in surprise when she felt Nadine's gaze fixed on her lips.

   She took her face in her hands and gave her a small kiss; her surprise increased when she felt Nadine pulling her closer. It was just a few brief seconds, but they felt precious.
   Rosadella pulled away. Nadine tried to calm her pulse as Rosadella walked towards her belongings, pretending to be calm as she said:

   "Pangea took all the medication it could, leaving pamphlets with the address of the headquarters in its place." She rummaged through her things. "The problem was that most of the pharmacies were already empty; they followed the trail and discovered that a large group of people was ingesting all the drugs they could find; combinations they came up with on the spot, they didn't think about it. Luckily, their minds are burned enough not to reason that we here have more... sorry, had."

   "I don't understand; do the drowned ones also consume drugs now? I didn't see anything about that in the book."

   Rosadella turned with the key in hand and laughed, saying:

   "No, sweetheart, not the drowned ones. I wish it were so. They're just ordinary people who, before the pandemic, had nothing left to lose. No goals or aspirations in life. What hope are they going to lose if their lives are based on putting crap into their bodies?"

   "Where do I find them?"

   "I don't know..."

   "Come on, stop lying!"

   "I said I don't know!... God! Relax, don't yell at me. I don't know anything else. I just know that they have wild parties day and night. Leonardo found one a while back, he barely made it out alive. The things he told us he saw are really unpleasant."

   She handed Nadine the key, Nadine took it but remained still. Rosadella sighed and finally promised her:

   "Go on, I'll stay with Wilfred until you come back. Okay? Because you'll come back, you won't do anything stupid." She smiled and winked. "Be careful, sweetheart."

   On her way out, Nadine thanked her and said:

   "After all, one way or another, humans always end up being the worst scum."

• ────── ✾ ────── • 

   A week later after going out every night in search of these parties, Nadine stood watching the windows of her old university. The interior of the campus was illuminated by the light of thousands of candles, and she could see many bodies moving to the rhythm of two overlapping songs, which was truly irritating. The repugnant smell reached her from outside.

   She approached the door stealthily, covering her face from the eyes down with an old scarf belonging to Rosadella. Carefully watching her step, she climbed the stairs following the sound of the music. As she reached the third floor, she could see the light at the end of the staircase. The pungent odor filled the air, and different sounds intimidated her for a moment. She closed her eyes, thinking of Wilfred, thinking that if he didn't get well soon, he wouldn't be able to go to the shelter. She didn't know when the next transport of refugees would be, and she couldn't afford to waste time.

  She continued on her way, and when she reached the end of the staircase, she understood what Rosadella meant.

   At each end of the hallway, there were two groups of people with dirty instruments, playing random melodies at high volume. The place was packed, people of all genders and ages danced as if in a trance. Others lay on the floor, and Nadine couldn't tell if they were alive or dead. In the corners, indiscernible hordes of people engaged in sex, very, too noisily... Or maybe they were fighting; it wasn't pleasant to see, so she decided to leave it unresolved.The whole atmosphere had a strange reddish haze; Nadine couldn't decipher where it was coming from, so she simply held the scarf tightly over her nose.

   She slowly made her way through the crowd, looking into every corner for something that might resemble medication. As she progressed, sweat covered her body, and an infernal heat threatened to make her faint, so she had to discard her coat. Finally, at the end of the hallway, she spotted a group of people sitting on the floor, constantly bending over something and taking it from each other's hands. Remaining inconspicuous was quite easy; everyone was in their own world.

   When she finally saw what was on the floor, she discovered that it was indeed medication: small items that didn't produce much effect on their own but, mixed with empty stomachs full of alcohol, had a significant impact. Especially if they were expired.

   She stood there, watching them, trying to figure out how to take what she needed from them without dying in the process. Before an idea came to her, they started fighting among themselves. Many joined the fight without knowing its origin, and even those who started it weren't sure why they were fighting.

   It was her chance. Quickly, she crouched down and began to gather everything she could into her pockets. When there was nothing left to collect, she stood up to leave, but in the confusion of the fight, she found herself being pushed against the window, and it shattered instantly. She could feel her body floating; she didn't see surviving the fall backwards from three floors. She was already resigned to her fate when a hand grabbed her clothes tightly.

   A man with a hood stood on the edge of the window sill, balancing his body with great precision as he leaned backward to avoid falling. Nadine took the man's hand; it was cold. She began to pull him forward.

   When her feet touched the floor of the room again, she looked at him. She couldn't see his face, it was covered as hers was, but by something bulkier. In his green eyes, she could see deep anguish. Before she could say a word, he withdrew, seeming to search for something.

   After all, every person fought their own battles. And in such a corrupt world, sometimes one was lucky enough to encounter other people who still retained goodness within them.

   In her mind, Nadine wished him luck on his journey to that stranger, and without dwelling on it, she headed for the exit, passing again through the mass of people dancing. The candles cast eerie shadows on the walls, often falling and burning someone. In the distance, she could already see the stairs, but someone grabbed her shoulders.

   This person danced, gripping her tightly and shaking her to the rhythm of music that only played in their head. She tried to free herself, but the more she moved, the tighter they dug their fingers into her shoulders. Without thinking too much, she took out the knife she carried and stabbed them in the shoulder. They released her instantly. Nadine kept moving forward, but she was grabbed again, this time by her prosthetic arm. She could see in the muscles of the attacker's arms that they were squeezing her tightly, but she couldn't feel it.

   With a scream of fury, she stabbed him again, this time in the stomach. Her attacker's eyes widened in fear and surprise, he tried to stop the bleeding with his hands. Nadine was surprised at the amount of blood. In a few seconds, he fell to the ground, his life extinguished. She, frightened, looked around. No one cared about the corpse among them or the blood that flowed. She understood why they were called The Lost. With disgust, she made her way to the stairs. Before leaving, she turned around and surveyed the scene. She wanted one last look to make sure there were no more medications to steal.Slowly, she scanned the hellish scene, stopping when she saw a figure sitting in a corner of the room.

   Her blonde hair with large curls caught Nadine's attention.

   She couldn't see her face, she was barely a few meters away. She walked towards the doorway, where there weren't as many people, just a dozen or so. With fear, she approached and reached out, almost touching her. This time she was interrupted by a prick in her leg. She looked down: a teenage girl looked up at her from the ground, sticking a syringe into her leg as she smiled toothlessly.

   "Now we're friends!" she yelled.

   Nadine's response was to kick her off of her. She automatically started to feel weak, her legs were shaking. She fell on her knees in front of that young woman with curls, and with great effort called her:

  "Antonia!"

   Antonia looked up and observed her. For what felt like an eternity, she was able to lose herself again in those eyes that she loved so much and that she hadn't seen in so long, only in dreams. The last thing she could see before fainting was someone pulling Antonia's hair with great violence.

Paris, France. March 2035.

   Already at the pub, Antonia and Nadine remained seated at the bar. Antonia was quiet, but she accepted Nadine's subtle caresses without problem.

   "Hey, look! There's Marcus, let's go say hello," said Nadine. The idea did not convince Antonia, but she followed it anyway.

   They went through the crowd to Antonia's group of friends, they were not close, but they went out partying many times. They happily welcomed the two girls, mentioning that it was nice to find them there, since they hadn't seen them in a while. Antonia's shyness disappeared after a while.
   Everyone was dancing in the center of the floor, in a group, but at the same time as a couple. Antonia and Nadine danced close to each other, as they had done even before they became a couple.

   Marcus approached with more glasses, Antonia was about to grab one, but Nadine didn't think it was a good idea. She gently tried to dissuade her, but the Spanish woman's staggering drunkenness caused all the drink to fall on Nadine's clothes.

   "I'm sorry!" She had drowned her shame and nerves in alcohol, now she couldn't think in a straight line.

   "It's okay, don't worry," Nadine responded, as she covered her chest, crossing her arms, the wet shirt beginning to show through and stick to her body. She felt naked and really uncomfortable. "Can we go home now?"

   "Just relax!" She held the glass to her lips until Nadine finished it. Antonia whispered in her ear and said: "You look beautiful like this..."

   Slowly, Nadine's embarrassment and nerves went to the same place Antonia's had gone.

   It was already late, they didn't feel their bodies from dancing so much, but they didn't feel tired either. It was beginning to dawn, so the DJ was giving it his all.

   Antonia began to dance slowly around Nadine, both of them were completely drunk. The drums of the song beat furiously. From one moment to the next Antonia began to dance alone, walking away. She gently turned on her axis, moving her hips and shoulders, while she raised her arms. Nadine looked at her with loving eyes, she approached her, taking her waist and when Antonia lowered her arms, she placed them on her shoulders.

   Nadine kissed her. But Antonia did not respond to the kiss, she was stunned, and to her desperation she pushed it away from her. The people around her looked at them curiously.

   "What are you doing?!" Antonia shouted disoriented, avoiding Nadine's gaze. With the back of her hand she wiped her mouth.

   "What are you doing?!" Nadine let out a sigh, trying not to get angry, she tried to take Antonia's hand while she begged her to go home.

   "Let go!" She violently pushed her hand away from her, while in terror she watched the people around her. Her gaze met Nadine's, with her glassy eyes watching her with disappointment.

   She tried to get closer, repeating once again that she wanted to go home, this time gently taking Antonia's face in her hands. She was automatically rejected. Antonia pushed her really furiously, causing Nadine to fall to the ground on her back. She disappeared into the crowd, without looking back.

   Still on the floor, Nadine felt her cell phone vibrate in her purse. She took it and read the screen. The name of her sister made his blood run cold. She ran out of the bar at the same time she answered the call. Indecipherable noises and rapid breathing greeted her.

   "Triana, what's wrong?! Where are you?!"

   "We have to go!" The poor reception disconnected the call from time to time and the sounds came out intermittently. "Nadine!..."

   "Where are mom and dad?! What's going on?!" Nadine was shouting in the bar parking lot, it was dawn, but big clouds hid the sun.

   "... it's late!" Triana cried into her cell phone. "Pangea!"

   And the call was cut off. Desperate Nadine called again, again and again. The number was not available. Almost twenty minutes of fighting later, her cell phone ended up losing coverage and starting to fail. With a muffled scream she threw the phone as far as she could, as it fell it disarmed and the screen exploded. She returned to the bar sobbing, and little by little, it began to empty. She took her coat looking for Antonia, she needed her more than ever. One song later, she managed to spot it.

   She stood motionless and watched her at the bar, on the other side of the establishment. The people passing between them cut off her vision, but she could clearly see how Antonia and that stranger kissed her, while she ran her hands through his hair, he took her waist with both hands. and lowered them slowly.

   The pain in her chest was oppressive, she felt punctures that took her breath away. Heartbroken he called her:

Paris, France. March 2036.

   "Antonia!" Nadine woke up in the middle of the party. The night was coming to an end, the heat becoming more suffocating by the second.

   Her head was throbbing, she was very thirsty, she couldn't see clearly, but she did hear her scream.

   With difficulty she sat up, looking where she could hear Antonia, but her vision was too blurry to know what was happening. Due to her injection, memories of her from the last night she saw Antonia were mixed in her mind with the present.

   "Antonia!" Nadine shouted, walking towards the bar.

   Startled, Antonia turned around and looked at her. She started babbling.

   As she crawled she was able to regain her vision, she met Antonia's gaze, she cried desperately and screamed, trying to get a man off of her, who was tearing off her clothes.

   She desperately tried to help her, but she couldn't move her body's limbs properly. With superhuman strength she tried not to vomit or think, her body hurt everywhere. She could feel the blood running between her legs, which were in ruins, with cigarette burns and cuts. She was crying frantically.

   She dragged her body towards the man, tried to push him.

   She furiously pushed the door of the bar, followed by Antonia who in her whispers asked her to please listen to her. Nadine ignored her, until she couldn't take it anymore and she screamed on the sidewalk, catching the attention of the people smoking outside the bar.

   "Why the fuck are you whispering?!" She turned around and faced her: "Don't you want people to know that you're with me, or what kind of trash you are?!"

   "That's unfair," Antonia continued to whisper as tears fell down her cheeks.

   "Unfair? You are unfair, Antonia! I trusted you, I clung to you for three damn years... Then you come, confuse me and make me believe in a love that you are not brave enough to live!"

   "I just need more time..."

   "I'm not your experiment to discover... if you're heterosexual or not!"

   Antonia quickly looked around her, then looked at Nadine with hatred in her eyes.

   The man did not let go, he attacked Antonia without paying attention to Nadine who was pulling him with little force.

   "Let her go!" she screamed, desperate.

   Antonia was no longer screaming, she simply looked at Nadine while tears fell silently down her cheeks. Her gaze seemed to get lost, and the color of her eyes disappeared. Nadine understood what was happening, she had to act right then and there or she would convert right there.
   With trembling fingers she took the knife from her pants and began to climb up the man's back. The way the three of them were shaking, for different reasons, made this difficult. But Nadine could feel how little by little the blood was returning to its normal flow through her body.

   "I'm going to Burgundy, my family..." Nadine was interrupted by crying. Given Antonia's silence in the bar parking lot, she had remembered the call from her family. "I can't do this now, I need you..."

   "Shut up," Antonia said coldly, as tears ran down her makeup. Be quiet! I don't want to hear you, I don't want to see you. I do not want to know anything about you! You've ruined my fucking life, you know?

   "That is not true."

   "I have never been more sincere in my life."

   "We can fix this, now I just have to go to Burgundy and when I get back..."

   "There is nothing to fix... I have many memories of decisions I have made, which disgust every cell of my being, but nothing, believe me, nothing!, gives me the chills that thinking about being with you gives me."

   "Go to hell..." Nadine's words could barely be understood over her crying.

   "I'm trying to get away from there!"

   The man began to shake harder, while he babbled meaningless things. In desperation, Nadine grabbed onto his hair and slashed his throat in a long, deep slash. Automatically, his blood began to gush furiously onto Antonia's half-naked body. This snapped her out of her trance and returned the color to her eyes with a gasp.

   Clumsily, the man began to fall backwards, crushing Nadine and releasing Antonia instantly. The party continued as if nothing had happened.

   That night, Nadine tried to book the train ticket to Burgundy online, but neither the internet nor the computer worked. On the spot she began to quickly pack a suitcase with the essentials, but her sleep beat her halfway. Hours later she woke up, confused she looked at the suitcase. She closed it and stood up. Today's hangover reminded her of yesterday's alcohol. Which she reminded Antonia of.

   She looked up and exhaustedly looked at Antonia's side of the room: completely empty, the only thing she had left was the photograph of Nadine's family, where on the other side was the drawn sketch. Antonia had taken it to make the painting, she had also taken it with her. The girl took the drawing from the bed, folded it in four parts and put it in her pocket and left for the train station. Forgetting on her own bed the map that she had prepared the night before.

   Antonia took the lifeless man's body off of her. She was completely lost, her pupils were dilated and multiple bruises could be seen on her arms where different needles had been pricked. It took Nadine a second to react, Antonia's state was devastating, her frizzy hair was lifeless and her entire body looked like she was about to break. She was completely covered in blood, her own and someone else's. Nadine took her face in her hands, both of them were breathing hard. Raising her eyebrows she observed her eyes carefully, Antonia's gaze expressed pain and love.

   Nadine sighed in relief, she had almost lost it in her own eyes. She didn't think she could recover from seeing Antonia transformed into a drowned person.

   Enduring the pain she stood up, she helped Antonia do the same, wrapping her arm around the back of her partner, who shuffled her feet and struggled to keep her head up. Nadine pushed her way through the people, pushing them with her prosthetic. She could feel how multiple hands were trying to grab them, touching them and digging their nails into them. Nadine couldn't hear the music, or the people, she could only hear Antonia's breathing.

   Crawling, they managed to reach the Pangea headquarters, where the staircase outside was the biggest challenge. When Nadine entered, she began to scream for help, Antonia needed medical attention immediately.

   Three young people approached and began to take Antonia in her arms, while asking Nadine questions, but she couldn't hear them... Someone was watching her on the landing of the grand staircase. She looked up and saw her.

   Standing in a complete mess was Rosadella. She was crying uncontrollably, trying to gesture some phrase without success.

   "No, no no!" Nadine began to repeat, as she ran up the stairs to the infirmary followed by Rosadella, who was shouting things that Nadine did not understand.

   When she entered the infirmary she could see how the doctors pounced on Wilfred's small body, he was convulsing violently. Nadine's screams alerted two of the volunteers who took her by her arms and began to carry her towards that desolate empty room.

   Locked in, she screamed heartbreakingly for Wilfred, with the medicines in hand, banging on the door again and again. On the other side, Rosadella, with a tranquilizer in her hand, was crying with her forehead resting on the door.

   The last thing Nadine could see before being locked up was how life was escaping from Wilfred's eyes, they looked at her empty; as his lifeless body breathed its last, remaining motionless, as the blood gushing from his nose stained his plush crab.

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*Mon amour: "my love" in French.