“Phoebe, Phoebe…” Edward lunged forward, carefully lifting Phoebe into his arms, his movements soft and gentle, for fear of hurting her. “Doctor, Doctor, Phoebe’s hurt, Doctor…”
Phoebe was coughing violently, her consciousness slipping into a haze. As Edward carried her past Theodore, her eyes widened to look at him. In that instant, she felt Theodore was like a soulless marionette, hollow and frightening. She tried to get a clearer look, but her eyelids grew heavier until darkness completely engulfed her.
Vanessa watched Edward carry Phoebe away, then quickly moved to Theodore’s side, anxiously grabbing his fist that was frozen mid-air. “Theodore, you’re badly injured, let’s get you bandaged up, okay?” Theodore shook off her hand and walked away without a word.
“Theodore, Theodore…” Vanessa chased after him a few steps, then stood helplessly as he disappeared behind a wall of people. “Phoebe!” she spat out through clenched teeth, the word laced with deep-seated hatred.
*
Phoebe had a dream. She was back in her childhood, visiting her grandmother’s house in the countryside with her mother. The air was sweet and free.
She ran through the fields, wove wildflowers into crowns, and ate wild berries. Then, by chance, she wandered into the woods, where the towering trees blocked out the sun, and she feared stumbling upon wild beasts. Just as she decided to turn back, she heard a faint cry for help from within the woods. After hesitating, she mustered her courage and pushed forward.
Parting the waist-high grass, the voice grew nearer. Peering ahead, she saw a boy standing not far off, dressed in fine clothing. He appeared a few years older than her, his pale and handsome face dazzling in the sunlight. Phoebe had never seen such a beautiful boy and thought he might be an angel descended from heaven.
The boy’s eyes brightened upon seeing her. “At last, someone’s come. Little sister, please fetch some adults; I’ve stepped into an animal trap.”
Despite the grime on his face, he was still strikingly handsome. Approaching him, she saw his shiny leather boots punctured by the trap, a faint trace of blood seeping out. Kneeling by his side, she said, “You’ve hurt your foot; the trap needs to be removed.”
“Do you know how?” he asked.
“Yes, my grandfather taught me. Hang in there, I’ll get it off,” she assured him.
“Okay.”
Phoebe knelt and studied the trap, then began to pry it open. Despite finding the right technique, her small strength made it a struggle.
Exhausted and drenched in sweat, with her hands nicked by the jagged edges of the animal trap, Phoebe finally managed to pry it off and tossed it aside.
The boy sat on the ground, casting a glance at her injured hand. He pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket, took her hand, and carefully wrapped it with the cloth. “I’m so sorry, it’s my fault you got hurt.”
“It’s no big deal; I’m tough as nails and used to scrapes. But you’ve got a bum leg. How are we going to get back? We’re a long way from town.”
As dusk approached, with the uncertainty of nocturnal beasts possibly prowling, they shared a moment of silence. Phoebe then broke the quiet. “I’ll carry you to town,” she offered.
At first, the boy refused, but after persistent coaxing from Phoebe, he reluctantly agreed to let her hoist him onto her back and begin their descent.
Together they stumbled their way down, covered in grime and dirt. Upon reaching a dirt road and setting The boy down by the roadside, gasping for breath, Phoebe said, “Hang tight, kiddo. I’ll get some help. Just wait here for me, okay?” The boy watched her run off and, for reasons he couldn’t quite fathom, felt a sudden premonition that he might never see her again. He called out, “What’s your name?”
Turning back with a radiant smile, she replied, “Mia. My name is Mia.”