The Day Our Promise Breaks

Chapter 616

This was what kept her going.

She wanted, more than anything, to see her mom again.

She just wanted to know what it was like to be loved.

The truth was, she couldn't even remember her mother's name anymore. She couldn't remember her face, either. But every time she struggled through those brutal training sessions, whenever she was about to break, a gentle voice would float through her mind, calling her "sweetheart."

"My precious girl, you're amazing," the voice would say. "Hang in there. Mommy's always with you."

That voice was pure warmth, wrapped in love so real she could almost reach out and touch it. She could feel it in her bones.

Her mom always said she was her treasure, that she couldn't lose her, that she wanted her by her side forever.

Charlie had promised—she'd stay with her mom, always.

Now, Charlie's nose tingled. Tears threatened. Her mom had loved her so much.

And she loved her mom right back.

She had to survive. She had to get home to her mom.

Charlie forced down the last bite of bread. She'd been hungry for so long, the bread barely took the edge off, but it gave her just enough strength to keep going.

Years of relentless, almost inhuman training had made Charlie's willpower unbreakable.

She braced herself and pushed up from the ground, determined to find something else to eat.

She had to keep going.

Her mom loved her that much. And now that she was gone, her mom would be heartbroken, devastated.

Charlie gritted her teeth against the pain and started walking.

She'd just stepped out of the alley when she spotted Evelyn, heading her way with two girls Charlie didn't recognize.

Their paths drew closer.

and even though the tone was different, the sound- something about it-matched the gentle voice

froze. She looked up

She saw Evelyn.

The face was unfamiliar.

eyes. She'd seen them in

voice. The

this be

the word tumbled out

loudly, but

the way, Evelyn was chatting

when, suddenly, she she heard someone shee "Mom."

in her

a second, she

10°

another one of her hallucinations, or had she

gotten used to the tricks

Charlie

her. Never truly accept

voice-at home, out in

mind playing games,

knew Charlie couldn't come back, but her heart just wouldn't

first instinct was to assume she

asked, "Evelyn, you okay?

shook her head

her a quick

then slipped her arm

okay,

Evelyn's and kept walking.

AS

Charlie stood frozen, watching