There was something in my tone that stilled her panic. Gradually, her fear faded. She met my gaze—and nodded slowly.
We sat together in silence, curled up in the shadows. But when our stomachs growled, I remembered the half-eaten baked donut I’d found earlier.
Just as I picked it up, Luna reached out and slapped it from my hand.
“Camila, it’s filthy. Don’t eat that.”
“I still have some money left. I’ll buy us something. Just wait here for me.”
I tried to grab her sleeve, to stop her—but she was already running off.
I followed her to the edge of the alley and watched helplessly as she dashed across the street into a small convenience store.
This girl… so naive. So trusting. When she came back, I’d take her someplace safer, far from here.
A few minutes later, she returned, clutching a plastic bag with a loaf of bread and two bottles of the cheapest mineral water.
She handed me the bread and twisted open a water bottle, passing it to me.
“Camila, where should we go next?”
My throat was raw from dryness. I took the bottle and drank two long gulps.
“We’ll find a place to lay low for a couple of days. They’ll be here soon.”
“Who will?” she asked.