hope

Morana Yin had no idea how long she sat there, her body broken and battered, her mind foggy and disjointed. By the time she had accepted her reality, the sun was slowly starting to rise, casting a faint glow over the desolate alley. It was a new day, but for Morana, it felt like the end of everything she had known.

She remained still, letting the cold seep into her bones, feeling every ache, every bruise, every broken piece of Xiao Fei's body as though it were her own. It was, after all, hers now.

Slowly, she lifted her gaze to the sky, gazing up at the sliver of sky visible between the towering buildings that loomed over the alley. The once-innocent gray eyes of Xiao Fei now bore the dangerous glint of a predator.

She had been beaten, betrayed, and left to die—not once, but twice. And yet, here she was, alive when by all rights she should have been dead. Whatever force had brought her back, whatever twisted fate had placed her in the body of a broken child, it didn't matter. The world had given her another chance, and she wouldn't squander it.

Her lips curved into a slow, dangerous smile as she mused, her voice low and filled with venom, "You better be hiding."

Morana now Xiao Fei took a deep breath. She forced herself to focus, her eyes scanning the alley. It was still empty, but she could hear the faint sounds of the city beginning to wake up. The distant rumble of early traffic, the occasional bark of a stray dog, and the soft murmur of voices carried on the cool morning air.

She tried to move, gritting her teeth when she felt the sharp sting of pain that coursed through her broken body. 

Xiao Fei knew she needed help, but help wasn't coming. She was alone, abandoned to her fate in this forsaken place. 

She eyed her twisted leg and swallowed hard, her mouth dry and tasting of copper. She knew what she had to do, but the very thought of it made her stomach churn.

Another deep breath. She closed her eyes for a moment, summoning every ounce of strength and courage she had left. The memories of her training, of the life she had led in the shadows surfaced in her mind. She had been strong, ruthless, heartless even, surviving countless trials that had tested her limits. This was just another trial, another challenge she had to overcome.

She opened her eyes and forced herself to look at her leg again. With a quick, hard jerk, she forced her broken leg back into place. The pain was excruciating, a white-hot flash that threatened to make her black out. She bit down hard on her lip, blood seeping into her mouth as she fought to keep from screaming. Her hands trembled, her breath coming in shallow gasps. 

When the worst of it had passed, she leaned back against the wall, her forehead slick with sweat. 

She looked around the alley, searching for anything that could serve as a makeshift splint. Her eyes landed on a couple of wooden planks from a broken crate and a discarded old shirt. She crawled over, every movement a fresh agony, and grabbed the planks. Tearing the shirt, she used the fabric to tie the planks tightly to her leg, creating a rudimentary splint. It wasn't perfect, but it would have to do for now.

Next, she turned her attention to the other wounds that marred this body. Tearing more strips of fabric, she wrapped the deeper gashes as best as she could. It was a slow, painful process, and she had to pause several times to catch her breath and fight off the waves of nausea threatening to overwhelm her.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, she had done all she could. Her body was still a wreck, but at least the bleeding had slowed, and the broken leg was immobilized. She leaned back against the wall, closing her eyes for a moment to gather her strength.

Gritting her teeth, she pushed herself up, leaning heavily on the wall for support. She walked forward and grabbed the old discarded shirt that was hanging from the corner of the dumpster and pulled it over her head. The fabric was rough against her skin, and the shirt hung loosely, three times bigger than the small, fragile body she now inhabited. But she didn't care about the smell or the size.

Her gaze flickered once more towards the shattered mirror on the ground before she walked out of the alley.

She looked around, having no idea where she was. The buildings were dilapidated, their walls scarred with graffiti and crumbling plaster. A couple of men loitered nearby, their bodies slumped against the walls, clutching bottles of alcohol or smoking cigarettes. They glanced at her, their eyes glazed over and lost to whatever substances they had consumed.

Xiao Fei took a step back before she turned away and limped forward in the other direction. Her eyes scanned the area, looking for a place where she could find shelter.

Hours passed in a blur as she wandered the unfamiliar streets, her body growing weaker with every step. Pain gnawed at her insides, threatening to consume her with each labored breath. 

Finally, she found herself standing before the police station.

Xiao Fei hesitated, her heart pounding in her chest.

Never in a million years did she imagine she would willingly approach a police station. It went against everything she had been trained to do, everything she had believed in. 

Every instinct screamed at her to run, to hide, to avoid any interaction with law enforcement. But the logical part of her mind, the part that had kept her alive through countless dangerous situations, knew that she needed help.

This fragile, battered body of a child couldn't survive much longer on its own.

Xiao Fei steps faltered as she limped towards the entrance, her legs barely holding her weight. She pushed the door open and stumbled inside.

The bustling noise of ringing phones, shuffling papers, and murmured conversations washed over her.

Her vision blurred, dark spots danced at the edges of her sight. She staggered forward, her breaths coming in ragged gasps. The ground seemed to sway beneath her, tilting at odd angles as she fought to stay upright. And then, all at once, her legs gave out beneath her, and she collapsed onto the cold, hard ground.

"Help" she managed to croak, her throat dry and scratchy. 

Voices blended around her into an indistinct buzz. Through the haze, Xiao Fei caught the faintest glimpse of a figure standing above her.