Hilsa
A week had passed since Hilsa last saw Abel.
After the early morning flight that brought them to LA, she and the other girls had boarded a luxurious bus that would take them to the place that would be their home for the entire training program.
At first, everything seemed normal, even promising.
The plush leather seats, soft lighting, and relaxing music were a far cry from the gritty reality Hilsa had known for the past couple of months.
She had allowed herself to hope—hope that maybe, just maybe, her dream of freedom was finally taking shape.
But that had been two hours ago!
Now, her heart pounded in her chest, each beat creating more dread.
She had just watched the automatic shutters on the bus's already heavily tinted windows silently close, sealing them in.
The sudden loss of the outside world felt suffocating. It was subtle, but unsettling enough to rattle her.
