Chapter 3 - Eyes in the Dark
The harsh ring light mounted to Arthur’s counter reflected in Lily’s eyes like tiny twin moons. ""I... I just wanted lunch for my sister,"" she whispered, the exact words from yesterday escaping her lips like a script she hadn't agreed to memorize. The customers erupted into soft coos, several people clapping.
Arthur smiled warmly, but his hand gripped Lily’s shoulder with a firm, guiding pressure that felt entirely unnatural. ""That's right, folks! The link to support these little angels is pinned in the bio!"" he announced to the lens before finally cutting the feed. The moment the live stream ended, Arthur’s wide smile vanished into a weary sigh, replaced by the mechanical indifference of a busy worker. He turned to the register without asking how Mia was feeling or where their mother was.
Lily didn't take the pastries. She grabbed two cartons of whole milk, a loaf of sliced bread, and a jar of peanut butter, sliding a crisp twenty-dollar bill Arthur had handed her from the donations across the counter. Without waiting for change, she grabbed Mia’s wrist and hurried out into the chill of the morning.
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The streets felt narrower today. Every passerby with a smartphone seemed to glance in their direction, eyes lingering on Lily’s recognizable lilac knit sweater. She pulled her hood over her head, guiding Mia through an alleyway shortcut to avoid the main boulevard.
Halfway down the alley, the low purr of an engine echoed behind them. Lily glanced over her shoulder. The black sedan from earlier was crawling slowly down the narrow passage, moving no faster than a walking pace. Inside, through the windshield, Lily caught a glimpse of a woman holding a tablet displaying a paused frame of Lily’s face. The passenger door clicked open.
