ISLA'S POV:

Loralai seemed like she was going to die before she gave up on finding her brother.

She dragged me through the outskirts of the town. She only hesitated every now and then. I assumed this was because she saw someone that looked like Oliker, but she continued on anyway.

This continued for what felt like hours to me--but probably wasn't--before Loralai suddenly stopped with a sigh.

A tugging on the rope told me she had sat down.

"What's lost should stay lost..." Loralai said hopelessly.

"No!" I snapped, "We can't lose hope! You wanted to find your brother so badly that you dragged me into this city in the middle of nowhere! I am not going back until we find him. I won't let you have dragged me out here for no reason!"

Loralai didn't move.

"Come on, now Loralai. We need to find Oliker, right? And we're not gonna find him by sitting here doing nothing."

"Find Oliker?" A third voice said.

The voice was slightly raspy, like it didn't speak often. However, it seemed young. Like... 15. And it was definitely male.

"What?" Loralai said.

"You two are looking for Oliker, yeah? That's what you said?" the voice said.

"You were listening to our conversation?" Loralai snapped.

"No conversation is truly private. Not in this town anyways. You have to be wary of what you say in broad daylight, you know. Anyone could be listening."

"Okay, shortie, keep lecturing us. We're gonna go find Oliker, now bye," Loralai wasted no time with this person.

"Something tells you haven't been in the town before."

"I grew up here."

"When was the last time you were here?"

"Why are you so interested in me?"

"It's not everyday two girls wander into town tied together at the waist," he said smugly. 

That's probably not normal, I reflected.

"And it's even less often that one of those girls doesn't look directly at you when you speak. She's only slightly off. A little to your left, honey."

"What?" I asked, snapping my head to the left a bit.

"You heard what I said." He said it so blankly. His tone wasn't rude or anything. But he was condescending.

I hated it.

"But you--" I assumed he turned to face Loralai. "--You didn't answer my question. When was the last time you were here?"

"...Seven years ago."

The boy seemed to choke, but quickly cleared his throat and acted like nothing had happened.

"Viva la revolution," he said. "But really, this town has changed so much. You'd be surprised."

"I saw. Why did you speak up once we mentioned Oliker?"

"I may or may not know what became of him. Who are you to him?"

Loralai did not answer.

"Why are you asking?"

"We're never gonna get anywhere with all your hostility, dear."

"Don't call me dear. You're just a kid."

"A kid that knows where Oliker is."

"How am I supposed to know you're not lying to take advantage of us?" Loralai accused.

"The person you're looking for is Oliker Moon. He's my age. Momma married a rich man--for money or love, I don't know. The momma had a daughter before they were married, but she died. Was stabbed to death. Never had a funeral."

Loralai's breathing stopped. I couldn't see this happening, but I imagined Loralai's face had gone ghostly white.

"She didn't die," Loralai mouthed silently.

"What was that?" the boy asked.

"I said she didn't die!" Loralai snapped.

"Woah, woah, woah--"

The boy cut himself off, realizing something.

"How do you know that?"

"No reason," Loralai brushed it off. 

"Must've read it in a newspaper or something..."