“We never lose our demons, Mordo. We only learn to live above them.”
– The Ancient One, Doctor Strange (2016)

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Kendall sat on the edge of her bed, staring at the dim light filtering through the room. Roselyn lay beside her, motionless, her face pale and drawn from the ordeal. Kendall’s thoughts were scattered, fragments of memories flickering in and out like broken pieces of glass. She ran a hand through her hair, trying to shake the fog clouding her mind.

Stay strong for her, Kendall reminded herself.

She had to be strong—for Roselyn, for the both of them. She glanced over, watching Roselyn’s chest rise and fall in shallow breaths. Her own mind was a mess, broken from whatever they had done to her, but she couldn’t afford to crumble now.

She knew Roselyn was so weak right now, especially after what they had done to her— the procedures, everything. It always hurt. They did it to all of them.

A piercing scream tore through the silence. Kendall’s body tensed as the sound echoed from the hallway, sharp and desperate. Her eyes darted to the door. Footsteps, heavy and hurried, followed. Her heart raced, a mix of fear and recognition pulling at her.

Then she saw them—two guards dragging a girl by her arms, her body limp, eyes wild with terror. The girl’s curls fell across her face, her dark skin glistening with sweat. Kendall’s breath caught. Something about the girl stirred a memory. A flicker of familiarity.

The girl struggled, thrashing weakly against the guards. “Please!” she screamed. “I don’t belong here! Someone help me!” Her voice cracked with fear, her head swinging wildly as if searching for a way out.

And then their eyes met.

The girl froze, her body still as if in shock. Her eyes locked on Kendall’s, wide with disbelief. “Kendall?” the girl whispered, her voice trembling.

Kendall felt her heart skip. The name—her name—hit her like a punch. She didn’t know why. Her fragmented mind grasped at the edges of recognition, but the memory wouldn’t come together. The girl knew her. How?

The guards didn’t wait. They grabbed the girl harder, pinning her down. A syringe gleamed in one of their hands. Kendall watched, helpless, as the needle sank into the girl’s skin.

Who was she?

Another one?

Her face floated in Kendall’s mind like a half-forgotten dream. Her eyelids fluttered, and her body went limp, the fight draining from her as the sedative took hold.

Kendall’s fists clenched, frustration boiling in her chest. She should know this girl. Her mind screamed at her, but the pieces refused to fall into place.

The door slammed shut as the guards hauled her away, leaving Kendall in the heavy silence. She blinked, staring at the space where the girl had been. Her heart pounded, but her thoughts wouldn’t settle. Why had the girl known her name? Why did she feel so familiar?

And then the name slipped into her mind — Maya. She always heard that name in her thoughts, dreams — everywhere, every time.

The name she had tried to warn Roselyn about. The name that carried weight, importance, danger. She couldn’t remember what Maya had meant to her, but it clawed at the edges of her thoughts now. Was this girl connected to Maya? Could Maya have known about this place, too? Or possibly was that Maya?

Her head throbbed as she tried to think. She had overheard Krane and Kane talking about Maya once. Or was it more than once? Kendall couldn’t remember, but the name had always brought a strange chill to the air when they spoke it.

Besides that's why they had taken Roselyn wasn't it? It was because of Maya.

Kendall shook her head, frustrated. The memories were slipping away again, just like always.

Roselyn stirred beside her, groaning softly in her sleep. Kendall turned her attention back to her, the knot of fear tightening in her stomach. She knew what would happen next. They had taken Roselyn to the cell. They always did that after the punishments—locked them away in the cold, dark space until their minds broke. Just to show them they were always watching them. Listening to them. That they owned them.

Or rather they wanted to prove or show them how much control they had over them?

Typical.

Kendall had been there before. She didn’t want to remember the cell, the way the walls pressed in, the silence crushing her. But the fear never left her, lurking in the back of her mind.

They’ll take her there, too. Kendall swallowed, trying to push the thought away. She didn’t want to think about it. Not now. She needed to focus. She needed to stay here, stay present, for Roselyn’s sake.

Roselyn shifted again, her breathing ragged. Kendall reached out instinctively, her hand wrapping around Roselyn’s.

The moment their hands touched, something shifted.

Kendall’s heart skipped, her breath catching in her throat. It was faint, barely there, but she could feel it—Roselyn’s emotions. The pain, the fear, the confusion, all of it washed over her like a wave. Kendall blinked, startled. She shouldn’t be able to feel this, but somehow she did. It was like she was inside Roselyn’s mind, not just holding her hand.

For a second, Kendall didn’t move. She just let the emotions flood her senses, her own heartbeat pounding in sync with Roselyn’s pain. She could feel the rawness of it, the depths of the hurt that Roselyn was carrying.

Then, just as quickly as it came, it vanished. The connection snapped, leaving Kendall breathless and disoriented. She pulled her hand back, staring at Roselyn in shock. What had just happened?

Her mind raced, trying to make sense of the moment, but it was gone. Just like everything else. She sat there, trembling, as Roselyn let out a soft sigh in her sleep.

Kendall clenched her hands into fists. The facility had broken so many people, torn apart their minds and twisted their bodies, but this... this felt different. Something was changing, and Kendall didn’t know what it meant. But one thing was clear—whatever was happening to her, whatever was happening to Roselyn, it wasn’t over yet.

She glanced at the door, half-expecting the guards to return, to drag them both to the cell. But for now, the room was quiet.

Kendall lay back, her thoughts spinning. The scream of the girl—Maya?—still echoed in her ears, the name Kendall on her lips. The flicker of familiarity wouldn’t leave her. And the strange connection she had felt with Roselyn...

She didn’t know what it meant. But for the first time in a long while, Kendall felt something other than fear.

She felt possibility.

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And that's it guys Chapter 10! Omg progress!

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Muah💋!
~Rhoda