Beyond the Betrayal: Her New Beginning

I woke up, not from sleep, but like snapping back into a nightmare I'd already lived. The cramped cabin's stale air, pine scent – hauntingly familiar. Jake stood there, hand out, his voice wheedling: "Sarah, Brenda needs that locket."

Brenda. The name sent a cold shiver down my spine. My mother' s locket was still at my neck. Last time, I' d blindly given it to them, believing Brenda' s lies about feeling close to my mom. It was my first, fatal mistake.

Brenda claimed it brought her luck, and it did. For her. While I... I died. On a remote hiking trail, an "accident" watched by both Brenda and Jake. His shifty eyes, fixed on me, pushed the same line: "Brenda just feels so close to your mom with it." A predator, I thought.

A searing memory flashed: Brenda flaunting my locket, smiling, as I lay broken in that ravine, utterly abandoned. The betrayal, agony, my sickening idiocy pursuing love that led to my death. The sheer injustice burned.

But not again. "The locket?" I feigned confusion. "Oh, I think I lost it." His face fell. Good. This time, I would live. I would fight. I just needed to hold on ten more days. My brother, Major Mike Collins, was coming.

I woke up.

Not like from sleep.

More like snapping back into a nightmare I' d already lived.

The air in the cramped cabin was stale, smelling of pine needles and damp earth.

Jake stood in front of me, his hand out.

"Sarah, come on. Brenda needs that locket."

His voice. That same wheedling tone I remembered.

Brenda.

The name sent a shiver down my spine, cold and sharp.

My hand flew to my neck. The locket was there. My mother' s locket.

In my previous life, I gave it to him. For Brenda.

She' d claimed it reminded her of my mom, her adoptive mother.

A lie.

Brenda believed it brought her luck.

And it did. For her.

While I... I died on a remote hiking trail during this volunteer project. An "accident."

Brenda and Jake watched it happen.

Now, Jake' s eyes, usually shifty, were fixed on me, expectant.

"Brenda says it' s the only thing that makes her feel close to your mom since she passed. You know how sensitive she is."

I almost laughed. Sensitive like a predator.

"The locket?" I feigned confusion, my voice raspy. "Oh, I think I lost it."

His face fell. "Lost it? Sarah, you can't have! Brenda will be devastated."

"Sorry," I said, my gaze flat. "It' s gone."

I needed to hold on for ten days.

My brother, Major Mike Collins, was due to pick me up in ten days.

He didn't know the full extent of my foolishness then, following Jake here. He would this time.

I clutched the locket hidden under my shirt. It felt warm against my skin, a solid anchor.

A memory flashed: Brenda wearing my locket, smiling, as I lay broken at the bottom of that ravine. Jake beside her, not even looking at me.

No. Not again.

This time, I would live.

The locket wasn' t magic. I knew that.

But holding it now, it felt like a piece of my strength returned, a calmness settling over the panic.

My past self was an idiot, lovesick and blind, following Jake to this isolated volunteer program in a national park, far from anyone who cared about me.

He, urged by Brenda, soon started pestering me about a search.

"We have to look for it, Sarah. For Brenda's sake."

Brenda herself appeared, Tiffany, her usual sidekick, in tow.

"Sarah, honey," Brenda began, her voice dripping with fake sweetness. "I heard about the locket. Don't worry, we'll help you find it. It means so much to me, remembering your mother."

She even squeezed out a tear.

I looked at her, my expression unreadable. "No need. If it's lost, it's lost."

"But Sarah..." Jake started.

"I said no," I cut him off, my voice colder than I intended, but it felt right. "I'm tired. I'm going to rest."

They stared, surprised by my tone.

Good. Let them be surprised.

I knew I couldn't stay here.

Ten days felt like an eternity.

The next morning, I took out the small stash of store-bought cookies and a chocolate bar I' d hoarded.

Mr. Henderson, the volunteer project supervisor, was a gruff man but fair.

I found him by the equipment shed.

"Mr. Henderson?"

He looked up. "Sarah. What is it?"

"I brought these for you and Mrs. Henderson," I said, offering the small bag. "Just a thank you for everything."

He looked surprised, then gave a curt nod. "Appreciate it."

"Sir, I was wondering if I could get a ride into the nearest town? I need to pick up a few personal items." A lie, but a necessary one.

He considered it. "Town's a good hour away. I'm sending a truck for supplies tomorrow morning. You can go then, but you have to be back with it."

"Thank you, sir. That would be perfect."

Relief washed over me.

The town had a payphone. The only payphone for miles.

The next day, the ride was bumpy. The town was small, barely a main street.

I found the payphone outside a dusty general store.

My hands trembled as I dialed Mike' s direct line at his unit. He was on a field exercise, but he always had a way to be reached.

It rang three times.

"Collins." His voice, deep and familiar, was a lifeline.

"Mike? It's Sarah." My voice broke.

"Sarah? What's wrong? You sound terrible." Concern sharpened his tone.

"I... I made a mistake coming here, Mike. It' s bad. I need to leave. Can you... can you still come get me?"

"What happened? Are you hurt?"

"No, not physically. But I can't stay. Please."

A pause. "The tenth. I can be there on the tenth. That' s the earliest I can break away. Can you hold on until then?"

"Yes," I whispered. "Ten days."

"Good. Keep your head down, Sarah. Don't cause any trouble. Don't trust anyone you don't have to. I'll be there."

"Okay, Mike. Thank you."

"Always, sis. Stay safe."

He hung up.

I leaned against the grimy phone booth, tears finally escaping.

Ten days. I could do this.

Back at the volunteer camp, I saw Jake trying to approach me. He had a small, wilted wildflower in his hand.

"Sarah, I got this for you..."

Brenda appeared from nowhere. "Oh, Jake, that's so sweet! But Sarah's allergic to those, remember? They make her sneeze." She plucked it from his hand. "I'll take it, so it doesn't go to waste."

She gave me a saccharine smile.

I just looked at them. "I'm not allergic."

I walked away, leaving them standing there. I didn't need their drama, their pathetic attempts to reel me back in.

I ate my dinner alone, the locket a comforting weight under my shirt.