Gracieta

The Brave Girl

At just six years old, Alexa's life takes a terrifying turn when she is kidnapped on her way home from school. She wakes up on an airplane, surrounded by strangers, with her captors threatening to drop her from the sky. She soon realizes that she is not alone—other kidnapped girls of various ages share her fate. They are taken to a mysterious island, completely isolated by the ocean, where escape is impossible.  

The girls are forced into an institution that resembles an orphanage but is far from a safe haven. There, they are subjected to brutal training, rigorous studies, and cruel experiments that push their minds and bodies to the limit. Stripped of their past identities, they are given new names, all beginning with the letter "A." Alexa clings to the only connection to her real self—a hidden note with her true name, buried deep within the institution’s grounds.  

In this merciless environment, Alexa finds solace in Alexandra, a frail yet brilliant girl who becomes her closest friend—her sister by choice. To protect Alexandra, Alexa pushes herself to become one of the strongest among the girls, enduring every hardship and mastering every skill thrown at her, from combat to strategy, music to deception. The institution molds them into highly trained individuals, but their purpose remains a mystery.  

As Alexa grows older, she learns that girls who reach the age of sixteen are sent on dangerous missions. What awaits her beyond the institution’s walls? And will she ever reclaim the life that was stolen from her? *The Brave Girl* is a gripping tale of survival, sisterhood, and the unbreakable will of a girl who refuses to be broken.

The brave Girls

Alexa had thought she understood pain. She was wrong.

Each day in the institution blurred into the next, an endless cycle of training, tests, and punishment. Sleep was a privilege, food was barely enough to keep them standing, and kindness was nonexistent. The only thing keeping her going was Alexandra.

One morning, the girls were gathered in the training yard under the scorching sun. Commander Rael stood before them, his sharp gaze scanning the line of exhausted, trembling figures. Behind him, a group of guards restrained a girl—one of the youngest, barely older than six. Her name was Avasha.

"You were warned," Rael said, his voice cold. "Weakness will not be tolerated."

Ava sobbed, struggling against the guards. "I tried," she whimpered. "Please, I tried!"

The girls watched in horror as Rael lifted a whip.

Alexa clenched her fists. She wanted to look away, but she knew she couldn't. If she did, she might be next.

The first lash echoed through the yard. Avasha 's scream cut through the silence like a blade.

By the fourth, she had stopped screaming.

By the fifth, she had stopped moving.

Rael turned to the rest of them. "This is what happens when you fail."

The guards dragged Avasha 's limp body away. No one asked where they were taking her. No one dared to speak.

Alexa swallowed the bile rising in her throat.

Alexandra's hand found hers and squeezed.

She understood now. In this place, you either became strong—or you disappeared.

That night, in the dimly lit dormitory, the air was thick with silent grief.

Alexa lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling. Ava was gone. Just like that.

Alexandra turned to her. "We can't cry."

Then Alexandra whispered, "We need to get stronger."

Alexa turned her head, meeting her friend's determined gaze.

"If we don't," Alexandra continued, "one day, it'll be us."

Alexa didn't answer. She didn't need to. She already knew it was true.

From that night on, she trained harder than ever before.

The next morning, the routine continued as if nothing had happened.

The girls dropped to the ground. Their bodies ached, but no one dared to stop.

They ran. Those who fell behind were whipped.

This was the worst. They were forced to fight each other—bare fists, no mercy.

Alexa was paired against a girl named Alina, a tall, fierce fourteen-year-old who had been here for years. The moment the match began, Alina struck without hesitation.

A fist connected with Alexa's jaw. Stars exploded in her vision. She barely had time to react before another hit sent her crashing to the ground.

Alexa struggled to her feet, her lip bleeding.

She wasn't strong enough to win—but she could survive.

She focused on movement, slipping past Alina's blows. Every time she dodged, she learned.

Summoning every ounce of strength, she had, Alexa lunged, slamming her knee into Alina's stomach. The older girl staggered.

The fight ended, but Alexa knew it wasn't over. The real battle was surviving until the next one.

Alexa and Alexandra trained relentlessly.

They memorized combat techniques. They studied every book thrown at them. They learned to mask their emotions.

One evening, Alexa whispered, "We need a plan."

Alexandra nodded. "We need to escape."

The Cost Of Weakness