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

Morning came too soon. The dormitory lights flickered to life, casting an eerie glow over the rows of beds.

Alexa barely slept. Her body ached, her mind racing. *The vials were still under her mattress. She had checked them at least three times before lying down. If anyone searched the dorms, she would be caught.

She turned her head slightly. Alexandra was still asleep, her breathing shallow, her skin pale. The fever had drained what little strength she had left.

Alexa clenched her jaw. I have to keep her safe.

A loud clang jolted her thoughts.

The dormitory doors slammed open, and guards flooded in—more than usual. Their black uniforms were pressed, their weapons holstered but visible. Something was wrong.

The girls in the dormitory sat up, some groggy, others instantly on edge.

A tall woman with a sharp, calculating gaze, her dark uniform crisp, her movements controlled. Alexa had only seen her up close once—when a girl had been caught trying to escape.

The Head Instructor scanned the room, her eyes sweeping over each girl. When she spoke, her voice was like steel.

"Someone broke into the infirmary last night."

Alexa felt the weight of the vials beneath her mattress, burning like fire.

The Head Instructor continued, stepping forward with slow, deliberate movements. "I do not tolerate defiance. "Her gaze was piercing, as if she could see through their very souls. "So I will ask only once."

The air was thick with tension. No one moved. No one spoke.

Then—one of the guards dragged someone inside.

Their face was bruised, their lip split. Their arms were bound behind their back, their uniform stained with dirt and blood.

A heavy silence fell over the room.

The Head Instructor turned to them, her lips curling into something almost like amusement.

"Tell me, Doctor. Did you act alone?"

The medic didn't speak. Their gaze flickered—just for a moment—toward Alexa.

It was barely noticeable. But Alexa saw it.

The Head Instructor sighed and shook her head.

The sound of the impact rang through the air. The guard had struck the medic across the face, hard enough to send them to the floor.

A sharp gasp escaped one of the younger girls. No one dared move.

Alexa's nails dug into her palm. Don't react. Don't react.

The medic coughed, spitting blood onto the floor. They slowly lifted their head, eyes defiant.

The Head Instructor crouched beside them. "I will ask again."

A slow smirk crept onto the Head Instructor's face. "Very well."

She stood up, turning to the guards.

No one came back from Isolation.

Two guards hauled the medic up, dragging them toward the door.

Alexa's heart pounded. Every fiber of her being screamed at her to stop this. To fight back. To do something.

If she spoke now, if she so much as flinched—Alexandra would be next.

The moment the doors slammed shut behind them, the Head Instructor turned back to the room.

Her gaze swept over the girls once more.

Then, without another word, she turned on her heel and walked out. The guards followed, and the dormitory doors locked behind them.

The room remained deathly silent.

Alexa's fists were clenched so tight, her nails had drawn blood.

She forced herself to breathe. To stay in control.

Because now, it wasn't just about keeping Alexandra safe.

And no matter what it took—she was going to get them out

The price of defiance