The solution

Tina stepped out of the restaurant, her eyes narrowing at the sight of the same girl still lingering outside. "Aren't you leaving?" she asked, unable to hold back her curiosity. As the girl turned to face her, Tina quickly assessed the situation and sensed something was off.

Annalise shook her head but paused, her lips parting to speak. "Could I stay here until tomorrow morning?" she asked, a hint of desperation in her voice.

Tina raised an eyebrow, silently questioning why before demanding, "You don't have a home to return to?" Annalise nodded, confirming Tina's suspicion.

"Let me guess," Tina said, placing her hands on her hips. "You were thrown out of your house?" She inquired, the pieces falling into place. It made sense why the girl was roaming the streets so late without money for food and nowhere to go.

Annalise felt overwhelmed by Tina's probing questions. She didn't feel like answering her questions anymore.

She diverted her gaze to the men who were now leaving, contemplating whether she should just walk away as well. As long as she avoided their path, she reasoned, she would be safe.

Annalise began to move in the opposite direction. Meanwhile, Tina couldn't help but observe the girl in the emerald gown, her ginger hair flowing behind her.

Tina decided to turn as well, heading back toward home.

Annalise continued down the street, searching for a corner to hide in. She just needed a small, safe place for the night; tomorrow, she would figure things out.

Suddenly, a bike pulled up beside her, sending a chill down her spine. The rider removed her helmet and said, "If you're looking for a safe place, you won't find it out here. This area is dangerous."

Annalise hesitated. "So?" she replied. She had already thought about that, but there was no other option. It's not like she had a home to return to, but didn't want to return. She didn't have anywhere to go.

"Come with me. You can stay until morning," Tina insisted, her tone firm yet kind.

Annalise scrutinized Tina, observing that nothing was menacing about her. She seemed a few years older, with a stylish bob and bangs framing her face. Yet doubt lingered in her mind. Was it wiser to follow a stranger home or risk wandering the streets, potentially facing one of the men from earlier? Countless scenarios played in her head.

What if the man had pretended to leave, to give her a sense of ease, so that he could catch her off guard later?

Annalise was still thinking about what she should do.

"I don't want to do this either," Tina stated, her voice steady. "But I can't just let a young girl like you roam these dangerous streets without offering help."

Annalise hesitated before finally conceding. "I'll leave tomorrow," she said resolutely. Tina nodded, appreciating her decision, and started the bike. Annalise climbed on, and they rode off together.

They arrived at a small apartment, and Tina announced, "Here we are." Annalise dismounted the bike as Tina parked and grabbed her bag, leading the way to the door.

"By the way, did you see an elderly woman outside the restaurant earlier?" Tina asked, turning to face Annalise.

Annalise narrowed her gaze before recalling the beggar. "I saw her. She rambled nonsense and left," she replied, bitterness lacing her words.

Tina nodded, opening the door to her apartment and ushering Annalise inside.

Her inquiry had a purpose; she thought the woman might still be around, hoping to offer her leftover food, but maybe she had left because she thought Tina was taking too long. Generally, Tina closed the restaurant around 8 or 9 PM but stayed late for an emergency.

Annalise scanned the modest apartment with a critical eye. "What?" Tina asked, noticing the girl's reaction. "You can't stay here?" she asked.

Annalise continued to observe. The small bed occupied by a child took her by surprise. "I can," she finally declared, setting aside her apprehensions.

Tina nodded, moving to a door on the other side of the apartment. "Come over here," she beckoned. "You'll sleep here for the night."

Annalise surveyed the room, noting its shabby state. She took a deep breath, her gaze fixed on the ceiling where cockroaches lingered in the corners. It was hard to believe she would put herself through this again. But what else could she do?

Tina had gone off to grab a sheet for her to lie on the floor and a pillow.

She handed the items to Annalise. "Thank you," Annalise replied, stepping into the room slowly.

"Your demeanor says it all—you're a rich kid, and this is definitely outside your comfort zone," Tina observed. "Stay here for the night, like we discussed. Goodnight." With that, she left.

As the door clicked shut behind her, Annalise realized the room was cloaked in darkness, lit only by the moonlight filtering through the window. She spread the sheet on the ground and positioned the pillow before lying on it, staring up at the ceiling.

Though she had found a place to rest, sleep eluded her. The cold, hard ground sent discomfort through her body, and the dust settling in the corners was palpable; there was no way she could sleep.

Eventually, exhaustion caught up with her, and she fell into an uneasy slumber—only to be jolted awake by a sudden squeak.

Her eyes flew open, brow furrowing, ears straining to locate the source. The sound persisted until her gaze landed on her feet. A mouse had found its way onto her, crawling over the sheet that covered her. Annalise's eyes widened, and she couldn't stop a scream from escaping her lips.

•

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•

The next morning, she stirred from her makeshift bed to the sound of persistent knocking on the door.

As she got up, she took in her surroundings, reminded that she was still in a stranger's house. Her eyes darted to the side; the mouse she had attacked out of fright with her bag was still there, struggling to move.

How she had managed to fall back asleep was beyond her.

She opened the door, and there stood Tina. "Good morning. You should get going; I'm leaving the house," she said.

Annalise nodded but hesitated, glancing back at her bag. No, she wouldn't take it after it had touched the mouse. Leaving it behind, she walked out of the room.

Her attention was drawn to the boy from the night before, dressed in a school uniform and eating breakfast.

Her gaze shifted to Tina, "Thanks for last night," she said as she stepped through the doorway.

"Hey, kid," Tina called out, prompting Annalise to stop and turn back. "Take some cash with you," Tina offered, extending her hand with a few bills. But Annalise shook her head firmly.

What could she possibly need it for when she didn't want to live anymore? Glancing at the house and Tina and the child, who could be her brother or son, she thought that they needed it more. They were trying to live, unlike her.

She stepped outside, resolved to move forward, despite the stench and grime clinging to her. She had given up on everything, and that was that.

As Annalise walked through the bustling streets, everyone appeared engrossed in their own lives, just as they always did.

Lost in her thoughts, she was suddenly hit by something that flew through the air and smacked against her face.

Frowning, she lifted it to examine it. "A motivational flyer?" she muttered, noting how it felt as though the universe was mocking her.

After the beggar's words the previous day, this felt like another pointless attempt at encouragement. "Every setback is a setup for a comeback," she read. What was she even supposed to make of it?

Just yesterday, an elderly woman had urged her to keep moving forward, and today she was being told that her struggles were merely setbacks. Annalise paused, contemplating.

She had tried to end it all, but hadn't succeeded—something had always intervened. She couldn't even die and leave it all behind.

Then does it mean that the only way to conquer is to choose life? No matter how many times she contemplated death, she would always come back and remember every pain she felt.

But if she opted for life and persevered through every challenge, would things ultimately improve?

Perhaps that was the only solution.