Part 1The Girl Who Died in August

The day before her graduation party, my sister was raped and murdered in a back alley.

And I was trapped in that day forever.

Countless times, I thought, "If only I hadn't wanted ice cream," "If only I hadn't taken the shortcut to get home faster..." maybe she would still be alive.

When I opened my eyes again...

I was back in that summer.

* * *

That year, it was the hottest summer on record.

The temperature hit 106 degrees.

My sister, Maya, was the top scorer in the city. I had just barely scraped into a prestigious high school.

Our future was bright.

Maya's familiar voice reached my ears again after ten years:

"Take a shortcut? Don't you want to catch Grey's Anatomy at 7:30?"

Tears gushed out uncontrollably.

Through my blurry vision, the clock on the wall behind Maya read 7:15 PM...

The countdown to death had begun!

I shuddered and almost screamed:

"No! Mom and Dad said those alleys are dangerous!"

Maya was startled by my outburst:

"Since when are you such a chicken, Dodo?"

"Okay, okay, we won't take the shortcut. Don't cry!"

I looked at Maya's vivid, lively face.

The face that had been crushed and covered in blood in my nightmares countless times.

I swore in my heart.

This time, I absolutely would not let anything happen to Maya!