The woman exclaimed, springing to her feet and rushing toward the room. The other women surrounding her exchanged knowing looks.
The girl named Leilani ran after her mother. As they entered the room, they saw the foreigner sitting upright on the bed.
The woman gasped.
"She is really awake… after months," she muttered.
"Of course she is, Mama," Leilani said, glancing at her.
The woman stepped closer to the girl, who kept looking around as though she were lost.
"Akira'm Salam," the woman greeted, making a hand gesture like that of a cross.
She received only a blank, almost hollow stare.
The woman clicked her tongue. "She really is not from around here."
"Of course she isn't. We've never seen her before, and she looks nothing like us," Leilani remarked, her eyes drifting to the girl's pale skin before quickly looking away.
Her mother moved closer.
"Hello, my dear. How are you feeling?"
She leaned toward the girl gently, but the girl remained mute.
