When she saw me, she shouted, "Catch her! She's the one who killed her—she's a murderer!"
I was still in shock, unable to understand what was happening. Who had died… or rather, who had I supposedly killed? I started screaming, "Mom! Mom!"
Ziad came running toward me and said, "Don't be afraid, your mother is there." But before I could reach her, a police officer stopped me and asked, "Are you Rania?"
Sara's mother was standing beside him. She pointed at me and cried, "It's her! She killed my daughter. She's a murderer—and she has a history. She even killed a classmate before."
Still overwhelmed, I kept asking myself: How could Sara be dead? I had just seen her not long ago. Did I kill her… or did Malik take revenge on me because I went out with Ziad?
The officer's voice cut through my thoughts. "Come with me to the station."
Ziad protested, "On what charge are you taking her?"
"You'll find out there," the officer replied coldly.
At that moment, I wasn't afraid of the police… nor even of the murder I was about to be accused of, despite knowing I was innocent of Sara's blood. What terrified me more was the question haunting my mind: Could Malik be cruel enough to kill Sara just because I went out with Ziad?
I answered myself: Yes… he could. He was the one who had stopped Ziad from kissing me at the beach and made him cough violently.
I have to protect Ziad, I thought. I'll cut him off completely. I don't want him to get hurt.
We arrived at the police station, and I was taken straight in for interrogation.
"Calm down, Rania," the officer said. "Tell me how you killed your friend. How did you inflict all those wounds? What did you use to carve those symbols into her body? What about the star drawn on the ground? And most importantly… who helped you carry her and hang her to make it look like suicide instead of murder?"
I was too shocked to respond.
"Answer me!" he snapped sharply.
I broke down in tears.
"Speak," he insisted, "so I can help you. Did someone order you to kill her? Or is this crime connected to that trend circulating on social media?"
I couldn't say a word. I remained silent.
"Maybe these pictures will make you talk," he said.
He began showing me photos of Sara's body. The sight was indescribable—she was hanging by her neck, her eyes bulging out of their sockets, her entire body mutilated with a knife, covered in strange symbols and talismans.
In that moment, I became certain: Sara's killer was not from our world.
And I knew the crime would inevitably be pinned on me. I would be executed. My life would end… and perhaps I would finally find peace. At least Ziad and my family would be safe from them.
"I killed her," I said quietly. "Take me. Lock me up. Execute me."
"Good," he replied. "That was an easy confession."
He called a guard to take me to a cell, instructing them to place me in solitary confinement, as I was considered a mentally disturbed killer—after all, no human being could commit such a monstrous crime and mutilate a body in such a horrific way.
Inside the cell, I sat on the cold floor like someone awaiting execution.
Suddenly, Ziad appeared.
"How could you kill her?" he demanded. "You were with me—we walked by the beach, we planned our future together! Did you use me to cover up your crime? Did you call me just to create an alibi? Answer me!"
But I remained silent.
Who would believe me if I said I was innocent? That Sara's killer was something… not of this world? No one.
So it was better to stay silent and wait for my fate.
When Ziad lost hope of getting an answer, he left.
Then my mother came in.
"I don't believe you killed her," she said, her voice trembling. "You're my daughter… gentle and sensitive. You couldn't even harm a fly—how could you kill your closest friend? Tell me… did someone threaten you?"
I won't deny it—her doubt shattered me. But I said nothing. I had already surrendered to my fate. I no longer wanted anything from this life… except to close my eyes and disappear.
I sat there until I drifted into a light sleep.
Then suddenly, I woke up to Malik's voice.
"How could your heart allow you to doubt me?" he said. "Do you really think I'm that cruel? Have you forgotten who I am… just because you now live in a human body? Have you forgotten our legendary love?"
"I fought my entire clan for you, Rania… and yet you doubt me?"
"You must come with me now. I need to protect you."
I screamed, "Protect me from what?"
He grabbed my hand firmly and pulled me closer. The intensity of his gaze made my heart race.
"I have to protect you from them," he said. "You have no idea what they're planning to do to you."
"What's going to happen? Who are they?" I asked.
"Be quiet and listen," he said. "What happened… is only the beginning."
"The beginning of what?"
He pointed ahead and whispered,
"Look there… and you'll understand."