Another week passes without any news on my parents. I'm starting to lose hope of seeing them again. But my mama promised they'd come back. I know they will. In the meantime, I'm learning to write by myself, so they'll be proud of me when they come back.

I'm sitting at the table, writing out the words 'mama' and 'papa', when Marie puts a hand on my shoulder.

"Rosa. Will you come here, please?"

Bemused, I get up and follow her. What could she need?

Callie's waiting in my room, her face unreadable. This is a first. Usually, I can tell exactly what she's thinking, but now...I'm not sure.

"As you know, we've been searching for your parents." Marie says.

A spark of excitement lights in my chest. Have they found them? Are they here?

However, the spark dies a moment later, as Callie's unreadable expression crumples into a sad one.

My heart freezes in my chest. I know they'd told me to prepare for this, but...

"Rosa...we tracked them into the testing facility..." Callie says softly, her voice breaking. "But..."

Marie cuts in. "But that's where the trail ends. I'm sorry, Rosa. They never made it out."

I nod slowly, not wanting to get upset and make them worry. But as my eyes meet Callie's sorrowful ones, I can't hold the tears back. I grab a pillow and bury my face in it, wave after wave of anguish slamming me.

I'll never see them again. They didn't come back because they were gone.

Papa, with his strong arms lifting me so I could see things. His hands, always caked with dirt from working hard. I would trace the criss-crossing webs of lines in them, imagining they were rays of light...

Mama, with her soft, gentle voice. The stories she told me, promising I'd reach the light one day. She would call me her little rose...

They're gone.

Callie and Marie hug me, but don't say anything. I doubt anything they could say would help.

What world will I go back to if they're gone? How can I live now?

"Rosa, it'll be okay." Marie says, clearly trying to be serene. But I hear her voice break, a little. I thought Marie never cried.

They hold me until I can't cry any more. I'm exhausted, wrung out. Marie rubs my back, talking in a soothing tone. I can't really hear her words, but her voice calms me.

"We want to talk to you, but you should be okay first." She says. "Let us know when you're ready."

I look up at her, giving a nod. I'm ready.

"In that case, come into the kitchen." Marie says, taking my hand and leading me there.

Both their gazes are on a single piece of paper on the table. I walk up to it, confused.

What's this for? What's going on?

"Rosa, we have something to ask you."