I hadn’t believed it could be possible. I had always felt so safe and at peace, the boat rocking beneath my feet. I had never imagined that such a peaceful and beautiful place could be home to such a horror. That’s why I had comforted the townsfolk who had climbed aboard the ship with me, telling them that the rumors spread by the travelers were anything but true.

We had spent three days traveling over the water, and had faced a calm sea the entire journey.

It had been quite the enjoyable trip—waking up in the morning to enjoy the freshly caught fish, courtesy of the few people who owned docks or small boats. Then, I completed my two assigned chores of the day: clearing the breakfast dishes and mopping the deck. While Phoenix made the cabin beds for the guys, I would scribble a few words on some of the parchment I had brought along.

After that, I would meet Phoenix outside my room, and we would spend the rest of the day together. We played with the kids who had come to earn an extra wage for their starving families, trying to make the job more suited for small children. I wanted to help them in some other way, but my wage was too small even for my family of three. Sometimes Phoenix offered me a portion of his earnings, but he barely earned more than I did—and he was the only one supporting his seven younger brothers, now that their ma was gone.

Phoenix and I didn’t have anything to do until evening, when he had to help prepare dinner. Then we would dine at the same table, along with my best friend Korra. After dinner, Korra and I had girls’ night—staying up as late as we wanted, seeing as we shared a bunk, her on the top, me on the bottom. No one came to check our barracks, because ours only roomed girls who were sixteen or older, and they figured we were responsible enough to know when to sleep and when not to.

Korra and I were often up hours past all the other girls. We would sleep for a few hours, and then repeat the process again. On the fourth day, when I awoke, nothing was amiss—the bunks were as usual: Korra and I still tangled in our sheets, and the ten other beds empty but unmade. I didn’t suspect a single thing as I climbed out of bed.