Mariana clucked her tongue at seeing “Lucía” lying in bed yet again. “Another day of wallowing in self-pity?” Lucía didn’t even bother to answer. Mariana sighed and pulled back the blankets, revealing the petite, flat-chested figure of Lucía. “Come on, up you get. You know, it wasn’t so long ago that we were in the same position. But here I am, living my best life as a woman, and you’re still stuck in this rut. You know you can’t stay like this, all alone in your bedroom. Do you think they’ll just leave you alone if you hide away forever?” Lucía grumbled something in response. Mariana rolled her eyes, but her voice was gentle as she spoke. “Lucía—” “Don’t call me that!” Mariana held up her hands in surrender. “Alright, Lucas. I understand why you’re so upset, my dear. But this depression will only hurt you, not the ones who did this to us. We have to take control of our lives, and you can’t do that if you stay hidden away in your room.” “I want to starve. I want to die.” Mariana shook her head. “Death won’t solve anything. But I know something that will help. Let’s go out and do something together, just the two of us. We can’t leave the grounds, but we can find something to do. Maybe a walk in the gardens, or some painting, or a picnic. Whatever you’d like. What do you say?” Lucía was quiet for a moment, then nodded slowly. Mariana smiled and helped her up. “Good. Now let’s get you dressed. They left a lot of clothes for you, didn’t they? Come on, let’s see what we can find. Nothing too feminine, I promise.” Mariana helped Lucía find something to wear, and soon they were out in the garden. The gentle wind made the long grass wave in the field, and the sky was a lovely blue. Lucía began to smile a little, like the first beam of sunlight peeking through the clouds after a long, dark night. “D-Does it really get better?” Lucía asked Mariana after they’d walked for a while. Mariana nodded. “It takes time, but eventually, you can find a way to live with what they did to us. You’ll see. Don’t give up hope.” Lucía took a deep breath and nodded. “I’ll try.” Mariana smiled in return, but inside, she felt a pang of sadness. It was hard to lie like this. But, she supposed, hope was more important than the truth, at least for the time being. “Now come along. Let’s go back inside before we’re missed.”