Chapter 4: The Diary Hidden in the Attic

The photograph haunted Mia for days.

Every time she closed her eyes, she saw the bruised teenage Xena staring back at her. It was impossible to reconcile that image with the girl who had laughed while torturing her in her previous life.

"Something is wrong," Mia thought.

"Either my memories are lying... or someone else's are."

By the time Mia turned three, she had become an unusually quiet child.

Adults praised her intelligence.

"She's so mature for her age," the neighbors often said.

"Sometimes it feels like she's listening to every word we say."

They had no idea they were right.

Mia remembered every detail from her previous life, and she spent every day searching for answers.

One rainy afternoon, while Xena and her husband were busy preparing dinner downstairs, Mia wandered through the second floor of the house.

She had explored nearly every room except one.

The attic.

The old wooden door was usually locked, but today someone had forgotten to latch it properly.

Curiosity overcame her.

Standing on a small stool, Mia pushed against the door with all her strength.

Creak...

The attic door slowly opened.

Dust floated through the air as sunlight filtered in through a tiny round window.

Old furniture, cardboard boxes, and covered paintings filled the cramped space.

"There has to be something here," Mia whispered to herself.

She carefully stepped around piles of forgotten belongings.

Near the far wall, she noticed a faded wooden chest covered in dust.

Its brass lock had long since rusted away.

After several attempts, she managed to lift the heavy lid.

Inside were old baby clothes, family albums, and a stack of notebooks tied together with a faded blue ribbon.

"A diary?"

Mia untied the ribbon and opened the first notebook.

The handwriting was elegant.

The first page read:

"Xena Smith - Personal Journal. Age 16."

Mia's heart skipped a beat.

"Sixteen..."

"The same age we were when everything happened."

She quickly turned the page.

"September 3."

"Today they cornered me behind the gym again. They poured juice over my uniform and laughed while everyone watched. I pretended not to cry until I got home."

Mia frowned.

"No..."

She flipped another page.

"September 18."

"Someone spread another rumor today. Now everyone thinks I stole money from a classmate. Even the teachers looked disappointed in me."

Another page.

"October 2."

"Sometimes I wish I could disappear. Maybe then everyone would finally leave me alone."

Mia's breathing became uneven.

"Impossible..."

"This can't be the same Xena."

She continued reading.

"October 25."

"I finally made one friend today. Her name is Mia. She seems kind. I hope we can stay friends."

Mia froze.

"Mia?"

"Me?"

Her hands trembled.

"I don't remember this..."

Before she could read further, footsteps echoed from downstairs.

"Mia?"

It was Xena.

"Where are you, sweetheart?"

Panicking, Mia shoved the diary back into the chest and closed the lid.

She barely had time to step away before Xena reached the attic.

"There you are."

Xena smiled with relief before noticing the open chest.

Her expression instantly changed.

"Did you open this?"

Mia remained silent.

Xena slowly walked toward the chest.

For several seconds, she simply stared at it.

"You shouldn't come up here," she said quietly.

"Some things are painful to remember."

She gently closed the lid again.

"Come on. Dinner's ready."

That night, Mia couldn't sleep.

The diary refused to leave her mind.

"She wrote about being bullied..."

"But I remember her being the bully."

"How can both be true?"

The following afternoon, Mia waited patiently until both of her parents left to buy groceries.

As soon as their car disappeared down the street, she hurried back to the attic.

This time she carried a small flashlight.

She reopened the diary and searched for the pages she had missed.

"November 11."

"They made another girl their target today. Her name is Mia Zeller."

Mia's eyes widened.

"Me..."

"I wanted to help her, but they warned me that if I got involved, I'd be next again."

"I'm a coward."

"I hate myself."

Her heartbeat quickened.

"No..."

She remembered Xena leading the attacks.

Didn't she?

She turned another page.

"December 4."

"Everything changed today. They forced me to join them. They said if I didn't, they'd hurt my little brother."

"I slapped Mia."

"She looked so shocked."

"I'm sorry."

"I'm so sorry."

Mia stared at the words in disbelief.

"Forced...?"

"Who forced you?"

She desperately searched the next pages.

But several had been ripped out.

Only jagged edges remained.

"Someone removed them..."

Just then...

A folded photograph slipped from between the pages.

It landed face-up on the wooden floor.

Mia picked it up.

The picture showed six high school students standing together.

Five of them smiled confidently.

The sixth girl stood slightly apart.

Xena.

She looked frightened.

Someone had drawn a black circle around another girl's face with red marker.

Written underneath were two chilling words.

"Next Target."

Mia looked closely at the circled girl.

Her breath caught.

"That's not me..."

"Then who is she?"

Before she could examine the picture further, the front door downstairs slammed shut.

"We're home!"

Her father's cheerful voice echoed through the house.

"Mia!"

She quickly tucked the photograph into her pocket and returned the diary exactly as she had found it.

As she quietly closed the attic door behind her, one terrifying realization settled into her mind.

Everything she believed about her previous life was beginning to unravel.

Perhaps Xena had not been the true mastermind after all.

Perhaps...

Someone else had been pulling the strings from the shadows.

And if that person still existed...

Then Mia's second life was already in far greater danger than she had ever imagined.