Shadow Contract: The Bodyguard’s War

The split

Ash found herself in a room that was never meant to be there.

The wallpaper was a faded sky blue, peeling away in places. Sunlight poured through a window, revealing nothing but emptiness, like a blank canvas waiting for a painting. Toys were scattered on the floor, but not the kind used for war games. They were simple toys: cloth dolls, wooden cars, and a watercolor sketch taped to a small desk.

Before she even understood why, her heart ached.

Then she noticed her.

A girl about nine years old: she had braided hair and scraped knees, wearing a t-shirt that was way too big and mismatched socks. She seemed unfazed, not even looking up.

Ash whispered, You’re me.

The girl was focused on her drawing.

I was you, she said softly. Before you learned to survive by erasing me.

In two quick steps, Ash crossed the room but then halted. There was something electric hanging in the air between them, not a barrier, just an emotion.

You were a dream, Ash said. One I couldn’t afford

The girl glanced up