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A S A N C T UA R Y O FA S A N C T UA R Y O F L O S T S O U L SL O S T S O U L S "One soul was born, but two minds were awake. Who is it?"
20th July 2015 10th June 2025 28th OctOber 2015 Seeking refuge, Anna wandered to an abandoned playground and met a skinny, pale girl squatting by the bushes. Tapping her shoulder, Anna locked eyes with enchanting amber eyes that instantly quieted the deafening storm inside her mind. They sat on the swings, talking and laughing. A sacred vow of eternal friendship was forged on top of the slide, becoming a pivotal moment in both Anna and Mai’s lives. Deep down in Mai’s territory, the eternal bud finally fractured, unfurling its petals in a sudden burst, defying the very shadows that had kept it prisoner. One soul was born, but two minds were awake. The glass shattered into a thousand glittering diamonds as Jason, weighed down by alcohol and a severe mental disorder, glared at Anna. Once again, Anna’s cooking was rejected for resembling that of her unfaithful, conflict-avoidant mother, Stacy. Jason’s continuous temper tantrums and physical abuse threw Anna off the edge, but instead of screaming, she simply wanted to escape. As a ringing sound filled her mind, Anna fled the dinner table. When another violent episode at home drove Anna to escape, she rushed to the playground as promised, but Mai was not there. Discovering Mai's house completely empty and… abandoned? A shocking sight, considering the fact that Mai had shown her house to Anna just a week ago! Anna went to the police and learned the devastating news of the sudden death of Mai's family. The shocking news sent shivers through Anna. Even though Anna had faced endless misery caused by her father, Mai’s disappearance tore away a piece of Anna’s soul. Sad as it was, Anna fell back into the same void, or at least, that was what she thought. Anna flipped to the next page of her textbook, and suddenly the classroom’s atmospheregrewrowdy. A new transfer student with long black hair named Annie joined Anna'sclass. A loud gasp escaped from the students, and everyone’s attention shifted towardAnna. Their glances darted back and forth between Anna and Annie.A SANCTUARY OF LOST SOULS 10th June 2015 1
While they looked identical, their voices differed. Soon, subtle comparisons of their appearance and achievements turned malicious. The frequent comparisons of the two doppelgängers caused Anna to become paranoid. Anna’s close friends began to shun her, while Annie watched her with a sinister smirk. Anna looked out her classroom window. A full year has passed since that tragic moment echoed so loudly in Anna's mind. Though betrayal usually warranted no second chance, Anna felt only sympathy and emptiness, realising she needed to truly forgive Mai for her condition. Embracing her mother’s advice, Anna chose forgiveness over vengeance. Furthermore, the tragedy opened her parents' eyes, Jason, suffering from untreated Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) triggered by job loss, felt profound remorse, allowing Jason and Stacy to finally rebuild a real, loving home for Anna. Smiling warmly and closing her ancient diary book, Anna remembered the place that used to be the sanctuary of their lost souls, especially Mai’s final words before her fall, a single tear dropping as she whispered softly, "I love you too". Witness footage exposed Annie as the one who sabotaged Anna’s science innovation and spiked her water bottle with poison. Cornered on the school rooftop, Annie broke down in tears and revealed that her true identity was Mai. Mai confessed to a childhood of horrific abuse by her parents. After her parents were killed by loan sharks, she spent time in an orphanage before being adopted by a wealthy, loving couple. However, past trauma triggered Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), creating 'Annie' as a defence mechanism to cope with the past. While Mai genuinely loved Anna as her soulmate, 'Annie' warped this bond, driven by a fear of inadequacy and a compulsion to eliminate Anna and take her place through plastic surgery. The confession made her realise how far ‘Annie’ had subconsciously controlled her to do terrible things to Anna. The once pure friendship that had saved both Mai and Anna from darkness had turned into a tragic, unavoidable disaster. Mai had always known about Anna’s hardships ever since they were little. But Mai had often turned a blind eye. Mai turned her head to apologise and jumped from the three-story building before Anna could stop her... 17th July 2025 17th July 2026 2 -The End-