Alongside the ticking, Yin Chao heard the rustle of turning pages.
The scene before his eyes froze at that moment, receding farther and farther until it became small and indistinct.
Suddenly, a beam of light fell on Elena's head as she hung on the cross.
Her eyes were tightly shut, her head bowed, and she showed no sign of life.
Just like Jesus, crucified on the cross.
The scene stopped receding. The four girls standing before the cross turned to look behind them.
They seemed to be looking straight at Yin Chao, yet their faces wore eerie smiles of absolute confidence.
"I know this is hard to believe, but I really, really saw four Elenas...
I... am I going mad...?"
A young woman's voice rang out, breaking into desperate sobs.
The scene before Yin Chao changed to a pitch-dark study, with only a warm yellow lamp lit on the desk in the center.
A woman sat in the chair at the desk, burying her head against the man standing beside her as she cried.
He had seen these two before. Though they were much younger now than in the photograph, their features had hardly changed.
The woman was named Shalia, and the man was named Louis.
They were Elena's parents.
Louis looked heartbroken as he gently patted his wife's back.
"It's all right, Shalia. Perhaps you've just been too tired lately."
At those words, Shalia broke down and screamed, "No! No! Louis, you don't understand!
I can see them and hear them! Every single one of them is so vividly alive!
They all call me Mommy! I can't convince myself otherwise. I can't pretend they aren't there!
I can't... I can't..."
Shalia crouched on the floor, clutching her head and sobbing.
The desk lamp began to flicker, brightening and dimming