Maria, now more composed, smiled through her tears and invited them inside her modest home. The interior was simple but warm, filled with the comforting aroma of cooking and the sounds of children playing outside. They sat down together, Maria still holding Eva’s hand tightly as if afraid to let her go.
Natalie and Adam exchanged a glance before Adam spoke up. “Maria, can you tell us what happened? We need to understand how this all came about.” Maria sighed deeply, “It all started when a group came to our village,” she began, her voice steady but heavy with emotion.