A Shattered Song ✔️

Chapter Three: Chasing Illusions

CHAPTER THREE: Chasing Illusions

"YOU GO LEFT, I GO RIGHT!" Kayleigh shouted, breaking away from Evelyn.

Evelyn nodded, determined, and raced down the road, her sneakers pounding against the pavement. Wind whipped against her face, stinging her cheeks, but Evelyn didn't even care- the cat was ahead of her, scampering towards the woods that lined the sidewalk, and she needed to catch it-

The tabby darted into the trees, and Evelyn veered that way. Branches tore at her legs and arms, but Evelyn ignored it all, focused only on one thing. She crashed through the bushes. It was all silent for some reason, muffled.

That didn't bother Evelyn; not anymore.

"Kayleigh!" Evelyn called, but she had the feeling Kayleigh didn't hear her.

No matter.

Shadows from the trees fell over the non-path she had created, and Evelyn leapt over each one, like she was five again, playing with Melody. She laughed, a wild, free sound.

No one could catch her.

She was invincible.

She was Evie the Great, and she was chasing not the cat, but her cousin.

She burst out of the trees.

The first thing she noticed was the darkness; it seemed to have fallen in no time at all, blanketing the ground. Were those stars above her? How could night have come so quickly?

That, however, was a question for another time- because the tabby was right in front of her, running up a grassy hill.

"Evie!" The shout came from behind her. Evelyn glanced back to see Kayleigh emerging from a different part of the trees. "Evie, maybe we should give up!"

"No!" Evelyn called back. Couldn't Kayleigh see how close they were? Couldn't she see the cat, directly ahead?

Evelyn went faster, and Kayleigh followed.

The cat reached the top of the hill.

Evelyn began to smile.

And then Kayleigh screamed.

Evelyn spun around, almost tripping over her own feet in her haste to see what was wrong. Kayleigh was curled up on the ground now, knees to her chest, screaming her head off, and soon Evelyn saw why- a bloody gash dominated one leg, ripped all the way down to her ankle by a particularly jagged rock Evelyn could see jutting out of the ground. It stained the grass a dark red.

What kind of rock just happened to be there?

"Kayleigh!" Evelyn shouted, trying to run to her, but she couldn't. Why couldn't she go to her? Why couldn't she move? Why-

And then something from far, far away came closer. Dark as midnight, dark as inky blackness and stolen dreams, sailing past Evelyn and honing in on Kayleigh's crumpled form.

It hit her in a rush of darkness, and Kayleigh was engulfed within it, crying out for Evelyn. Her shrieks pierced the night that should have been day.

And then it was quiet, and all Evelyn could think was that the silence was horrible and wrong and unnatural as the darkness melted away as if it had never been there at all. Kayleigh was left behind, limp, like a broken marionette doll.

Kayleigh had stopped crying.

Kayleigh had stopped.

Time froze, and with it, Evelyn.

No.

Kayleigh was pretending. It was a game.

Get up.

Any moment now, Kayleigh would leap to her feet, proclaiming that it was a joke.

Please.

Because of course it was a joke. It had to be a joke.

Please, please let it be a joke.

A ragged sob flew past Evelyn's lips, and again she attempted to run to her best friend's side. Again she was held back.

Kayleigh, Kayleigh, Kayleigh

Any moment now.

Please.

"Poor human."

The sing-song voice came from behind her, but Evelyn didn't turn, her eyes focused on Kayleigh's broken body.

"It's truly a shame." The voice continued, almost carelessly. "If only she hadn't followed you. But don't dwell on her. She'd be happy for you, if she was here to see it."

"She's not dead." Evelyn's voice was hoarse.
"Whatever you say, darling."

"She's not!" Evelyn practically shouted, spinning around.

"Tragic." Sighed the girl she was facing. She twirled a strand of long black hair around her finger, giving Evelyn a convincing pout.

She couldn't have been more than eight, Evelyn realized with a start.

"Maybe she isn't dead." The girl added, her grey eyes meeting Evelyn's. "But she will be soon."

"Let me go." Evelyn snarled.

"I'm afraid I can't." The girl smiled sweetly. "We need you too much. And we worked so hard..." She trailed off, tilting her head to the side as if to see Evelyn from a different angle. "Yes, you'll do." She decided finally.

"Let me go."

"No." The girl said easily. "Come along now."

"No!"

The girl jutted out a lower lip. "Now, don't make things difficult, Evie."

"How do you know my name?" Evelyn demanded.

For a second, the girl's calm exterior wavered, and she appeared confused. "I-I don't know." She said finally. "But I'm sure it doesn't matter."

Evelyn glared at her.

"Now, now, Evie." The girl soothed, starting forward as if to put a placating hand on her shoulder. Evelyn jerked back. "Don't be like that, darling."

It was unsettling to see that much malice on a child's heart-shaped face.

"I'll be that way if I want to." Evelyn hissed.

"Such a temper." The girl mused. "That will serve you well, I suppose."

"Kayleigh! You hurt-"

"No, no. I'm not Kayleigh." The girl corrected. "Didn't I tell you? My name is Melody."