𝔼𝕂𝕀𝕃𝔸

3

It began with Carol of the Bells.

It always did.

It started out so little, it was almost imagined.

But with each step she took backward, with each volume it rose, the picture became clearer.

It played out in HD, there was no mistake.

Mmachi was crouched on the floor not too far from the wall which had been beige a few minutes earlier.

She wasn't sure the new found color would last long just as she was certain Katherine wouldn't.

Her legs kept moving on their own will as the room became smaller, giving her a good view of things she hadn't noticed earlier.

The red ribbons which overshadowed the green leaves of the Christmas tree underneath it.

The red balloons which danced around lazily, a few inches above the floor.

Even the red star on top of the Christmas tree.

None could stand out as much as the unfamiliar red liquid still dripping down what used to be the beige wall.

The one thing that would make sure that particular Christmas would never be forgotten.

Waves of nausea hit her as her body trailed on, leaving her somewhere around the bloodstained beige wall.

Mmachi's screams could barely be heard over the almost deafening sound of Carol of the bells.

Her legs began to feel too heavy to move as she watched her parents rush past her to where Mmachi stayed on the floor—unconcerned that she was bathed in blood—as she refused to let go of Katherine.

She could see her father's mouth moving as her mother stood next to him, her palm the only thing stopping hell from letting loose as it caged her lips.

She could see the tears in her mother's eyes which begged desperately for release.

Why wasn't she crying?

She stopped moving as she felt something hard hit her back.

No matter how hard she tried she couldn't take her eyes off the scene unfolding before her.

Until everything started to fade, the blood on the wall the only thing left. And beside it stood Katherine . . .

Chidiogo woke up, jerking forward as she did so.

Her heart thundered against her chest so much so that she couldn't tell what shook her more between it and the fear which engulfed her.

Her fingers trembled as her body fell into an involuntary rhythm despite being temporarily incapacitated by fear. Her breathing was labored as she tried to calm her nerves.

It wasn't until she heard a voice that she came to the realization—she wasn't alone in the room.

"Mmachi?"

She turned to see Amelia sitting on the bed closest to hers, her face barely made visible by the lamp on her bed.

The stacks of paper and books scattered all over her bed could pass off as a bed sheet.

Chidiogo shook her head.

"N-not Mmachi."

She stared down at her still trembling hands avoiding the girl's piercing stare.