The forest always began the same way. Dark. Dense. Breathing. Branches tangled overhead like ribs, trapping the sky in splintered fragments. The air smelled wet, earthy, wrong. And Mellie knew—always knew—that it wasn’t real. A dream, it thought, standing still among the roots. Or a memory. Or both. It had walked this path before. Many times. Too many. Usually it ran. Usually it listened to the two distant voices whispering from somewhere deeper in the woods. Usually it tried to escape before that part happened. But not this time. This time Mellie lifted its head and went straight toward the clearing. If it was going to see it again, it wanted it over with. The trees thinned. Light spilled through. And then— Mellie couldn’t move. Its body locked like stone. Its breath stuck. Its fingers wouldn’t twitch. Panic clawed at its chest, but even that felt distant, muffled, like its emotions were wrapped in cloth. Footsteps rustled through the brush. Someone stepped into the clearing. Jovick. He shoved aside a branch with visible distaste, brushing a leaf off his sleeve as if nature itself offended him. His nose wrinkled. His lip curled. “Ugh,” he muttered. “I hate forests.” Then he looked up. And smiled. “Hello, Hailey.” Mellie’s stomach dropped. Hailey? It didn’t look like Hailey. Didn’t sound like her. Didn’t feel like— Its lips parted. Words came out. But Mellie hadn’t spoken. “Hi, Jovick.” The voice wasn’t its own. Sweet. Gentle. Familiar. Hailey’s voice. Cold realization flooded its mind. I’m not me. I’m her. It couldn’t move because it wasn’t in its body. It was watching through Hailey’s eyes. ⸻ Jovick stepped closer, hands tucked casually in his pockets. “You look nice today.” “Do I?” Hailey tilted her head. “That’s rare praise coming from you.” “Well,” he shrugged, “you are the only thing out here that doesn’t make me want to throw up.” Mellie screamed internally. Don’t smile at him. Don’t trust him. Don’t— Hailey smiled. Soft. Fond. It made Mellie feel sick. Didn’t she know? Didn’t she know what he’d do? What he would do? What he made Henri do? “Did you bring it?” Hailey asked gently. Jovick’s smile sharpened. “Of course.” He reached into his jacket. Pulled out a gun. Old. Slightly rusted. Metal dull with age. Hailey’s eyes lit up. “Oh, perfect.” Mellie’s thoughts slammed against the inside of her skull. Perfect?! PERFECT?! Jovick studied her. “You’re really willing to do this?” “Yes.” No hesitation. No doubt. “My family is poison,” Hailey said calmly. “To the earth. To the world. They don’t belong in it.” Jovick laughed under his breath. “You know I agree.” Mellie’s mind spun. What is she saying? What is she doing? Hailey clasped her hands together, almost excited. “Here’s the plan. You invite Henri to a forest party. I’ll come with him.” She paused. “And I’ll bring Mellie.” Mellie felt something inside itself fracture. Jovick’s eyes gleamed. “Go on.” “You give Henri a choice,” she continued sweetly. “He can shoot me… or Mellie.” Silence. Wind hissed through the trees. Jovick tilted his head. “And you think he’ll choose you?” “I know he will.” Her smile widened. “He’d never kill his little sibling.” Mellie’s chest tightened. “That choice,” Hailey said softly, “will tear them apart. Distrust. Guilt. Grief. It’ll spread through the whole family like rot.” Jovick’s grin slowly stretched. “You’re cruel.” “I’m efficient.” She tapped the gun lightly. “Oh—and I’ll be wearing a bulletproof vest under my clothes. So I won’t actually die. They’ll think I did.” Her eyes glittered. “And that’s all we need.” Jovick stared at her for a long moment. Then he stepped forward quickly and wrapped his arms around her. From inside her body, Mellie recoiled. Don’t touch me don’t touch me don’t touch me— But it couldn’t move. Couldn’t pull away. Couldn’t stop it. Jovick rested his chin near her shoulder. “You’re brilliant.” Hailey laughed softly. “I know.” Mellie fought. Struggled. Pulled at the invisible weight holding it inside her perspective. Wake up. WAKE UP. The clearing blurred. The trees smeared into shadows. Jovick’s voice stretched and warped like it was being dragged underwater— —and everything snapped.
⸻ Mellie jolted upright with a sharp gasp. Darkness. A hotel room. Its chest heaved, shirt clinging damply to its skin. Cold sweat prickled its neck. Beside it, Winnie slept peacefully. Across the room, Princess and Violet lay curled together on the other bed, breathing slow and steady. Safe. Quiet. Normal. Mellie stared at Princess. Its throat tightened. How do I tell her? How do you tell your girlfriend you just watched your sister plan her own death? How do you say she lied? How do you tell HENRI?! That his own twin was alive. Violet’s voice echoed faintly in its memory: ‘Some things are better locked away.’ Mellie swallowed hard. I should’ve listened. Slowly, it lowered its gaze. Its hands rested in its lap. Red. Wet. Covered in blood. Mellie froze. Its breath hitched. Blood soaked its fingers. Filled the creases of its palms. Thick. Dark. “No—” It scrambled out of bed, nearly slipping as it rushed to the bathroom. The tile was cold under its feet. It slammed the door shut, twisting the lock with shaking hands. The faucet screeched as it turned it on. Water poured over its skin. It scrubbed. Rubbed. Scratched. “Come off— come off— come off—” But the blood stayed. The sink water ran clear. Its hands stayed red. A sob tore out of its chest. “I’m seeing things,” it whispered hoarsely. “I’m seeing things I’m seeing things I’m seeing things—” Tears blurred its vision. It sank to the floor, back pressed against the door, knees pulled to its chest. Hailey lied. Hailey was alive. All this time… All this time Henri thought he killed her. All this time Mellie thought she was gone. And it was all a plan. A trick. A performance. A lie. Mellie pressed its hands to its face and cried. It cried until its throat hurt. Cried until its eyes burned. Cried until the night ended. Locked in the bathroom. Alone with the memory. And it never forgot what it saw.
