Annice was in the other room watching a romantic tragedy and packing lunches for her three kids. Her wife, Ritsa was in the room next door playing some multi-player, racing game. Khailani had played a few rounds with her and decided she was too distracted to focus. She remained an observer before exhaustion lured her into the guest room.

It was cute. The walls were painted a sea green and were decorated with pictures of Annice and her family vacationing at one of the seaside resorts. A miniature ship near the window became the object of fascination for a good bit.

Shuddering, her breathing became difficult. Khailani noticed someone holding a couple rabbits across the street. They weren’t masked. They wore a grey blindfold and had covered their face with a scarf. When they realized she saw her, they set the rabbits down and bolted down the street. 

Engrossed by their retreat, Khailani yelped when another figure popped up into her view. 

Breathing out slowly, she set down the bottled ship and stumbled away. She stared at him as he taped a paper to the window:

Come at midnight and you should fall. If you don’t heed the warning, you’ll expire like the rabbits.

A gunshot.

Rabbit innards marked the distant grass. The other fled.

A second note written in red obscured her view. It read:

Another one?

Khailani slowly shook her head. Her heart drummed to her ears. Could she get away? Was this it? 

“What was that?” Annice asked, rushing into the room. “RITSA!” She ran out.

Armed neighbors were stepping out of their houses to investigate the noise. 

Khailani collapsed to the floor. Her chest heaved and tears dripped onto the plush carpet. She forced her trembling hands to hold herself as neighbors yelled and barked orders outside the window.  More tears raced down her cheeks.

“Sister Ni?” 

Khailani inhaled with a shudder. 

She hadn’t noticed one of Annice’s girls offering a hug. Biting a quivering lip, the older woman extended her arms and held the small girl tightly.