Sylvia Okenji expected her final year of school to go like any other; surviving her classes, making memories with her friends, and not ripping her tangled hair out from stress over exams.
But when her eighteenth birthday ends with Sylvia disappeari...
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December 31st | New Year's Eve
I squeezed Benji's hand tightly, all the air robbed from my lungs. We were both shaking, our feet rooted in place, as we stared at the infamous Kay. For all the pieces of information we had on her, all the details, or lack thereof that Winnie, Henry, and the others gave, it didn't live up to standing in front of her now.
She was still in her old Year 12 uniform, though dirty and rustled from wherever she'd been. Her black hair was glossy and sleek with soft ringlets through the ends. Kay had the same rich brown skin as Winnie, but it's where the similarities ended and the biggest difference stood out.
Winnie was lying still on the slab behind Kay, who was standing, with no tail at all. The comet-like flare shone weakly, providing the only light in the cathedral cave, but it all seemed to drain out of sight as soon as it reached Kay's shadow.
There was no light in her eyes. No life to her soul. She was a void of power and she was staring us down like we landed right where she wanted us to.
"You must be Kay," I said quietly, my voice a whisper, but Kay, despite being at a distance and surrounded by pools of water, smiled at the sound of her name on my lips.
"Indeed I am," she cocked her head to the side, her neck clicking loudly at the action. Benji and I flinched. "And who are my dear sister's rescuers?"
Benji and I locked eyes. Would telling her our names really matter? "I'm Nancy," I said, using my middle name instead.
Benji forced a smile. "I'm Smithy."
Kay slowly tilted her head back vertical and said nothing else.
I swallowed. "We came to bring Winnie back."
Kay remained quiet.
Benji gained some courage in her silence and took a step forward. "We just want everyone back together again, you know? She's with the others, and we all were worried when we couldn't find her so we, um, kinda followed the past and tracked you to here? So....can we go?"
"With Winnie, I mean?" I added, noticing she was on her side facing away from us. I could see the shimmer of her back, her hair down and away from her ears, like someone had tucked it behind them. "Is she okay?"
Benji frowned. "She hasn't moved."
"Winnie?" I called out. Her partly glowing tail was the only sign she was alive. "Winnie, are you okay?"
Benji squeezed my hand again. "Kay's still not moved."
He was right. Kay was as still as death, watching us coldly. There was no warmth to her at all, goosebumps formed on my arms at the temperature slowly dropping.
"Should..." I whispered. "Should we walk over? See if Winnie's okay?"
Benji stared at me, wide-eyed. "You want to get closer to the voidmaid?" he whispered harshly.
