When Maria needed an escape, she turned to music. The silence was always unsettling, but she could easily get lost in the bittersweet notes of a song. And because she had so much to escape from, music became her life.
One day, Maria was in her room distraught. She put on a playlist to provide herself with solace. That day was the anniversary of a friend’s death. A death Maria witnessed, in all of its gruesome and tragic glory. Many would call experiencing such horror unforgettable, a moment that would resonate with someone forever. Maria did all she could to forget.
As she sat there in her own pity, she allowed the melodic patterns to consume her. She let them transport her to any world but her own.
Suddenly, a burst of indistinct laughter came from her speaker and startled her. Maria ignored it at first, but then it began to creep itself into every song. From laughter emerged an eerie voice, forming sentences. Maria sat there petrified.
After a while, she finally recognized a word that made her stomach drop.
Wendy.
“After all these years, how could she be back?” Maria questioned as she shuddered.
The song was still playing, but what replaced its chorus completely was the voice. The voice of a friend Maria hadn’t heard in years.
Maria told herself this wasn't real and ran to her bathroom, hoping some water to the face would bring her back to the reality she once tried to get away from. As she looked in the mirror, she let out a horrifying scream when she saw a face that wasn’t quite her own.
The voice yelled with outraged accusations.
The past she tried so hard to hide from finally found her.
Her skin began to melt like ice cream on a sweltering day. She tried to cup her face with her hands so she wouldn’t lose herself, but her features started to sink to the floor.
The voice began to shout.
Maria’s hands were stained crimson yet she felt no pain. Instead, there was fear - fear of the monster that appeared in the mirror. She ultimately reached for her phone in defeat, her hand shaking, and pressed pause. Although, her appearance remained deformed. Maria stood there with a look of terror, not knowing what to do but endure the silence which was all that she had left.
Published October 30, 2020
Written by Abi Mirambel ~ Edited by Hitanshi Patel ~ Graphics created by Tanya Gu
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