Everything was normal now. Faye wasn't bleeding anymore. It was like nothing had happened to her. She was perfectly fine, her clothes weren't bloody, the playground had no sign of blood, and even Kiara's hand had no trace of Faye's blood.
But Faye still had the experience of someone digging their evil sharp nails into her neck, leaving her to bleed. She could even still feel their hand inside her chest, close to her beating heart. Her throat throbbed with a phantom tightness, making her collar feel far too small as her stomach churned.
They were still inside the playground, inside Kiara's mind. It was dark because the reason for the brightness was sitting on the ground right in front of them, staring at them. Shadows stretched unnaturally over the motionless swings and slides, leaving the ground pitch black.
