I want to keep Tina away from Denny. To protect him. I’m afraid of her and whatever she is preparing for.

“Did you remember to floss, Denny? I’ll help you.” I force my way into that tiny bathroom, squeezing in between Tina and Denny. My little brother groans but hands me his floss. Tina has moved out of the way and stands in the hallway, watching me through the mirror again.

“You should go before Ma comes up to check on us,” I tell her, pulling floss out of the spool.

“Whatever you’re planning,” she says to me, coldly amused, “it won’t be enough.”

I say nothing, bending down instead to give the floss to Denny so she can’t see my face in the mirror any longer. I choke down everything that I want to say to her. Be patient, I remind myself. If she knows what I’m up to, there’s a chance she might be able to stop me. I won’t let her.

“What?” Denny turns his head, but with his fingers in his mouth, it comes out garbled. I pretend to be extremely interested in pointing out bits of sesame between his teeth. By the time I straighten up, the hallway is empty, and her door is shut.

“Brush your teeth really good,” I warn him. “Or else Baba will come up and check on you.”

He nods his head quickly, agreeable to avoiding Baba’s lectures on the health of his teeth. How easy it must be to be eight years old, with the faith that our parents know everything there is to know about the world. That they are our protectors, the definitive boundary between us and the scary world outside. But he doesn’t know the scary thing isn’t out there. It’s here. Inside the house.

My night is once again broken into slivers, restless dreams. I don’t know if it’s because of the loss of that talisman or everything that’s happened today. I keep thinking there are shadows under my door, cast by figures that scurry back and forth, their feet too small to be human. I dream of eyes that watch me through the small gaps alongside the door and underneath, red and moist, spinning in their sockets.

Breakfast is a terse affair, with Baba sent up to wrangle Denny into getting ready, while the two of us face Ma across the table. Like we are sitting before the judge, awaiting the verdict. She lays out the rules for us and makes it clear there is no room for disagreement or negotiation.

“Since the next season of dance lessons has been paid up, you will attend those lessons until January,” Ma says to Tina. “I have already confirmed with Mr. Lee that your study sessions are genuine, so at least you did not lie about that. Mr. Lee has offered to drop you off at our house after study group on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.” Tina’s lower lip juts out in a pout, slowly sinking into her chair after every restriction.

“And you…” Our mother’s gaze slides to me. “Since Melody also attends dance classes Thursday evenings, Mr. Lee has kindly offered to take both of you home as well. No loitering, no lingering, no stopping anywhere along the way. Do you hear me?”

I nod.

“Do you both hear me?”

“Yes, Ma,” we murmur. Already knowing what will be at risk if we do not. Our already-limited freedoms narrowing. The restrictions that we have accepted as a matter of course as kids growing up in a Taiwanese household. No sleepovers. No parties. No friends who are too wild, too outspoken. No friends who have bad grades. No friends who are bad influences. No boys, not as friends, and especially not as boyfriends. No. No. No.

When Ma gets up to get ready to take us to school, Tina lets out a breath beside me in a whoosh. I can’t even look at her. A part of me is still reeling from what she told them last night. She lied so that she could keep dancing, made sure that I was involved in her deception, so that if our ship sinks then she will drag me down with her. She tries to talk to me, but I get as far away from her as possible. Too afraid the next words that come out of my mouth will be something I’ll regret.

By the time we arrive at school, I’ve calmed down a little. It feels better now that one of Tina’s secrets is revealed. If I’m watching her, then I have an excuse, that I’m “keeping an eye on her,” like our parents asked us to. I never paid much attention before, but I’m starting to recognize some of the dancers from Soulful Heart. It doesn’t help that there seems to be an aura about them. Girls who are confident in their skin, confident with the way attention follows them, as if they are surrounded by a shining circle.

A week passes, then two, as we adjust to the new routine. We exist in a weird space, like we’re trapped in the stillness of a snow globe, only waiting for one shake before we’re tumbling through a violent blizzard.

Tina keeps her promises to our parents, and I do too…sort of. Even though I stumbled into my research topic, I find myself interested in what it’s unearthed. I talk to Delia and Shen on a regular basis, sometimes in the group chat, sometimes separately.

I see Tina flit in the midst of their crowd, laughing and chatting. More at ease with her friends than she has ever been at home. Tina once told me our parents don’t care if we’re happy or not. I scoffed at that before. At that pessimism. Our parents love us; they want what’s best for us. We are the reason they stayed in Canada, because they want that better future for us. But then I think back to all the folk tales they taught us in Chinese school: students who kept reading through a crack in the wall by moonlight, scholars who burned themselves with a candle to stay awake so they could continue to study, people who kept grueling schedules to pass the final exams. In comparison, we’re always told we have it easy, even as our parents whittle away everything that doesn’t fit their mold of what a perfect daughter should be, no matter how much it hurts us to have part of ourselves cut away. They tell us it’s for the best.

There’s a bang on the locker next to me, startling me out of my contemplations. It’s three of Tina’s friends, evident by their matching high ponytails.

“Stop following her,” one of the girls say to me accusingly. She’s taller than me, which, to be honest, is not a huge feat since I’m only five foot four. The other two stand behind her, arms folded, trying to look intimidating. But it’s the intensity of this girl standing before me, dedicated to protecting Tina from me, that startles a laugh out of my mouth.

“I’m her sister,” I tell her. “What do you think I’m going to do to her?”

That seems to confuse them. Whether it’s me readily admitting to following her, or if they thought by sheer numbers they would be able to intimidate me to back away. Maybe I would have before I knew all the things I’ve learned the past few weeks. About what waits for us after death, and how we might remain trapped on this earth, reliving our last, tormented moments if we’re unlucky enough to suffer a grisly, gruesome end.

These girls with their pretty faces and their sleek hair and their long limbs. They’re the ones who don’t quite seem real now. What if some sort of darkness exists behind their eyes too? What if someone else is looking out from those eyes?

“This is ridiculous.” I push past them, not caring if I bump into one with my shoulder. She yelps, stepping aside as I make my determined way to Tina. She’s at her locker, talking to a guy I don’t recognize.

“Excuse me,” I interrupt. “Family emergency.” I take Tina’s arm and pull her away before she can say anything else.

I check the science lab at the end of the hall. It’s currently quiet and empty. I push Tina in and shut the door. The lab benches are all cleaned, waiting for the next class to enter. A good place for us to have a private conversation.

“Whatever is going on with you, you’re scaring Denny.” I drop her arm and face her. “You have to stop. He’s having night terrors again.”

“What do you mean, 姊姊?” she says sweetly, a mocking lilt to her tone. I don’t buy the act. The sudden obedient nature. Yes, Ma. Yes, Baba. My sister is bold and funny and dramatic and loud. Not the way she is now.

“It’s not worth it, whatever you’re doing to yourself,” I say, still hoping to talk some sense into her, while pretending I don’t know what’s going on. “Staying up late at night, practicing for hours and hours. In the end, something is going to give. You can do whatever you want to yourself, but you can’t keep Denny up too. Telling stories or making him watch you practice or putting things in his head.”

“What is it you think I’m doing?” Her eyes darken as she regards me. “What could I possibly do to him? To that…little…monkey?” She licks her lips, knowing that I know what she means. Then she smiles, mouth stretching too wide. The whites slowly seep out of her eyes until they turn into shiny black orbs. Something moves inside them, writhing impossibly. Beside her, the glass doors of a cabinet begin to rattle, at first quietly, then louder and louder, until it is cacophonous. All the beakers and containers within vibrate as well, until they begin to ring with a piercing sound that drills directly into my ears. My hands fly to the side of my head, trying to protect my eardrums from that incessant noise.

The back of the shelves are mirrored, reflecting Tina from different angles: snarling, laughing, screaming.

“You went into my room and you took something from me,” she growls, the voice coming from deep within her throat. Her hand flies out and tightens around my arm. She moved so fast, too fast for me to even see. Her hand burns against mine; her skin is so hot, like she’s burning up from within.

“Why?” she demands, still in that ringing, terrifying voice. “Who is helping you?”

I try to pull away, but she turns her wrist, forcing my arm up between us. She’s impossibly strong, even as I use my other hand to try and push her away, but she doesn’t budge.

“Stop it!” I shout, then transition to begging as she keeps up the pressure, to the point where I have to turn with her or risk snapping my arm. “Tina! Please!”

“You want to keep him safe? Your precious, precious brother?” She hisses. “You stay away from us. Otherwise, there is a lot I can do to him. He might find himself on the roof one day. Maybe he’ll even believe he can fly.”

Her other hand flies to my neck, fingers digging into the tender spots there, the pain reminding me of how fragile my throat is. She means every word. Every threat. Tina loves Denny. Dotes on him, just as much as I do. She would never harm him. Unless…Her grip tightens further, making me gasp.

The light clicks on above us, and immediately, Tina blinks. The black retreats from her eyes, and her expression turns to normal. Her face smooths back into a smile, like slipping on a mask. She’s a teenage girl again.

“Something you need, girls?” It’s Ms. Lo, the chemistry teacher, looking at us. “What are you doing here, standing in the dark?”

“We were…talking. We’re done!” I stumble out of there, my heart beating so fast, my neck still aching.

That is no longer my sister. Whatever is inside her must have taken over completely. Just like Delia warned.