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I always thought the sky was made of glass. When I was young, my grandfather taught me not to believe in magic. "If you have a wish, don’t wait for a shooting star," he said. "Work for it. Make it real."
I grew up a skeptic.
I never believed in what I couldn’t see nor imagined what dwelled beyond the clouds. Little did I know one day, the glass would shatter, revealing a blood bath behind it, one that traced back a thousand years.
I discovered the truth on the day of a wedding.
The pre-evening sun beamed down on the stone-tiled aisle, shining through the scattered rose petals. At their tables, the guests sat, flanked by trees and lush greenery, and ceiled only by the sky.
The sweet smell of the garden drifted through the gentle summer breeze that touched my neck. A few steps away, the groom waited under the floral arch, stunned and a bit nervous. I wasn’t a big fan of weddings, but that part made me smile. Jackson had always been the funny, outgoing guy. I never expected to see him blush.
Here Comes the Bride started to play. All heads turned, waiting for my sister to make her entrance. She walked in, escorted by our grandfather and clutching to her bouquet of blush and cream roses. Her brown hair gave off a ginger glow in the soft sunlight, and her angelic smile adorned her heart-shaped face. Many people said Tara and I look alike, but I never lit up the room the way she did.
Ahhh. I pressed my fingers to my temples when a horrifying image barged into my mind. I saw Tara, standing near a broken altar. Flooded with despair, she glanced down at her bloodstained dress.
What the hell is this? The intrusive vision forced me to flinch and shuffle back.
"Watch it." Heidi caught me before I tripped. She was my sister’s best friend, who lined up next to me and the other bridesmaids. "Are you trying to steal Tara’s thunder?" she whispered, giving me her condescending glare. Even in a pink dainty dress, she still managed to show her bitter nature.
I ignored her and calmed myself with a breath. Heidi and I never got along, but I had promised Tara I’d be nice. Turning back, I was relieved the frightening image was gone, and my sister walked down the aisle with grace.
It’s just in my head. It’s just in my head.
***
Tara and Jackson exchanged their rings. The guests cheered and threw rice, yet I couldn’t help but feel heaviness in my chest.
"You look beautiful today," Joe told me as I sat at the table with him. My sweet fiancé was a pediatrician at the City Hospital. He was easy on the eyes, with a soulful gaze and a gentle presence that could soothe a crying baby. No wonder he was great at his job. "I have known you for two years, and this is the second time I’ve seen you in a dress."
I was more of a ‘jeans and a plaid shirt’ girl.
"Tara transformed me." I tittered. "But look." I removed the hem of my dress to show him the sneakers on my feet. "She didn’t even notice I took off the heels."
He gave me his 'how cute' smirk that turned into a coy grin when I leaned in to sniff his citrus cologne.
"How are the summer classes?" he asked.
"I hate them." I pouted. "While my classmates are at the beach, I’m writing a paper about environmental law and property rights."
"Remind me again, why do you have to take summer classes?"
"Cause I’m unable to relax, that’s why." I rested my head on my fists. "Am I crazy?"
"I have heard rumors," he teased.
"Seriously, why do I push myself so hard? I should be having fun and going on dates with you. I don’t even remember what that’s like."
"How about I remind you?" He leaned forward. "I’ll take you out tonight after the wedding."
"This would be nice, but..." I cleared my throat. "The paper is due Monday."
"God, you are crazy," he said, shaking his head in disbelief. "Why am I marrying you?"
I tossed my hair over my shoulder. "Because I’m adorable?"
He gave half a laugh. "Seriously, Echo. You seem off today. Is it because of London?"
"Hmm, no," I said casually. "I made peace with my sister moving to London. It’s her life, and I want her to be happy. I’m not even going to cry at the airport. Maybe afterward."
Joe laughed but didn’t stray from the point. "Then what is it? Is it the park?"
"The park?" I raised my brows, intrigued by his conclusion. "Maybe. This place gives me the creeps."
"I wonder why you hate it," he said. "Tara told me you used to come and play here when you were kids."
"We did, didn’t we?" I tried to recall why we stopped, but the memories were hazy. Oracles Park symbolized everything I didn’t believe in; magic, fortune, luck, and other shenanigans. At the entrance was a statue of a green witch on a broom—a symbol so popular on Oracles Island, I was surprised it hadn’t made it to the flag. Outside the venue sat a wishing well where guests sent their blessings to the newlyweds. And worst of all was the psychic that walked around in her black cloak, offering to read everyone’s palms.
Like many people, Tara believed witches used to live in that park and their lingering magic would bless her marriage. I thought she was crazy, but I kept it to myself. Never mess with the bride, right?
A ringing sound interrupted our conversation. Joe reached for his phone.
"It’s the hospital." He stood. "I have to take this."
"Sure. Go ahead."
As he walked away, I watched my sister and her groom dancing. She laughed when he whispered something in her ear. My lips curled into a wary smile, disturbed by the image from before. It’s just in my head.
"Do you want to know your fortune?"
"God." I smacked my hand at my chest. "You startled me." I hadn’t noticed when the psychic took Joe’s seat.
"Do you want to know your fortune?" she repeated. The hood of her black cloak covered her eyes.
"Thanks, not interested." I wanted to shoo her away.
"But, dear, what you don’t know can hurt you," she said.
"I’ll take my chances." My cracking voice showed an edge of anxiety.
"It’s too late anyway." She frowned. "It’s already started."
What’s she talking abo—? Before I formed the question, the psychic grabbed my hand and stamped it with ink.
"What the—?" I pulled away. "What’s wrong with you?"
"My apologies, Ms. Blackwood." She didn’t sound apologetic. Rising from her seat, she gave me a warning. "Keep an eye on your grandfather."
She moved away before I could respond. I tried to wipe the stamp off, but the ink burrowed into my skin like a tattoo and settled in the shape of a triangle, intertwined with a wave and a circle.
God, I hate this park. I got to my feet and scanned the place. My gaze swiveled among faces, both familiar and not. They ate, danced, and took pictures, unaware of my growing panic.
I spotted Grandpa outside. He was standing near the wishing well when I made my way to him. "You’re not making a wish, are you?"
"I would never," he said, turning to me. A genuine smile touched the corners of his tired eyes. He had pulled another all-nighter working on a client's case, yet he showed up at the wedding all compact and dignified, his salt-and-pepper beard well-trimmed and kempt.
"I thought so too." I gave an awkward grin.
Grandpa seemed to be waiting for me to say more, but I could only stand there with a worried face. There was no way to tell him about the psychic’s warning or the unnerving image I had seen. He would’ve thought I had lost my mind.
"Doesn’t Tara look wonderful?" I asked, trying to break the silence.
"She has your mother’s beauty."
"Oh." I glanced down and scuffed my shoes.
"But you, sweetie," he added. "You’re a hundred percent Leo."
I raised my gaze to meet his, eager to hear more of what he had to say.
"The way you try to make everything perfect, to take care of everyone. You’re everything your father was."
Tears welled up, and I reached for the handkerchief in Grandpa’s pocket. "Do you miss him?" I asked.
"These are the times I miss them the most, both of them. I can imagine your father walking Tara down the aisle, and Lillian...walking all over Jackson."
I chortled. "Well, Tara was lucky to have you walk her down the aisle, and I guess I have to be Jackson's monster-in-law."
Grandpa smiled and leaned forward to kiss me on the forehead. As he stepped away, I felt a sudden urge to stop him.
"Look out," I shouted, not knowing why. As soon as I pulled him away, the ground erupted.
With a hellish rumble, the earth shuddered and burst open. Dust sprang, bringing on a coughing fit.
"Wha-what’s happening?" Grandpa held onto my shoulder.
"A-ah." I coughed, failing to form words.
As the guests hollered, the shaking intensified, and the floral arch collapsed. The ground was ripped apart, swallowing the swath of green into a hole. Everyone tried to flee, but Grandpa and I were paralyzed. A step away from us sat a pit to hell, swirling and roaring.
***
In a matter of seconds, the hole expanded to the size of a swimming pool. Tables and chairs toppled over and hauled into the abyss. The guests jumped off their seats, but some were too old to run. Jackson hurried to help his mother, who almost fell.
"Calling all units. Ambulance needed at Oracles Park," Heidi spoke through her police scanner.
"Copy that," the dispatch said. "Do you request backup, Detective?"
"Yes—" She glanced at the bride, who stared at the widening hole. "Damn it, Tara. Run," she yelled, but Tara wasn’t listening. She just stood there, eyes too open as if by force.
"Tara, you have to go." Heidi pulled at her shoulder, but Tara was frozen. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?"
Heidi followed Tara’s gaze, and the scanner dropped from her grasp. From the hole, two beasts emerged. They were ten feet tall with furrowed brown skin and claws too long for their size. Although they walked on two feet, their tails trailed into the pit. "This can’t be."
"Detective?" the scanner sounded. "Detective."
"Everyone, out of here now," Heidi shouted.
***
While two beasts appeared at the venue, a third one showed up where Grandpa and I were. Beneath our feet, it clutched the ground and climbed up, squeezing itself into the small space between us and the pit, like a person who didn’t understand personal space. Except, it wasn’t a person. It was some sort of dragon/human hybrid with a reptilian face and yellow eyes with neither lids nor lashes. And it had the scent of the Earth—dusty, wet soil.
A moment passed before I noticed my neck was stretched up. The beast and I locked eyes, studying one another. What the hell is this thing? I was stuck mid-gasp, unable to push the air into my lungs.
The staring stopped when the beast snarled. Grandpa and I backpedaled, our knees quivering. The beast seemed ready to pounce.
What are we going to do?
Grandpa tugged at my arm and brought his other hand to his chest. I worried the fear would kill him before the beast did.
The Jeep! I thought of a way out. Although no cars were allowed at Oracles Park, mine was an exception since I had driven the bride and groom. I had parked it right behind the venue, away from the pit.
If only I can get there with Grandpa.
What about Tara, Jackson, and Joe?
Will Grandpa be able to run?
Will he slow me down?
This is not the time for hesitation, Echo. Do something.
I peeked at my grandfather, unsure whether I was making the right choice or if I had a choice at all. "I’m sorry, Grandpa." I pulled away. "You have to make it on your own."
"Wh-at?" The confusion on his face heightened when I handed him the key.
"Get out of here," I said. "I’ll stall."
"Echo. What are you—"
"Go!" I jumped away and tossed my purse at the beast in an attempt to grab its attention.
The beast turned to me, growling, and with that, I ran.
I ran as fast as my dress and my short legs allowed me to, pushing past the venue and the scramming guests. Their cries seemed distant, masked by the heavy thuds of the beast chasing me.
The more I sped up, the faster I lost my breath. My lungs were on fire. Out of oxygen and ideas, I hid among a grove of trees and tried to vanish in their thick foliage.
As the thuds faded, a wave of relief washed over me, but soon, the leaves began to rustle. The beast had caught up. It flung its wolverine claws out like open scissors with my neck between the blades.
"Please, don’t." I was glued to the ground. Had I made a move, the blades would’ve sliced through me. A wail escaped my dry lips and tugged at my throat, breaking the rhythm of my racing heart and the beast’s grating breath. From the corner of my eye, I saw the wishing well. All I could do was pray Grandpa made it safely to the car.
That was in no way a heroic moment. Before giving Grandpa the keys, I thought about saving myself instead. I was younger and faster and had a long life to look forward to, but Grandpa was the only father I had ever known. He raised me and Tara, took care of us, kept us safe. He inspired me to become a lawyer and to follow in his footsteps. The arrow of my moral compass spun around as I wrestled with the choices, but now that I had made my decision, there were no regrets.
Shutting my eyes, I surrendered to the beast. Although I wanted to feign bravery, my trembling jaw gave away my fear. My life flashed before my eyes, and I saw how empty it was. Twenty-two years, and I had three memories to ache for—just three.
My first day at law school.
Joe’s proposal.
And the ice-cream place where Grandpa took us when we were young. All the time, we used to go there, order the same chocolate sundae, and listen to Somewhere Over the Rainbow on the jukebox. One time, we even carved our initials to the table.
Though my eyes teared up, my lips curled into a smile.
I wish I could go there one more time.
I don’t want to die.
"Hey, you," a familiar voice bellowed. My life montage popped like a soap bubble. I opened my eyes and tilted my head to the side.
The psychic heaved a rifle to her shoulder. She fired and something whizzed near my face, forcing me to hold my breath. It wasn’t a bullet, but a syringe that penetrated the beast’s skin.
The beast lowered its blades, letting me go and turning to the shooter, who reloaded her gun.
"I got this one," she told me.
She removed her hood, revealing her face. She had hair and eyes in the color of purple eggplant, and despite her innocent features, her gaze was vacant, impassive. An ice princess was the best description for her.
"Go back to the wedding and find Kirby," she said. "I’ll take care of this one."
Who’s she? I gawked, barely hearing her words, astonished by her unusual looks.
"What are you waiting for? Find Kirby."
"Kirby?" I murmured. Who the hell is Kirby?
***
At the edge of the pit, Tara kneeled; her face and dress covered in dirt. "What’s going on?" She gaped, unable to process what was happening. A minute ago, she was dancing with her groom. Suddenly, it was chaos. The guests tried to escape, Jackson and Joe ran around to help, and Heidi fired her gun at a monster. "Nothing makes sense."
"Tara, why are you still here?" No matter how many times Heidi yelled, Tara didn’t respond. She didn’t even flinch when the beast came closer and reached its claw for her.
"Tara," Jackson screamed from afar.
"You idiot." Heidi continued to shoot, but her gun didn’t save Tara. A syringe did. In the nick of time, someone fired a dart syringe from behind, and the beast recoiled.
Tara turned around to see a tall man with pale skin and purple hair and eyes. Dressed in a green sweatshirt and jeans, he easily stood out from the formal-wearing crowd. His side-swept fringe covered half his forehead, highlighting his boyish features.
"A gun won’t work," he told Heidi. "Take this."
He placed a rifle in Heidi’s hands and hurried to help Tara off the ground. "Has anyone seen Echo?"
"Ech-o," Tara cooed, dewy-eyed.
"You need to leave." The stranger held Tara’s hand and motioned her away from the pit. He tried to rush her, but she kept tripping over her dress.
"Echo," the stranger called out, still holding onto Tara’s hand. As they hustled around the venue, Tara examined the faces encountered—frightened faces, hurried faces, confused faces trying to make it out alive.
"Echo," the stranger screamed. Tara hoped the crowd would go silent so his voice would reach, but soon, she was going to regret her wish.
There was a thud and a collective gasp followed by stillness. One of the beasts had leaped over the crowd and settled where the arch used to be. Those who had fled were safe, but everyone in the venue was surrounded.
"No one moves," the stranger yelled.
The guests remained in their positions, and the sound of Heidi’s gunshots disappeared. Petrified, Tara clutched her throat.
"Stay still," the stranger warned, nevertheless, a guest tried to run. She was a middle-aged woman standing too close to the beast. Only God knew what she was thinking. Lifting her dress, she busted out from the crowd and towards some opening she must’ve seen, but the beast swayed its arm, slashing its claw across her abdomen.
***
Blood spattered everywhere, staining Tara’s dress.
That was the vision I had seen before, and the first thing I witnessed when I arrived at the venue.
Everyone went chaotic. It was hard to keep calm when someone had just been slaughtered. I watched from the other side of the pit, shaken by the image of the murdered woman—the bloody party dress, the red hair with a streak of gray, the rectangular glasses, the horrified look. Though I had never met her before, her face would haunt me in my nightmares for weeks.
Find Kirby. The psychic’s words rang in my mind. Who’s Kirby? Why would I find him? Does he have a plan? What can I do? I had to pull the brakes on my thoughts, otherwise, I might’ve collapsed.
So I did the only thing I could do, the only thing that made (or didn’t make) sense. I sucked in a deep breath and let it all out in a call, "Kirbyyy."
My throat itched as I raised my voice above the crowd. A lot of heads turned to see me, but it was easy to recognize the purple-haired man among them. Once he saw me, he sprinted along the edge of the pit, disregarding the beast and the ground on the verge of crumpling.
He was trying to reach me, so I launched myself his way. I just knew it was important for us to meet. It didn’t make any sense, but nothing did. There were freaking monsters at my sister’s wedding. Besides, his friend saved my life. They had to be the good guys, right?
Gulping for air, I stopped running halfway and waited for him. The closer he got, the taller he appeared. As he caught up with me, he produced a Swiss knife from his pocket. "Give me your hand," he said.
"Wha-t? Why?" I drew back at the sight of the blade.
"Echo, please," he uttered between his shallow breaths. "We don’t have time."
I peered at him. Although he looked like the psychic’s twin, his eyes were kinder and more compassionate. We hadn’t met, but I sensed his genuine concern. For a reason beyond my logic, I trusted him.
"Here." I opened both hands out.
He smiled slightly and grabbed the hand his twin had stamped. "Claude ostium," he said as he slid the knife along my palm.
I watched as the blood oozed from the wound, too shocked to feel the pain. "Bloo-" I managed to utter before my body fired up. The tattoo glowed white, and my heart galloped so forcefully that my entire body convulsed. A warping, echoing sound came from the pit as it started to close. Dust and rocks filled up the emptiness while the beasts were pulled in as if by a magnet.
My last memory of the event was Kirby catching me right before I slipped into the void.
***
"Echo... Echo..." my sister whispered.
"T-tara?" I opened my eyes, but my vision was blurry. I barely made out the color of her hair and her blue shirt.
"Who else would it be?"
I blinked rapidly, wiping my eyes to get rid of the blur. Tara sat at the edge of my bed. Grandpa and Joe were by the window.
"Honey, are you okay?" Joe asked.
"She must have hit her head hard," Grandpa said.
What are they talking about? My brain glitched. A moment ago, I was with Kirby at the pit. There was a loud noise, and my body felt strange. How did I get here?
"The monsters," I cried with a jolt. "What happened?"
"Monsters?" Tara scoffed. "Did you have a nightmare?"
I clutched at her shirt. "Tara. We were at your wedding. Monsters came out of the ground. They killed a woman."
"Monsters at my wedding? The only thing that came close to a monster was Jackson’s great-aunt. She’s a piece of work."
"I’m not joking, Tara." I croaked through my painful throat.
"Neither am I," Tara replied with a hint of annoyance, then turned to the men. "Did you guys see any monsters?"
Joe walked over to my side and patted my head. "Honey, you fainted at the wedding, and we brought you home. That’s it. There are no monsters."
"He’s right," Tara said. "Jackson and I postponed our flight until we make sure you’re okay." The two seemed serious. I looked at Grandpa, whose nod affirmed it. No one remembered what happened.
"Okay, okay. Cool. Everything is cool. I was just...dreaming."
I knew I wasn’t. The wound on my hand proved it. Although the tattoo disappeared, the knife had left a diagonal scar on my palm.
I sank into my pillow. A burning pain spiraled through my chest, and my muscles ached.
"Your heart rate and blood pressure were soaring," Joe said. "I gave you an antiarrhythmic injection, but you need to get checked up to make sure this doesn’t happen again."
"Sure," I said, mindlessly. My brain was preoccupied with the psychic and her twin, the sword-clawed beasts, and the woman who got killed.
"Tara, do we have any redheads in the family? A middle-aged woman, who wears rectangular glasses."
"Hmm." Tara wrinkled her forehead. "Are you talking about Margo? Jackson’s cousin. How do you know her?"
"Was she at the wedding?"
"She RSVP’d but never showed up," Tara said before narrowing her eyes. "Why are you asking?"
"No reason." I averted her gaze.
"What do you mean no reason? How do you even know Margo?"
"Enough with the interrogation, Tara," Grandpa broke in. "Your sister is exhausted. Let her get some rest."
"Fine." She came to her feet. "We can talk later. I’ll let you rest for now."
"We should all go." Grandpa gestured for them to leave the room.
Everyone left, allowing me to relax. I turned in bed, trying to fall asleep, but couldn’t stop the mental chatter. There were too many questions and no clue on where to look for answers. Why were there beasts at my sister’s wedding and why doesn’t anyone remember them? The overthinking drove me crazy.
Nothing interrupted my chain of thoughts until my phone beeped with a message from an unknown number.
We need to talk.
-Kirby.
