Did it work? Absolutely not, with Florence still possessing Stella’s body. Especially those bodies who stood around, staring at Florence.

The ear-piercing strum vibrated through the air, shaking her to the core. She pressed on the frets of the guitar as Stella’s arms trembled. And one by one, those bodies that surrounded her a moment ago melted away, trickling back into the spilled water on the floor.

Florence groaned as the strings snapped on Stella’s fingertips, blistering Stella’s skin. Blood leaked from the wound, splashing between Stella’s legs on the top of the round dining table. The sweat from Stella’s palm smeared onto the neck of a guitar as Florence clenched it.

The guitar with Stella’s name carved on it was strapped onto Lucy. Lucy grabbed Stella’s wrist, tugging it. Lucy reached into her pocket, taking out a band-aid. She pulled open the backing on the adhesive side. The pad was placed onto Stella’s bleeding fingertips as Lucy stuck the bandage.

“Yeah, it should be okay.” Lucy rested her red cheeks on her knuckle.

“Absolutely not,” Florence said. “At this rate, I’m not going to unpossess Stella’s body or even get back there.”

“It’s not possible to master the guitar in one day.”

“Absolutely… you’re right.”

Lucy closed her eyes, dropping into the stack of pizza packaging boxes. The cardboard rustled. She put her hands behind her head, kicking her feet up.

“What am I supposed to do now?” Florence pressed Stella’s chin on the head of a guitar. “I can not just sit here and do nothing.”

“Keep practicing,” Lucy said.

“But there is like one day left until the performance. And I am still somehow stuck inside Stella’s body.”

“Don’t worry about it. It’s going to be fine.”

“Absolutely not.”

Lucy laughed. Tears streamed from her eyes. She wiped it with the back of her hands.

“I am sorry.” Florence rose from the round table, clasping Stella’s skirt. Stella’s legs wobbled. “I did not mean it like that,” she said. The world around her spun, dropping the pressure inside Stella’s skull.

Florence collapsed onto the floor with a thud. She froze as the throbbing scream spread through Stella’s muscles.

“Stella… I mean, Florence,” Lucy said. She jumped to Florence’s side. “What happened?”

Florence groaned. “I… do not know.”

Lucy grabbed a bottle, pressing its mouth on Stella’s low lip. An alcoholic scent tickled Florence as it flooded Stella’s nostrils. But no liquid filled Stella’s mouth.

“Sorry… the wrong one,” Lucy said. She set the bottle aside and grabbed the cup. Then, she helped Florence gulp down the water.

Florence sat back up, rubbing Stella’s skull. “Thank you.”

Lucy ginned with her cheeks still burning red.

“What was that?” Florence asked.

“Why are you asking me?” Lucy shrugged. “I’m not an expert. But if I’ve to guess… you’re probably fine.”

“You called that fine?”

“Hey, I’m just trying to be positive here.”

Florence forced herself to stand up. But Stella’s leg muscles froze in place, unable to move.

“Need some help?” Lucy stretched her arm out, setting down the cup beside her feet.

Florence nodded as Stella’s fingers twitched. Florence gripped onto Lucy, leaning into Lucy.

“Well… at least the good news is that I can move certain parts of Stella’s body,” Florence said.

“Yeah,” Lucy said. “Not sure what I’m supposed to add after that.” She moved Florence to sit on top of the round table.

“How about I continue practicing the guitar”?

“Slow down a bit. You’ve got to take your time.”

Lucy hopped back on the round table, knocking the pizza packaging boxes to the floor.

“I am not certain about this at all.” Florence tapped on the body of a guitar. “You know… just how long will this take.”

“Just be patient with yourself,” Lucy said.

“I do not think I have any time left.”

“Hey, when I started playing the guitar, it took years for Stella to teach me.”

“Pardon me, I do not mean it like that?”

“I know it sounds weird. But… you shouldn’t be in a rush because everything takes time. Even if you’re trying to learn guitar… or anything else.”

A knock shook the entrance.

Florence and Lucy turned towards it.

The door opened with Mai peeking inside. She waved a stack of paper around. “Look what I just found.”

“That… is fast,” Florence said.

“What? It took me hours to find it.”

“Pardon.”

Lucy reached into her pocket, pulling out a phone. She looked at its screen, tapping it.

“Pardon me, what is the time now?” Florence asked.

“It’s around eleven P.M.,” Lucy said. She looked at Mai. “When did you leave exactly?”

“Like… maybe six P.M.,” Mai said.

“Wait, it has already been that long,” Florence said.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

Mai smiled, stepping backward into the corridor behind her. She glanced back and forth between Florence and Lucy.

“Where are you going?” Florence asked.

Mai put her thumbs up. “Nothing.”

“Come on, come in here,” Lucy said. “There’s nothing in particular that’s happening here.” She slapped the guitar with Stella’s name carved on it. “We’re just practicing it.”

Florence raised Stella’s shaking hands, opened Stella’s palm, and showed the blister on Stella’s fingertips.

“This sounds… looks… and smells suspicious.” Mai gripped the handle, closing the entrance in front of her.

Lucy dropped to the floor with a thud, stretching her arm out to the door. “Hey, wait a minute. Don’t go,” she said. “If you’re going out anyways, make sure to buy some alcohol for me.”

The door opened. Mai stepped into the room, slamming the entrance close behind her.

“That is… fast,” Florence said.

“I’m never going to buy alcohol for you.” Mai pressed her fist against her hip. “Do you understand, Lucy?”

Lucy burped. “Come on, it’s no biggie.”

Mai tapped her feet across the floor, stopping in front of Lucy.

Lucy grinned, tilting her head up.

Mai threw the musical composition at Lucy’s face, rustling the papers.

“That’s violent,” Lucy said. She pushed the sheets aside.

“I could be more violent.” Mai cracked her knuckles. “That’s if you want a taste of it. And just a reminder, I’m not your maid. Do you understand?”

Lucy’s jaw dropped open.

“What?” Mai shrugged. “Like, is there something wrong with me?”

“Nothing,” Lucy said.

“Good.”

“I hope your mom was here. At least she would give me some cookies.”

Mai kneeled down, picking up the music composition. She placed it next to Florence on top of the round table.

“Where is Haru anyway?” Florence asked.

“Could we not talk about her? Since… you know… we have a performance tomorrow,” Mai said. “Sorry… that was a bad excuse. But, seriously, how do you remember after that awful concussion?”

Lucy stood up, pulling at the strap of the guitar with Stella’s name carved on it. “I’m quite sure not all concessions do that.”

“Could we get back on the topic of Haru?” Florence scratched the pick along the guitar’s body lying on Stella’s lap. “I certainly do not see her around here.”

Mai pinched her nose, pacing around the room in circles.

Florence scratched the back of Stella’s head. “Pardon me, did I say something wrong?”

“I think we shouldn’t talk about it here.” Lucy burped, getting up onto her knees. She covered Stella’s mouth. “Could we all agree on that?”

“Nothing, really,” Mai said. She tilted her head down, avoiding eye contact. “But she’ll be back… soon enough.”

“How about let’s talk about something else?” Florence clasped Stella’s hands. “Maybe… let’s talk about my horrible guitar skill.”

Lucy laughed, clenching her stomach.

“Pardon me, what was that for?” Florence asked.

“Nothing.” Lucy waved her hand. “It’s really nothing. Just don’t be too harsh on yourself.”

“You need a bucket,” Mai said.

Florence pointed at Stella’s face.

“Not you, Stella,” Mai said.

Lucy cupped her mouth. Her skin paled. She pounded her feet across the floor, dashing towards the bathroom. She kicked the door open with a slam.

A loud gag echoed from the toilet.

“Don’t worry about her,” Mai said. She placed her thumbs up, winking at Florence. “She is going to be okay.”

Florence raised her eyebrows. “How is that okay?”

Lucy stumbled out of the bath. She clutched the neck of the guitar with Stella’s name carved on it. Her fingers turned white. A layer of bile cakes her lips.

“You see,” Mai said. “She is totally okay. Like really okay.”

Lucy wiped her mouth. “I don’t know.”

“I certainly do not agree with your statement,” Florence said.

“Anyways, we sort of get some band practice done.” Mai placed her palm on the back of her head. “Considering the circumstances, probably tomorrow or at the location where our performance will be done.”

Lucy rolled her eyes behind her sockets. She crashed on her back with a thud.

Mai tapped her toe on the floor. The knocks filled the silence as Florence stared at Lucy.

Bubbles rose up from Lucy’s gaping mouth.

Florence pressed Stella’s palm on the side of the round table. But before she slid down, Mai gripped onto Florence.

“I think she needs some help,” Florence said.

“She is going to be okay,” Mai said. “Like this happens all the time.”

Florence turned Stella’s head, staring at Mai.

“What?” Mai shook her head. “It’s not like this was the first time this happened.”

“Pardon me, should we go to the hospital?” Florence asked.

Mai sighed, taking a seat next to Florence. Then Mai crossed her legs, leaning forward. She pressed her chin against her palm.

Florence hunched over a guitar on Stella’s lap. “How are you certain about this?”

“What’s the point of it? We’re like… not after that… just… never mind,” Mai said. She whipped her pink-dyed hair back. “Anyways, let’s be real here. Where’s Chloe at?”

“If you’re not going to let me take Lucy to the hospital. At least let me help her manage her symptoms.”

“Like, could you answer my question first?”

Florence slipped onto the floor, crawling under the round table towards Lucy.

A grip tightened around Stella’s ankle.

Florence glanced back.

Mai smiled with her eyes closed. The sweat on her palm smeared Stella’s skin.

“You just got a concussion,” Mai said. “Look after yourself first before others.”

“But she needs help,” Florence said.

“Fine… if you want it, I’ll do it for you.”

“But—”

“No, but.”

Mai dragged Florence out from under the round table. Then, Mai scooped Florence up and placed her on the pizza packaging boxes.

“How are you certain about it?” Florence asked. “As in, you taking care of Lucy.”

Mai shoved her hands into her pockets. “Well, it’s not like this is the first time ever,” she said. She walked towards Lucy, crouching beside her.

From the corner of Florence’s eye, the dust-caked the shelf above the drumset. But, strangely, the porcelain jar and a photo of Haru were no longer there. Florence squinted at it, leaning forward and over a guitar sitting on Stella’s lap.

“I’m still waiting for it if you’re wondering, Stella,” Mai said. “Not sure when it’s going to arrive.”

Florence nodded. “Absolutely.”

“Did she ditch us?”

“Who?”

“No, it couldn’t be. I hope they’re safe.”

“I… don’t know where to begin at this point.”

Mai scratched her chin. She poked Lucy on the cheek.

“Pardon me, where exactly is our performance?” Florence asked.

“One of us got a severe concussion. The other is like always dead drunk,” Mai said. She poked Lucy on the cheek again. “Another might be dead in the worst-case scenario. How did we get into this situation?”

“Is that a location? Or are you just talking to yourself?”

“We’re all going to die.”

“Now, this no longer makes sense.”

Lucy’s eyes flew open. She sat straight up, stretching her arms forward. A muffled scream spat out the foam in her mouth.

“Look at that. She is back,” Mai said.

“Where am I?” Lucy massaged her forehead. “Why am I here? I was in the alcohol paradise.”

“Well, that’s unfortunate.”

“Bring me back. Please.”

Lucy lunged at Mai, shaking her on the shoulder.

“Pardon me, it will be nice if someone answers my question,” Florence said. “Where are we going for the band performance?”

Mai rested her chin on her knees. “It’s going to happen in the Prince Underground Railway.”

“Pardon me, could you perhaps repeat it?”

“Prince Underground Railway. This is also where we’ll do our band practice. And also… where our band performance will be done.”

“But that place is haunted by ghosts. So… how are we supposed to perform and practice there?”

“What?”

A chill spread through Florence, sinking Stella’s heart.

This could not be… right?