The church is eerily empty for a Sunday. However, Ivory and Elisa still walk in, weaving through the pews and throwing a tennis ball between them. Suddenly, the organ strikes an aggressive chord, startling the two.

“What the-“

Ivory starts to say, only to be interrupted by a sophisticated, playful voice from somewhere above them.

“Would you like to play a game?”

The word ‘game’ is emphasised by another dramatic cord, followed by enthusiastic violin that echoes dramatically around the now-eerie building.

The violin stops with a squeaky note, and Elisa makes the mistake of taking a step to the side, intending to step between a pair of pews. The tennis ball hits the ground at the exact second a deafening bang sounds, and Elisa drops to her knees, suddenly unable to breathe. She grapples desperately at her throat, black liquid spilling from her lips. Ivory watches in frozen horror as Elisa’s pale skin starts to crack, that black liquid seeping from every gap, until eventually, Elisa drowns on it and falls flat on her face, as still as a statue; as broken as Ivory’s heart.

“I thought she knew we were playing.”

That voice says. It has a mocking hint to it.

“Musical statues has always been my favourite.”

The voice continues before the violin starts again. Ivory wastes no time in running for the door, her legs burning with the speed.

Then she falls, the floor collapsing beneath her, the world tilting and spinning and flipping. Everything goes black.

When Ivory wakes up, everything seems normal. Too normal. She’s in her bed, in her room..But there’s something odd propped up on her desk, something that was never there before.

A violin.