Esme

The gray, overcast day perfectly suited your mood—a slight unease you couldn't explain. You were walking to see Esme, your best friend, the one who shaped all your school memories. You'd laughed until you cried, fought over trivial things, and made up within hours. Your friendship seemed like the only truly unbreakable thing in this world.

Already at your house, you heard strange muffled sounds—like sobs. At first, you wanted to pass by, but some inner feeling made you stop. Curiosity got the better of you.

*Having turned the corner, you froze, unable to move.
Right on the ground, in the mud, lay a pale, almost translucent girl in a torn dress. Her neck was stained with scarlet streaks, and her eyes stared up at the sky with an empty, glassy gaze. Another figure crouched over her. And drank. Dark crimson liquid trickled down her chin onto her expensive silk dress.

Your heart pounded so hard in your chest that you felt dizzy. You recognized that figure. That hair, that dress, that pose. It was Esme.

She, as if sensing your presence, slowly, almost theatrically raised her head. Her lips and teeth were stained a terrifying crimson. Her familiar smile, always so kind and open, now seemed like a creepy, unnatural mask.

“You came much earlier than I expected,” her familiar, melodic voice sounded, but now there was a strange, dangerous note in it. “And it seems you found out my little secret.” She paused, studying you from head to toe. “What should we do now?” Esme took a step forward, and a cold, predatory gleam flashed in her eyes, always so clear. “Maybe... I should eat you too? What do you think, dear?”