The golden light from the streetlamps flickered like fireflies, illuminating the cobblestone streets of Eldehaven. As the sisters ambled home from school, the evening air carried with it a whispering chill, one that nudged at their curiosity.

  Blu skipped ahead, her laughter bright and carefree, but Blue lagged behind, engulfed in a heavy silence that threatened to swallow the joy around her. Every now and then, she glanced at her sisters, her expression a blend of care and contemplation, like a painting caught between shadows.

  Blue was a brown-haired girl, in her early-teens. She wore a blue dress, with a brown belt, and brown shoes. Her hair fell straight, in a long row, that cut off cleanly at the ends. Her bangs falling in front of her black eyes.

  Her sisters were also brown-haired. While Blu's had slight curls towards the end, Buu's ended short. Blu had blue eyes, Buu had brown. They all wore the same signature uniform that marked them as students of St. Carmel's Preparatory school.

  "Did you se Mr. Harrison slip on that banana peel during lunch?" Blu exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with laughter. "He looked like he was dancing!" Buu chuckled, trying to mimic Mr. Harrison’s clumsy shuffle, but Blue's silence quickly dampened the moment. Where the others saw humor, Blue wasn't paying attention.

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  Buu shot Blue a puzzled look, her small brows knitting together in concern. "Blue, aren’t you going to laugh? I thought it was hilarious!" Her innocent question hung in the air, pressing against the wall of uncertainty that cloaked her sister. Instead of laughing along, Blue merely nodded, a small gesture that comforted and troubled them.

  As they rounded the corner by the old fountain, Blu noticed the crescent moon hanging low in the sky, a glowing sentinel witnessing their descent into secrets. "Maybe Blue's planning something!" she teased, attempting to draw her sister into the conversation. But Blue’s gaze remained unfocused, drifting toward the shadows that danced along the stone walls.

  The air was thick with unspoken words, the kind that wrapped around them like mist rolling in from the nearby hills. Buu reached for Blu's arm, her playful nature displaying itself, as she looked to Blue. "Hey, you wan' me to show my dance."

  Gesturing if she wanted her to demonstrate her rendition of Mr. Harrison's performance. Blue looked away as they continued to talk. She didn't answer.

  "What’s wrong, Blue? You’re being super quiet!" It was an open invitation for Blue to share. But the older sister kept her thoughts quiet, adding to the weight of her silence.

  They reached the familiar warm glow of their home, yet the doorway seemed to loom larger than usual. They stepped into the doorway, entering the house as all conversation decreased into silence. With one last glance over her shoulder, Blu looked back one more time, staring at her sister, who remained wrapped within her silence.

  Little did they know, they were already being seeked by the whispering cobblestones of Eldhaven.