We exit through the back wall of the building using Melpomene's phasing and I walk her to a taxi. I try not to think too much about what has happened. Things keep changing. Walking to my house, I remember something – I wonder if Kristen defrost the janitor.

…

It’s been almost two weeks and I’m halfway through my Wednesday shift. Melpomene isn’t coming today, it’s when she’s at school most of the day, and she’s too tired in the afternoon to come. That reminds me that I’ve never seen what she does. If she studies graphic design, then… does she draw? Or what is one supposed to do there? It must be very interesting. I liked hearing interesting things in class, although Rodrigo was always right. Not all teachers are good.

I put a few small toy drums in a basket. They are made of plastic, they don’t make any sound, and whenever I see them I wonder why people buy them. As toys? For the penny they cost, customers can’t ask for much, but… a plastic drum? That’s ridiculous, at least to me. I put the basket back and look around. I spend the whole day here, my mother said I could sue Mr. Lau for exploitation, but to tell the truth I like it. I arrive at eleven and leave just before eight, Mel arrives at one, sometimes at two due to her classes. The shop only gets crowded on weekends, although Friday is a bit difficult. I wonder who is here on Saturdays and Sundays. I’ve walked by and seen some girls serving. Does Mr. Lau really have daughters after all?

Walking to the counter to get the store’s box cutter, I hear the bells at the entrance ring. “Welcome to,” I say and turn around. “… Dongxi “. At the door is Melpomene, carrying cases of all sizes and shapes around her body. Next to her is Kristen, still in her high school uniform. “What are you doing here?” To be honest, I’m a little glad to see her. I leave the store and take two of the cases Melpomene is carrying on her arm, they’re rectangular and large. I put them on the counter, and Mr. Lau comes out to see why I haven’t finished unpacking the rest of the toys. “Mr. Lau, can I borrow Sam for a second? It’s important!” Melpomene says, and our boss agrees, snatching the box cutter from my hands.

“Is here where y’all work?”

“It's simple, but very rewarding”

“Kristen”

“Yeah, sure. Sam, we need you”

“Huh?”

We appeared in another vision, Kristen tells me. In it, the child is now watching us on the television, before turning back to Kristen. “But now I think I know who it is”. Apparently, after seeing us two weeks ago, a friend of Kristen’s showed her a video of a boy that Kristen recognized as the one from the vision. She says she broke down, meaning that when she saw the face, she fell to the ground crying, terrified. Apparently, that confirms that it is the same boy, at least for her.

“There's a vlogger, his name is Ken-Chan” Kristen places her phone in front of us. She's playing a video of a guy dancing in the street. He looks like he's kicking the air. Melpomene and I exchange a curious look. “Well, that's what he calls himself” Kristen answers, embarrassed. “His real name is Ken Reed… and I'm real sure he was the one I saw in my vision” I watch the video again, it's kind of embarrassing. I don't understand what it's supposed to mean.

“And? Do you think he’s like you?” I ask, but Kristen just looks down. “I think he’s more like… that guy you both ran into”.

“What makes you think that?”

“When I recognized him, I had a theory that maybe it means what you said… then I heard about this” Kristen turns off the video and swipes her finger across the screen of her phone a couple of times. Showing us the phone again, it now shows a post from a news site. “Disappeared student body found” I read the article out loud. “The girl had several wounds made with a sharp object… thirty stab wounds… there are no suspects”.

Before I can say anything, Kristen silences us. Moving her phone, she now shows us a couple of images. First, a forest. “It’s a place that Ken frequents in his videos, I’ve seen it”. After that, she returns to the news and clicks on the image of the place where they found the girl. “Look! It’s the same place!” Kristen raises her fingers and separates them, giving us back our voices.

We think for a moment. It's true that it's a coincidence, and that the girl had already seen another killer in her visions. But we can't see those visions, we don't know if it's true. And it seems that Melpomene thinks the same as me. Kristen explains to us that she has seen strange things before, and that she has been told many curious facts about this Ken Reed, who happens to live in Azul. She says that he is bipolar, with sudden and documented outbursts of anger, that he is always changing from trend to trend just to get attention, that he usually goes out with many girls and that they always leave him because he is so weird. Despite that, it seems that nothing stops him, since he has been an internet sensation for some time now. Anyway, I don't know much about that. At home we can't afford to pay for internet.

We spend a while discussing it, and Kristen heads home. We decide that we will look into it. But we can't guarantee that we believe her completely. This time, I decide to accompany Melpomene to the bus stop.

“Do you think it's true?”

“I believe in the girl, in her fears but… something’s weird”

“What?”

“These visions… we… is it perhaps our fate to get into trouble?”

“Well, from what she said the other day, I reckon you're the first one she's met who's like her… with abilities”

“But I’m trying to get rid of them”

“But you have them – I mean, maybe we're her only… resource, and these visions know it”

As soon as we arrive, the public bus is crossing the street. Melpomene has no choice but to run and get on it before it leaves.

I walk back to the house, open the door, and immediately take a shower after seeing the clean clothes on the couch in the living room. When I step outside, Blue and Mom have taken over the couch and TV, watching a soap opera. I lose myself for a moment. “What’s up with you?” Blue asks, taking a bite of a sweet bread. I hold out my hand for her to give me some, but she only rips a corner and gives me the smallest piece possible. “Hey sis” I say as I eat the bread. “Do you know a Ken Reed?”

“Ken Reed? The one from YouTube? You mean Ken-Chan, right?”

“Yeah, that guy”

“What’s up with him? I thought you didn’t like stuff like that”

“Uh, I’m trying to be… trendy”, I say while spreading my hands for emphasis. “Is that guy funny?”

“Yeah, he’s kinda cool”

“Mm, and you think he looks… weird?”

“Uh… well, no, weird in what way? Why so much interest?”

“Just being curious”

I retreat to my room. Next to my bed is an old wooden nightstand. I open the drawer in it and take out a small, push-button cell phone. It’s what I’ve always had; Mom always said that if I wanted a “smart” one, I’d have to buy it with my own money. But ever since I got back the money I’d earned in Dongxi, I’ve only taken out a little to lend Mom. Turning it on, I decide to take something else out of the nightstand drawer: a piece of paper with Melpomene’s number written on it. She gave it to me the day we had sushi for dinner, but I haven’t used the cell phone. In fact, I haven’t used it in a long time, even before the incident.

On the phone, there are only seven contacts: Ashley, Blas, Home, Mom, Manuel, Rodrigo, and Travis. My high school friends, and my family. Now I remember why I never used this thing, I didn’t need to. After all… Though maybe now it’ll be useful. I decide to tweak a few things. My home number has changed over the years, but I doubt I need it, Mom and Blue always carry their phones. Also, I highly doubt Manuel or Travis will want to talk to me. It all ended that rainy day. I delete their contacts.

In the end, I’m left with Ashley, Blue, Mama, Melpomene, and Rodrigo left. My family, my new friend, and… two old friends. I put my phone aside and let myself fall on the bed. Things are so strange. One day everything is… normal, common, ordinary… I don’t know how else to say it. I should go back to reading, with all this free time I have. Anyway, I was saying… One day everything is normal, and suddenly… things disappear. It’s true what they say… you never know when it will be the last time. Although Rodrigo may have met her again, wherever people go when they leave this world. Kristen’s words spin through my head. If that Ken boy is a… then that means he’s still out there, making people suffer.

I missed the chance to save Ashley, then Rodrigo. But when I was confronted with it, I saved Melpomene. I might be getting a little excited… but it feels like I’m facing another opportunity. Does anyone need help? Is that it? But… How? I don’t know, I need to investigate this thoroughly. Now I’m already hooked, I need to know what all this means.

I get out of bed and walk into the living room. The rest of the night I watch Ken’s videos on Blue’s phone. I also do some more research on what happened with the girl who disappeared and the clues Kristen gave us. I’m not sure, but I’ve decided to take the vision into account. The night is getting longer, but I don’t care. It’s been a long time since I felt like I was being useful for something real. Ever since I met Melpomene, everything has started to change. This guy, Ken, is in the visions. It has to mean something, and we’ll find out what it is…

When morning comes, Blue comes into my room. “You used up all of my data, you ass!” she snaps. She’s furious. Before she can knock me out with the wooden spoon in her hand, I toss her a bill from my wallet. “Here!” and she calms down like a baby with her bottle. “Hey! Tell me where this place is!” I yell at her before she leaves, showing her an address I wrote on a piece of paper.

A few hours later, Mel arrives at the store and puts on her apron. I wait until she gets close to the cash registers to tell her about my discovery. “That guy, Ken, is signing autographs next Saturday”. My appearance takes her by surprise. “Sam!” she yells. “You scared me!” The box next to her begins to float.

“I'm sorry! I'm sorry!”

The box slowly lowers to where it was

”Listen, I know what Kristen said sounds crazy but… I've been doing some research. I think we should give it a chance”

“A chance to what?”

“Her theory, might be not that crazy”

Mel simply sighs, “What if she's wrong?”