Okay, Maisie had to be dreaming. Where did Melody come from? Were she and Feya working as a team to deceive her into believing? Where was the butterfly?
"Sorry." Melody placed her hand on her chest. "I guess I should explain."
Maisie glared. "Please do."
"Maisie, I was right," Feya elucidated, grasping Melody's shoulder. "Melody was the butterfly."
Maisie tried her best to hold back her laugh.
"You guys made up and found me." Melody pulled both girls into a hug. "That was my test. However"—she turned to Maisie—"you have one more, Maisie."
Of course, she did. It was a nonstop adventure for Maisie during the DCP. "What do I need to do, Melody?"
"Believing is seeing," she answered. "Sit on that, May, and I'm sure you'll come up with something."
Maisie did, but nothing came to mind. She, Melody, and Feya returned to the Dig Site, but they played volleyball beside the poolside bar instead of getting in the pool. First, it was Maisie vs. Feya, and then Maisie vs. Melody. It appeared that Melody didn't mind her white dress getting dirty.
Maisie punted the volleyball over the net, and Melody slid on the white sand, retrieving it. She hummed to herself and stood. It was a soothing lullaby that spelled a siren's song. It enthralled Maisie, and it looked like Feya, too.
She stared blankly at Melody, her lips reading a mix of joy and disgust? Why did she look so snarky?
"Hey, I'm tired," Feya complained an hour into the volleyball game. "Can we go back to the room?" That was a little out of line for her.
"Are you okay, Fey?" Maisie caught the volleyball and ducked under the net, approaching her.
Feya nodded. "Yeah. I think I need to return to Daisy, though."
"Oh, okay." That made sense. How long could Daisy go without using the bathroom? Why was that suddenly the only thing Maisie thought about?
They returned to the room with Melody, who kept her distance from Maisie and Feya.
Feya took Daisy out, and Maisie prepped their beds for a quick nap. They had to be well-rested for the night seminar.
Melody hid in the shadows like a shadow elf, causing Maisie to shiver. Did she believe staring would have her believe in the supernatural?
"I'm not sharing this bed with you, Mel," Maisie admitted after an awkward silence.
"What?" Melody giggled. "What makes you think that, May?" She wasn't fooling anyone.
"Let's talk after Feya returns." Maisie waited, but Feya and Daisy never came in. She checked the digital clock on the dresser between their beds an hour later. "Where on Earth are they? A dog does not take that long to pee."
"Maybe Feya took Daisy for a walk," Melody guessed. She stepped out of the shadows and hummed her lullaby again. Were there words with it?
Maisie ducked into the bathroom and replaced her swimsuit with skinny jeans and a black shirt with a lightweight jacket over it. She called Feya, but she didn't pick up.
Maisie's nerves rattled. She exited the bathroom and asked, "Feya?"
Melody was still the only one in the room. That wasn't sketchy at all.
"Believing is seeing, May. Remember that," she cooed, sounding like a raven on a good day. "Use that, and you will find Feya."
Maisie narrowed her eyes. "What are you pulling, Mel?"
She sat on Feya's bed. "I can't tell you. It's a test."
Gosh, Maisie thought she was away from exams with the DCP.
She re-checked the digital clock. The seminar started at 6:00, so she had an hour and a half. That was still enough time to squeeze in a thirty-minute nap after tracking Feya down. Rest was essential for a CP and someone still recovering from a life-changing injury, which meant Maisie couldn't waste any time. Feya, here she came.
As Maisie walked through the resort, she couldn't help but feel like it was as mysterious as ever. She had never really paid attention to it until now.
Maisie suspected someone was watching her, but Melody didn't follow her out. She distracted herself by calling, "Feya? Feya?" She remembered what Melody had told her and trusted her instincts. They took her to the famous Melody Bridge, and Maisie gasped at what she saw.
Feya stood on the other side, hands gripping the slippery railing. She watched the lake like a mermaid did the ocean.
Daisy was on the boardwalk side, stretching her paw through the bars.
Was Feya crazy? What was she doing? There were alligators in that lake. Not to mention, she couldn't swim yet with her leg.
A few Guests passing through the area stopped and reached for her.
Feya pulled away, and that was when Maisie noticed the hurt on her face.
"Feya!" She sprinted onto the bridge and almost knocked the Guests down. Feya did not pull what Matthew did, inclining that he was happy and dying soon after.
There was no doubt Melody was associated with whatever was happening. And Maisie thought she could trust her.
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