Day: 76

Days Left: 5404

Lives Saved: 0

Breathing in and out slowly, Harmony counted to ten in her head, preparing herself to talk to Corinna. After the countdown finished, she did not move, head bowed. She knew that she had to tell Corinna to leave. Their cohabitation wasn't working out. It would be best if Corinna stayed with Ivette instead.

Yeah...

She would be happy there.

Harmony remembered Corinna, Ivette, Sumit, and Rin all laughing and smiling. She hadn't seen Corinna smile like that for a while now.

Taking in one last short gulp of air, Harmony closed the bathroom door. Corinna sat in front of the fireplace, flicking through the pages of her notebook. Her body seemed to flinch as the bathroom door shut, but she did not turn around.

"Corinna?" Harmony stepped forward, only able to muster a croaking mumble.

The young woman slowly turned her head and looked up at the chimaera, her face expressionless and vacant like a porcelain doll.

Silence.

Harmony swallowed. No words escaped her mouth.

She knew that it would be for the best for Corinna to live with Ivette.

It would be best for both of them.

And yet she couldn't bring herself to do it.

The words remained on her tongue, refusing to be said.

Why?

Why can't I?

Lowering her head, Harmony asked, "can I join you?"

Her lips curling into a slight smile, Corinna nodded and patted the floor next to her.

Harmony shuffled over and slumped down onto the floor beside the young woman.

The two remained quiet, staring into the smouldering fire. Harmony breathed in, about to apologise when Corinna beat her to it.

"I'm sorry, Harm," said Corinna, her eyes focused on the fire. "I'm sorry that you didn't escape. But I think that it's too dangerous to go up that rock tower. You'll hurt yourself again. There are other portals, right?"

Harmony sighed. "Yeah, there are. But none are as convenient as this one. It's almost directly under it. I'll wear the harness next time, even when it's not windy. That'll keep me safe." She glanced over at the young woman and saw her blank and indifferent face, her eyes dull as if she was a mannequin.

Wrapping her arms around her legs, Corinna squeezed them tight, rocking forwards and backwards slightly. Then she lied her back on the floor and gazed up, stretching her arms upwards, casting long and dark shadows on the ceiling.

"What are you doing?" Harmony asked, attempting to lay back too, but it was painful due to her wings.

"Shadow puppets." Corinna grinned, creating different shapes with her fingers and hands. "See! Look, a cat."

Harmony laid on her side, resting on her elbow so she could look up at the shadow cat.

"But I can only do it like this," explained Corinna, showing the chimaera how she did it. "With it sitting down and its back facing away from us."

"How very rude of it."

"Yeah, cats are like that. I can also do..." Corinna moved her fingers. "A dog! Only its face though. It could be a jackal, like you."

Harmony raised her arms in the air and looked at her three-fingered hands. "I don't think I could do a human head."

"Well... you could do a butterfly. Or maybe a rabbit... with one ear. Ooh! How about an elephant?"

Corinna demonstrated, but Harmony was not looking; instead, she watched Corinna's face, finding it amusing that her cheeks would puff out like a frog when she concentrated.

"Why don't you give it a go?" Corinna asked.

Harmony raised her hands up, retracted her claws and formed a shape. "Crocodile."

"Nice." Corinna nodded in approval. She formed her hands into two humans. "Oh, no! It's a crocodile!"

Harmony growled, snapping the crocodile's mouth open and closed.

"Do crocodiles growl?" Corinna giggled.

"This one does."

"Crocodiles don't growl."

"It's not actually a crocodile but a... a chimaera. You probably can't tell, but it has the head of a crocodile and the body of a... poodle."

"A poodle! Even still, if its head is a crocodile, it should still make crocodile noises. It shouldn't growl."

"Geez, Corinna, use your imagination."

Corinna gasped dramatically, pretending that she was offended. "Well, I think we should kill this crocodile-poodle chimaera," she said in a deep voice, acting as one of the humans.

"No, don't kill the crocodile-poodle chimaera! Chimaera's are peaceful and friendly."

"You tried to kill me when we first met," Corinna scoffed.

"I'm a very friendly chimaera."

"Regardless, this crocodile-poodle chimaera refuses to speak crocodile and therefore must die!".

"I suppose, even though I am a pacifist, I shall fight back in self-defence." Harmony opened and closed the mouth of the crocodile to appear as if it was speaking. "But wait! I shall call my friend! Another crocodile-poodle chimaera!" Using her other hand, Harmony made another crocodile.

Despite the humans valiant and heroic efforts, they were no match for the crocodile-poodle chimaeras and were devoured after they gave long-winded and dramatic death speeches.

"Are crocodiles your favourite animal?" Corinna asked, resting on her elbow and lying on her side, facing Harmony.

"No." Harmony shook her head.

"But you have those crocodile plasters? Okay then, what is your favourite animal?"

"A frog," replied Harmony instantly.

"A frog?" Corinna laughed.

"Don't belittle my favourite animal. What's yours?"

Corinna pondered. "A seahorse, or catfish, maybe a platypus-"

"Pick one."

"No. I refuse!"

"The question was your favourite animal, not animals."

"Fine. Platypus." Corinna sighed. "I'm not sure how to make platypus shadows, or a frog I'm afraid."

"That's alright. I can only do a crocodile," said Harmony. "Oh, wait! I know something else I can do." Her snake tail slithered out underneath her green cloak, and its shadow emerged on the ceiling.

"That's cheating."

"My apologies. I did not know there were rules in shadow puppets."

"Hand shadow puppets."

"But I'm at a disadvantage. I've only got six fingers. I should have a handicap."

Harmony stared back up at her snake-tail's shadow. She barely had any control of it anymore. It moved sluggishly and in jolts instead of graceful and subtle like it usually did. Occasionally, it fell limp and lifeless onto the floor, and Harmony could not control it all together. It was shorter too, its scales faded.

So consumed in thought and fear of her tail eventually disappearing, Harmony could not hear Corinna, who soon turned silent after no response.

"I'll go cook dinner." Harmony stood up, about to head to the food cabinet when Corinna rushed past, already getting out the pan.

"That's my job!" Corinna snapped. "You stay right there!" The young women concealed a sigh of relief as Harmony obeyed. She quickly opened the cupboard, snatched two packets of food and then closed it shut again to prevent Harmony from seeing how little food they had. Corinna couldn't let Harmony know that she had been skipping meals so that she could eat enough. She had to keep her strong and healthy; otherwise, Harmony would never be able to escape.