"Hi?"

I creek open the door to the garage. Before opening it, I can hear whizzing blurs and the two chatting away at frequencies too fast to make out. Blue lights flicker before my eyes. Seems Pearl's drone is finally working.

"Micha!"

"Whoa!"

I don't have time to react before four strong arms are wrapped around me. I'm suddenly in the grip of two snakes. Two screeching, energetic snakes. The twins.

"Micha! You're alive!"

"Not if you keep squeezing me- Ouch!"

"Sorry!"

Both of them take a step back, Pearl still grasping my hand. Something deep inside me wants to smile. I just, can't muster it. Instead, I simply nod. Phe and Pearl don't seem to notice my body language. They keep blabbering, talking about what they've been up to, what I've been missing, blah blah blah. I love these two to death but they could talk.

"Where have you been for the last few days? I mean, we heard about Flaire and all, and we're really sorry. But locking yourself away-"

"-Isn't the answer. I know, Phe. You're starting to sound like Vivvy!"

She pokes me in the stomach, shooting me a freckled grin.

"You say it like that's a bad thing! Vivvy, my sister and I are like this."

She crosses her finger.

"-Just make sure to add me in there!" says Pearl. "But really, Micha. We are worried about you . . . Do you think you're going to be alright? Any way we can help you?"

"I appreciate the thought but, for now at least, I don't think there really is anything you can do. There's nothing anyone can do...Unless you know a necromancer?"

"Think you'll have to go back a couple thousand years and move to the Eastern jungle to find one of them. Good luck getting past the Black Dragons. And inventing a time machine."

"Sounds like a plan."

I huff, forcing a toothy smile. Phe nods and skips off to her work, but Pearl still has her eyes on me. She's unconvinced. I ruffle my hair and try to look somewhat awake. Despite widened eyes, she remains, standing still with lips pressed.

Today's going to be tough.

"We'll, is Samuel upset?"

"No, not really," she says. "He pretends to not really care, but he knows what happened. He doesn't blame you. Didn't even grade your project- You still have a couple of days to get it done."

I nod and begin my way towards the workstation. In my head, it's only been a few days. But my heart won't stop picturing my half-finished inventions and picked apart gadgets covered in dust. Maybe some would already be rusted. Guilt fuses with my footsteps. I shouldn't have left, this is one of the only places where I actually feel normal. Not to mention all the work I have to do! I pull out the chair and sit down.

There used to be a twitch in my fingertips whenever I sat down here. They'd buzz with energy, mind pouring out ideas faster than waterfalls, heart thumping with anticipation. I could hardly put the damn things together quick enough! And now, I, I feel nothing. My fingers are as heavy as boulders and just as unwilling to move. I know I need to work on my engine. I'm finally at the beginnings of the prototype stage. That should be a big deal!

And yet, nothing.

There's nothing inside me.

It seems Flaire isn't the only life that ended.

It's painful, and terrible, to force myself to pick up a wrench. My fingers ache as I work. I fumble over pieces, dropping them multiple times. They seem so small all of the sudden. Part of me wonders if Elton hadn't found some magic, worked it, and played a sick joke on me. I sigh. It's taken me hours just to finish up something that should've taken twenty minutes.

"Ash!"

I plan on quickly looking up and dismissing Pearl's cry. But blue scales hook my eyes, refusing to let go. She'd brought her dragon to the garage.

Pearl and Phe are a year above me. Both had won the Rujan festival last year and had entered the Day of the Dragon as well, losing that contest. I knew about Ash, not giving her a thought in such a long time. The mere sight of her threatens tears. I force my head down. There are a few screws not properly in place. I fiddle with them and try my damn hardest not to listen to them.

"Pearl, are you going to enter the Day again? You still can, you know. This and next year. They're bound to accept you eventually!"

"Shut up!" she says playfully. "If they couldn't see how great I am the first time around, why give them a second chance?"

"You sound like a heartbroken tween with an ego issue."

"Why thank you."

I bend the metal. My plan is not working.

"But really," she starts again, wheels of a chair squeaking. "Are you? I'm thinking about entering it for the first time, you know. What can I, uh, expect?"

"I'm not allowed to tell you anything."

"Anything?"

"Anything."

I hear her huff, pushing the chair back to her workstation. The dragon issue is dropped and they resume the whirl of machines. I flip on my own engine, not bothering to go through the proper testing protocol. How long do I have to be here? It feels like days...

More than days.