Story:

“Euphy—” Peach’s voice disappeared inside her sleeve.

Violet tried to turn toward her.

A shudder passed through the witch’s body. Pain forced a breath from her, and the breath that followed drew in the pale haze. Her supporting arm buckled.

Butterfly reached out. Their fingers brushed before both sisters sank to the floor.

Peach dropped beside them.

The tiles struck her knees hard enough to hurt, but the pain seemed strangely distant. She tried to keep her sleeve sealed over her mouth. Her arm had become heavy.

At the doorway, Reika was still standing. Still fighting.

The butler held her beyond the broken frame while the room disappeared into white.

Peach reached toward Violet.

Something slipped from the witch’s loosening hand.

A small shape struck the floor with a delicate click and slid beneath the edge of a desk.

Peach tried to follow it with her eyes. The desk legs blurred.

She could no longer tell whether the terrible sound had stopped or whether she was simply sinking too far away to hear it.

Her hand stopped inches from Violet’s sleeve.

Then the classroom went dark.