Unfinished Symphony

Jay exhaled sharply, glancing at the other two. “Okay, we need to talk. Like, really talk.”

Liora let go of Mina’s mouth, nodding. “Agreed.”

Mina huffed, still annoyed. “Fine, but I swear, if this thing tries anything again, I’m bringing salt. Or—sage. Or whatever people use to chase ghosts away.”

Jay gave her a flat look. “You think salt is gonna stop this?”

Mina shrugged. “I don’t know! But nothing else is working, so why not?”

Liora sighed, rubbing her temples. “Let’s focus. What do we actually know so far?”

Jay ran a hand through his hair. “We all know the song somehow. But we don’t remember learning it.”

Liora nodded. “It haunts my dreams. Every time I try to sing it, I lose my voice.”

Mina crossed her arms. “And every time any of us hum it, something weird happens. Flickering lights, whispers, that creepy pressure in the air…”

Jay added, “And now it’s happening more often. Like it’s getting stronger.”

Silence fell between them.

It was Mina who broke it. “So… what do we do?”

Jay hesitated. He hated not having answers.

Liora’s voice was quiet. “I think we need to find out where this song comes from.”

Mina tilted her head. “You mean, like, research?”

Jay sighed. “Yeah. If we don’t figure this out, I have a feeling it’s only gonna get worse.”

Mina groaned. “Great. More homework.”

Liora gave her a small smile. “Think of it as solving a mystery.”

Mina perked up. “Ooooh. Like detectives?”

Jay smirked slightly. “Sure. If that helps you take it seriously.”

Mina placed a hand on her chest dramatically. “I take everything seriously.”

Jay and Liora exchanged a glance.

Liora chuckled. “Right.”

Mina grinned. “Okay, team. Where do we start?”

Jay thought for a moment. “The library. We need books on old songs, folklore, anything that might explain why this melody is following us.”

Mina sighed. “Of course it’s the library. Can’t ghosts haunt, like, an arcade or something fun?”

Liora laughed. “Come on, let’s go before lunch break ends.”

As they walked toward the library, none of them noticed the faint hum that trailed behind them.

Growing louder.

Listening.

Waiting.

---

As the three of them walked toward the library, the tension between them started to ease. Maybe it was the shared sense of purpose, or maybe just the comfort of knowing they weren’t alone in this.

Mina was the first to break the silence. “Okay, so real talk—what if we are haunted?”

Jay snorted. “You’re just realizing that now?”

“I mean, yeah, but like… what if it’s not just a ghost?” Mina frowned. “What if it’s something worse?”

Liora sighed. “We don’t even know what ‘it’ is.”

Jay nodded. “Exactly. That’s why we’re starting with research. We need facts, not guesses.”

Mina groaned. “Ugh. You sound like a teacher.”

Jay smirked. “And you sound like a kid who forgot her homework.”

Liora giggled, and for a moment, the weight of their situation felt lighter.

They reached the library, stepping inside the quiet, book-filled space. The scent of paper and old wood surrounded them. It was oddly comforting.

Mina clapped her hands. “Alright, team. Operation Un-Haunt Our Lives begins now.”

Liora shook her head, smiling. “You’re impossible.”

Jay chuckled. “Let’s start with folklore. If this song is connected to something ancient, there might be records of it.”

They split up, scanning the shelves, flipping through dusty pages. Occasionally, Mina would whisper dramatic theories—“What if we’re cursed royalty?”—while Jay rolled his eyes. But despite the playful banter, all three of them knew the truth.

They were in this together now.

And whatever was waiting for them at the end of this mystery—

They would face it, side by side.

____

Jay pulled a thick, dust-covered book from the shelf, flipping it open. The pages were old, yellowed with time, and the scent of aged paper filled his nose. He wasn’t sure what he was looking for, but something told him the answer had to be here.

Liora and Mina were searching nearby, each absorbed in their own books. The library was silent except for the occasional rustle of pages.

Until—

Mina suddenly gasped.

Jay and Liora looked up. “What?” Jay asked, stepping closer.

Mina’s finger hovered over a passage in the book she had been skimming. Her voice was quiet. “I think I found something.”

Liora leaned in, reading aloud:

"There exists a melody, known only in whispers. A song that does not belong to this world. It is said that those who hear it are chosen, though for what purpose remains unknown. Some say it is a voice calling from the space between dreams and reality, a lullaby sung by something that should not exist."

Silence.

Jay’s stomach twisted. “That’s… unsettling.”

Liora’s fingers traced the words on the page. “A song that doesn’t belong to this world?”

Mina frowned. “What does that even mean?”

Jay exhaled. “It means this isn’t just some random melody stuck in our heads. It’s something more.”

Liora nodded slowly. “And if it’s choosing us… we need to find out why.”

Mina slammed the book shut. “Yeah, and preferably before it eats our souls or whatever creepy thing comes next.”

Jay smirked. “Always so dramatic.”

Mina pointed at the book. “Uh, excuse me, but you read that, right? If anything, I’m not dramatic enough.”

Liora giggled despite the tension.

Jay sighed, closing his own book. “Alright. We know this song is real, and it’s connected to something bigger. The next question is—where does it come from?”

Liora thought for a moment. “Maybe… maybe we should try following it.”

Mina blinked. “Following it? As in, what, waiting until it creeps up again and then running toward it?”

Liora hesitated but nodded. “I mean… if we keep avoiding it, it’s just going to keep happening. Maybe if we face it, we’ll understand what it wants.”

Jay crossed his arms, considering. It was risky. But something told him Liora was right.

Mina groaned. “Fine. But if I die, I’m haunting both of you.”

Jay chuckled. “Noted.”

Liora took a deep breath. “Then it’s settled.”

They exchanged glances.

Whatever was waiting for them in the song’s melody—

They were about to find out.

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