Children cheered as Maisie blew out her ten candles. She smiled wide, showing off the gap where one of her baby teeth fell out.

Angela felt a smile creep onto her own face, and warmth settled into her chest as she watched her own daughter hug the birthday girl.

“The years go so fast, don’t they?”

Angela turned to the sound of Melissa’s voice. She looked at the scene with a wistful expression, part fond and part sad.

A single laugh escaped Melisa’s lips, and she quickly dabbed at her eyes. “God, I feel silly.“

Angela nudged Melissa with her shoulder. “Hey, its not silly. I’m sure I’ll be a mess when Grace turns 10.”

Melissa gave her a grateful smile, and Angela returned it. She was about compliment Melissa on the decorations when she’s distracted by something in the corner of her vision.

Jesus, not her again

It shouldn’t feel so jarring to see her again. It was a small party, so running into everyone more than a few times is inevitable. But every time Angela saw her, it somehow felt like a shock. Maybe it was just the juxtaposition that caught her off guard. In a a bright room full of happy kids and parents and Kpop Demon Hunter decorations, the old woman’s shabby black clothes and blank expression made her stick out like a sore thumb.

Melissa seemed to take notice of Angela’s look. “Is something wrong?” She asked, craning her head to look in the direction of Angela’s gaze.

The old woman must have felt the combined stares on her, because she turned to face them. Angela sucked in a breath as the old woman’s eyes met her own. They were a dull, pale blue, and they seemed to stare deep into her. The old woman shambled towards them, making Angela’s chest tighten.

“Oh, let me introduce you to my mother-in-law. Angela, this is Edith, Edith, this is Angela.”

Angela gave Edith her best attempt at a smile. “It’s nice to meet you, Angela.”

For a long moment, Edith only stared at her. The silence grew heavy as the seconds stretched, and Angela became overly aware of Edith’s cloying floral perfume.

“Maisie was born at 4:27 in the afternoon, yes?”

The old woman’s voice was quiet and feeble, barely above a whisper. Angela exchanged a glance with Melissa, who looked just as uncomfortable as she felt.

“I don’t remember what the exact minute was, but yes, she was born around 4:30,” Melissa said.

“It won’t be long, then.”

A chill ran down Angela’s spine. Surely Edith just meant that it wouldn’t be long before Maisie truly turned ten, but solemnity on Edith’s face gave the statement an eerie cast.

Another silence befell women, neither Angela or Melissa knowing what to say. Without another word, the old woman drifted away.

The tension in Angela’s chest had reached its capacity, and when Edith was out of sight, it came bursting out in a nervous giggle. Soon enough, Melissa was giggling too.

“I’m so sorry about that,” Melissa said after recovering from her giggles. “She’s always been a little…”

“Creepy?” Angela suggested.

Melissa shrugged sheepishly. “That’s one way to put it. I know she’s a bit strange, but she’s harmless, and Maisie adores her.”

Angela wished she could believe that.

“Mommy, Mommy!” The women turned to see Maisie bounding up to them. “I wanna open presents now, can I?”

Melissa grinned and gave Angela a playful eye roll. “Sure, baby.”

Melissa announced to the room that it was time for presents, and parents and children were soon gathered around the birthday girl and a pile of gifts. Angela tried to pay attention as Maisie tore into her first present, but the sense of unease from earlier came creeping back. Eventually, Angela gave into the feeling and checked her phone. The time was 4:23.

“Who is this from?” Maisie said, and Angela looked up to see her holding a beautifully wrapped box with shiny pink paper and a lacey bow.

“That would be mine, dear.” The soft, shaky voice came from somewhere behind Angela, making her jump.

Maisie directed a toothy smile at someone over Angela’s shoulder, and Angela didn’t have to turn to know she was looking at Edith.

“Thank you, grandma!”

Maisie turned her attention back to her present. She didn’t tear into this one as she had the others, instead, she carefully untied the ribbon and unwrapped the glossy paper without causing a rip. A big smile remained on her face as she slowly undid the wrapping, but the look in her eyes was different, almost reverent. It seemed to take forever. Angela checked her phone again. It read 4:25.

The box in front of Masie was naked now, and only a few pieces of tape stood in the way of the birthday girl and the present’s contents.

Angela realized that her heart was pounding. Sweat collected in her palms, and she quickly wiped them on pants.

This is ridiculous, she thought, You’re being paranoid. She wondered if she was going crazy.

Maisie picked the last peice of tape off and pulled off the box’s lid. In that moment, her smile dropped, her face becoming stony and still. Almost robotically, Maisie reached into the box with both hands and lifted something out.

Something pale gleamed in the girl’s hands. Angela took a half step forward for a better look and gasped, her hand flying to her mouth.

Maisie’s little hands clutched an old, yellowing bone. More gasps and cries came from the surrounding parents and children as they realized what Maisie held, but Maisie didn’t seem to hear them. Her gaze was transfixed on the bone.

“I’m sorry.”

The words were a choked whisper. Angela turned her head around to look at Edith. The old woman’s whole body was trembling, tears ran down both side of her face.

There was a shriek of terror, and Angela whipped back around to look at Maisie.

The girl was twitching violently, and her face was twisted in pain, her eyes bulging. Melissa rushed to her daughter’s side, but Angela knew in her gut that nothing she or anyone could do would help.

Blood started to run from Maisie’s eyes, nose, a mouth, the last of which was forming a silent scream. The other children were screaming too, but loudly, and the room was chaos.

Parents were fleeing with thier children, and part of Angela’s brain told her she should do the same, but it was too quiet. Besides, running would make no difference. Angela wasn’t sure why, but she felt certain that everyone who had been at the party would be dead soon. A strange, dreamlike peace washed over her.

Maisie’s skull split open, and Angela closed her eyes.