The beautiful night sky stretches above us, the moon tucked behind a curtain of clouds. I walk to the entrance of the playground. Ricardo and the Cerberus brothers are already standing at the gates. Babatunde makes his speech to the village through the huge telecommunicator crystal.
Babatunde: My villagers — today we get to witness three brave participants play T.A.G.
The crowd erupts with joy.
Babatunde: It has been what — five years since we had a proper game of T.A.G.? Today we will give you the best show ever.
Kaimana: Uhm — who was the last person to play this game?
Babatunde: Oh, a wandering traveler who came to our village selling baked goods and soaps. What we did not know was that he was a lesser demon in disguise. He had been cooking people and turning them into his products — killed a family in our village and turned them into cookies and soap bars. We were too late to save one of our own, but we caught him and played T.A.G. Ripped that filthy demon to shreds. Though he did play the game fantastically — gave us wonderful entertainment. But enough about the past. Here are the rules. You run and do not get tagged by the two taggers. Follow the road — it will lead you to the playground, which is the safe zone. If you can last one hour inside, you win. Simple enough. Okay — OPEN THE GATES.
The gates open with an eerie groan of rust. We walk into the park and the gates shut behind us.
Babatunde: Oh — and Ricardo, dear. I am releasing you from the spell so you can feel the full effect of the moon.
Ricardo: Please, Mayor — do not do this. I do not—
Babatunde: ENOUGH, Ricardo. You must learn to harness the moon's power. You are not a child anymore. You knew this was coming. So learn to revel in it — and have some fun.
He snaps his fingers. A strange aura surrounding Ricardo dissolves. Ricardo looks furious.
Ricardo: I told you to stay in the house, Kaimana. But no — you wanted to rip the band-aid right off. So here we are, playing T.A.G.
Carlos: Stop whining. You knew I would choose you. And what a fitting end for a monster like him.
Kaimana: Okay — I understand you are upset, but I am going to need you to stop throwing your trauma onto me. I am not the one who hurt you or caused that war.
As the moon shines bright, I can see Ricardo caught between pain and something that looks almost like pleasure.
Ricardo: YOU NEED TO RUN. NOW.
Carlos: Such a baby. Just let it take over. Stop fighting it.
I watch as their feet and hands grow larger, their color shifting as the moon works through them. Carlos and his brothers look like they are enjoying every second of it. Ricardo looks like he is fighting a war inside his own skin.
Kaimana: Okay — this is a lot. And before I go full sprint — T.A.G.
I reach out and tag Carlos, then take off running to put as much distance between us as possible before the ten-minute timer ends. I follow the path and feel it pulling me somewhere safe — but something about it feels off. Like a lie. Like it is looping me back.
Did this path just—? Clever. Follow the road, right.
Sophia: Hey — can you hear me?
Kaimana: Yes, I can hear you. Who are you?
Sophia: My name is Sophia. I am one of the older orphans at the orphanage. I was the one who told Takai to walk up to you. I thought he would get scared and run — but he did not.
Kaimana: Honey, how old are you?
Sophia: I am fifteen.
Kaimana: Please do not do that again with the younger ones. They look up to you. You could put them in danger by using them like that. Do you understand?
Sophia: I am sorry. I was not thinking. Look — Takai and the others are all watching the T.A.G. game right now, and we all think it is wrong what they are doing to you when you have done nothing. Please do not hate the villagers. They have lost so much. The wound is still very raw from what humans did to them. It is hard for them.
Kaimana: Oh sweetheart — I am not angry at the villagers. I can feel how deep that scar runs. But in order to heal it, you have to shock it first. Then Amaze it. Though lets put that on hold for now because — I AM COMPLETELY LOST IN THIS PARK.
Sophia: Got you. I am using a locator spell to track you and the taggers on a conjured map. The park is a literal maze — it shifts constantly. That is why players almost never win. The layout changes every five to ten minutes. I will use my magic to guide you out. With the help of everyone here at the orphanage.
Kaimana: Okay, tour guide — give me the tour of my life. Ah—
Sophia: That did not sound good.
Kaimana: My side is flaring up. He healed my wounds — so why is it— Oh. That little schemer. Oh It is the Broadcaster making me the damsel again. Well, I rebuke that role entirely. Let us move, Sophia.
She tells me to go straight. The park is about to shift. I look behind me — what was once an open path is now a bench with a lamppost. Sophia tells me to stop. The park shifts again. The path ahead transforms into a water fountain.
Kaimana: Sophia — what is happening? Why did it—
Sophia: I do not know why it changed form but — wait. One of the taggers — he is right there. Watch out.
A tremendous howl vibrates straight through my body, sending my head spinning. I drop to my knees, my brain scrambling to make sense of anything.
Benjamin: Do you like my voice? Of course you do. That is why you are on your knees.
Carlos: Found you, monster.
Davi: I have to say — you made it pretty close to the playground. Well — not that close. But close.
Carlos: Did you really think you could win T.A.G. against us? Funny. A monster thinking he is better than us.
Kaimana: Thanks for the headache, Benjamin. You have a smooth and powerful voice, I will give you that.
Benjamin: Thank you.
Kaimana: Seriously, Carlos — I believe I am going to survive this. And when I do, I want you to sit with how foolish you have been, you silly man.
A giant skeleton arm erupts from the ground and punches the brothers clean out of the area. It lifts me up gently and rubs my head, clearing the vertigo.
Takai: I helped him.
Kaimana: But — how?
Sophia: My spell allows the other children to channel their abilities through the map. Like I said — we are not going to let you face this alone.
Kaimana: Thank you. All of you. Is that you, my little angel Takai?
Takai: I could not just sit back and let Sophia do everything.
Kaimana: Hello there, little bundle baby. You pack quite a punch.
Takai: Thank you.
Sophia: You need to keep moving. You are almost there. The path is about to open — go now.
I stretch and feel the sharp sting in my side. A huge purple bruise has spread across my ribs. Someone is making this harder on purpose. The path opens and I push forward with everything I have, but the pain is nearly unbearable. I have to keep going.
Five minutes pass and Sophia says the path has not changed. Something is wrong. Trees begin growing directly in front of me, sealing the way. A vine shoots from the ground and pierces into my legs, wrapping tight and dragging me down. The pain is extraordinary. I am pinned to the ground like a butterfly in a display case.
Ricardo: Hey there, beautiful. Did you miss me?
Kaimana: Ricardo — I understand why you are upset about all of this.
Ricardo: Upset? UPSET?
Kaimana: Look — getting angry will not help either of us right now, you sexy plushie.
Ricardo: Still trying to be funny right up to the end. That is part of why I like you. And that scent you give off — it is divine. You smell like my mother's perfume. Lavender and angel feathers. I have to say — without you, I would not have felt the full moon like this. Oh, the glory of it. I wish you could feel what this feels like. But I suppose we should end this. Goodbye, my adorable butterfly.
He summons the tree above me and commands it to come down. Over and over. The sight of the blood, the crushing force — it intoxicates him. But then the figure beneath the tree dissolves into mud. It makes no sense. When did he—?
He disperses the trees and stares. Kaimana is dragging himself across the ground toward the playground, bleeding but moving. The barrier wraps around the playground the moment he crosses inside. Kaimana pulls himself up against a post — barely standing, bleeding, but still upright.
Kaimana: Thanks, Muddle. You saved me back there.
Muddle: I am so sorry I could not protect you better. I failed.
Kaimana: You did not fail me. I am still alive and I made it to the playground. That would not have happened without you and everyone else.
Muddle: But you are hurt so badly. If I had moved faster, I could have swapped you with the mud puppet sooner.
Kaimana: Listen to me. You did a good job. You still got me here. Do not doubt your abilities — you are still young and have so much room to grow. Do you understand that?
Sophia: Just please try not to move. I wish I had a healer. Someone to help you right now. But I do not — and now we have to wait for the countdown to end before this nightmare is over. THIS IS SO FRUSTRATING.
Kaimana: Hey now. For a young witch, you were remarkable tonight. You built a plan and executed it beautifully.
Muddle: But we were supposed to keep you from getting hurt this badly.
Kaimana: You both need to understand something. You performed better than most adults would have in this situation. And who knows — maybe someone out there in this universe will throw me a bone.
Sophia and the children are in tears, feeling as though they have failed. They hold each other and pray — quietly, urgently — for someone to hear them. For someone to help Kaimana. Her locator paper burns away suddenly. The children jump back.
I try to focus on their voices but they are fading. I can see Ricardo and the brothers at the barrier, hammering and slashing to break through. The clock shows thirty minutes remaining.
Oh joy.
I look up at the beautiful night sky from my bench, fading in and out of consciousness.
Well. We did one hell of a job getting here. And I am glad — genuinely glad — to have landed in a world that makes me want to be better. Even if my time here turns out to be short.
As my eyes begin to close—
Devivita: Hey. You did not give up so easily when this all began. Do not start now, my dear.
Kaimana: Who — who the beautiful hell are you? And how did you get in here?
Devivita: Your witch friend Sophia called out through the mana. That little one is stronger than she knows.
Kaimana: So — are you a spirit? Have you come to take me?
Devivita: Absolutely not. Did you not just hear me? I am here to help you.
Kaimana: As you can plainly see, I am at death's door unless you plan to heal me or turn back time.
Devivita: Good lord, you are dramatic. Look — I want to offer you my mantle. The next Witch of Masquerade, if you will. You will carry the ability of the Dress Sphere — giving you unique properties drawn from each outfit you wear. You will receive these gifts from the greater spirits that reside in this world. But in order to obtain them, you must first grant their final wish. You will also carry a fragment of their personality and their memories. So — what do you say?
Kaimana: Refuse the offer and gain nothing. Accept and gain new power. Hmm — who says no to that on their deathbed?
I glance over at the barrier. Ricardo has grown vine arms and is tearing at it. Carlos is slashing with his sword. I look back at the young woman and let myself rest in her lap. Her energy is warm and wonderful.
Kaimana: I accept. I will become the next Witch of Masquerade. I will carry your mantle and push it beyond what either of us imagined. And I want Sophia to see her own power — really see it — and go further than she ever thought possible.
Devivita lifts me gently from her lap. She asks if I will accept her final wish. I nod. She tells me to sit while she performs her dance.
The music is heavenly. Relaxing and rich. With every stride she takes, she swings her long beautiful skirt. With every box step, she moves with strength and joy. With every sensual turn, she brings a grace and confidence that I have not witnessed in a long time. Her body begins to glow. I rise and float around her, lifting her into the air. She spins — gliding back down — then wraps around me and pulls me into a tight embrace. A brilliant flash of light floods the playground, blinding the brothers and Ricardo.
The barrier shatters.
She spins once more and bows — to the young men, to the moment, to the world. Then she struts forward like the runway belongs to her and always has. Her hair. Her style. Her presence. No one in this world or any other could hold a candle to her charm.
Devivita: Ah — it has been such a long time since I could feel and smell the world again. Oh, and look — you are playing T.A.G. Shall I join in?
Ricardo: You — you cannot actually be here. Can you?
Carlos: It cannot be. How dare you take that form. How dare you.
Benjamin: Yeah — this is not right, Kaimana.
Davi: Talk about going straight for the heart. He is really not going to stop, is he?
I swing my skirt twice and send them flying. A stone hand erupts to catch them mid-air, holding each in place. I drop into a crouch, execute a sweeping roundhouse, and rise into a pose. A powerful lightning bolt crashes down on the brothers. I hear their cry — and I hold them.
Devivita: You did quite a number on my master. So I had to tag in. Hello, darlings. Ready to dance?