The snow fell in flurries over the town of Eldritch, a beautiful nightmare straight out of a storybook. Fat flurries plummeted to the concrete below, ready to explore a land it had never touched. For most other children, I'm sure the sight would've brought on thoughts of glitter sprinkling the insides of a snow globe. Of course, the children of Eldritch didn't have the same point of reference. When their heads turned to follow Bex's line of sight, instead of thinking, how beautiful! Perhaps we shall go for a sled later.

Their responses were a bit more...negative.

"There's something falling from the sky!" Margot screamed, sounding to all the world as if she were terrified. But rather than cowering behind her cohorts, she raced from Bex's side to get closer to the spectacle. No, she wouldn't go all the way back to town, not until she felt assured that it was safe. Only close enough to gather clues.

Agnes utilized a more direct approach. Swallowing past the lump in her throat, she croaked out, "What in Eldritch is that?"

Yvonne's heart beat hard against her chest as she gawked at the glitter cascading over town. The gray clouds from before had doubled in amount, they're oppressive presence intimidating even from this far away. It was the most frightening sight she had ever seen in her young life, yet she somehow found the strength to look away—only to find Bex's equally shocked expression.

It did little to make the pitiful girl feel better. "You've never seen this happen before, have you?"

Bex gnawed at their bottom lip, still fixated on the skyline of Eldritch. Up until now, they had been nothing short of confident, but their back was stiffer than before, and the look in their eye screamed panic. It succeeded in unsettling Agnes and Yvonne further; the adult's silence was the only answer they needed.

Neither of the girls recognized the precipitation for what it was, as their previous experience with snow came only from descriptions in books. Had they felt the chill sweeping through the streets, or felt the crystals melting against their warm skin, then maybe their fears would've dwindled knowing what it was they were dealing with. But as it stood from their point of view, Eldritch was falling apart.

"Something is going on in town," Agnes finally got out, her frantic eyes jumping back to Bex. "I don't know whether you're behind it or not, but none of this can be a coincidence. Bogart missing, whatever's falling over Eldritch, your very existence—"

"And the Good Stuff," Yvonne cut in, tired of Agnes putting her own priorities over everyone else. "Don't forget my brother is involved in this, too. His sickness is just as important as Bogart's disappearance."

And speaking of her very ugly brother.

Hugo had made solid progress towards the door, his foot perched on the step leading into the trailer. His fingers brushed the knob, and the voices giggled with delight. They whispered words of encouragement as he grasped it firmly in his hand. Yes, they wanted him to open it ever so badly, and they might've gotten away with it too—if it weren't for another meddling adult.

In the blink of an eye, the trailer's door swung inward and a figure stepped over the threshold, blocking any further access to Hugo. Curvy hips and a defined bust reminded him of Mother, but the face he found peering down at him looked nothing like his parent. For starters, this woman had a head of bright pink hair that cascaded like ribbons around her shoulders. Shocked brown eyes met his briefly before darting over his head to survey the scene behind him. When she took in the sight of Eldritch, her face flushed a deep purple.

"Bex!" she shouted, snatching up Hugo by the ear. Slamming the trailer door behind her, she dragged the ugly boy through the sand without regard.

The stranger drew everyone's attention—minus her intended audience. Bex seemed to be deliberately ignoring her, keeping their shaded eyes on Eldritch as if they weren't being yelled at by...well, whoever this was.

Agnes, on the other hand, wore a face of bewilderment as the woman stormed toward the rest of the children, Hugo crying out in pain behind her. But just as Agnes was finding the words to ask who their newest arrival was, as usual, her companions had other agendas.

"Let go of him!" Yvonne demanded, rushing forward to meet the woman head on. Any fear she should've felt confronting an adult was funneled into concern for her brother. "He's just a child, I swear it!"

Without so much as a glance, the adult threw Hugo at his sister's feet and kept right on walking. Finally, she reached Bex. "What in the world is going on out here?!"

Bex rolled their eyes. "I told you I didn't need your help with this..."

"Well, clearly that was a lie. Look what's happened since I left you!" This woman was more wound up than her apparent associate, and the continued nonchalance of Bex didn't seem to be helping. "Not only are these kids not back over the edge, but now it's snowing! Must I do everything myself?"

"Did you just say snow?" Yvonne asked, amazed. "Is that what snow looks like?"

The adults ignored her.

"Look, you wanted me to do more work. Now that I'm trying, you won't get off my back. They were just leaving, so go ahead back inside. I've got this."

"You've got nothing," the woman said angrily, shooting Bex an agitated glare. "All signs point to you being the culprit for this, and frankly, I don't want to be responsible for standing by while you make things worse. I mean, that boy almost made it inside, and you didn't even notice!"

This was the moment Margot chose to return with her findings, cheeks flushed pink in excitement. "It's amazing, everyone, it's the most amazing thing I've ever seen! White fluff is falling from the sky," she exclaimed. Then, she took notice of the extra person staring daggers at Bex. "There are more adults here?"

"Apparently." Agnes, who quickly felt herself losing control of the situation, put her hands up in a last-ditch effort. "Listen, lady, I don't care who you are or what business you have with Bex, but we were here first. She's already helping us find my brother, so get in line."

It was the woman's turn to look perplexed. Pinching the bridge of her nose, she let out a very heavy sigh. "What have you been out here telling them?"

"Relax, Kay, I haven't said a thing," Bex assured. "And I haven't made any agreement to help them in the slightest. The kid's simply trying to punk you out, and succeeding might I add."

"But you just agreed that something is wrong. Why won't you work with us to figure out what?" Agnes demanded.

This new woman—Kay—glanced at her pitifully. "I don't know what my partner said before, but you might as well pretend the conversation never took place. Nothing happens without my approval, and I say, unapproved. Now, run along to your moms and dads while the grown ups talk about...grown up things."

"Or," Agnes countered, moseying closer to this oppressive Kay, "you can help me find my brother, and I'll spare you the hassle of failing to make me do something that—frankly—I have no intention of doing. I might not know who you are, but I know me. And I always win in the end."

There was a chilling undertone to Agnes's threat that even Yvonne had never heard before. She wasn't surprised when Kay took an involuntary step back; she'd been on the receiving end of Agnes's temper herself, and right now, it was through the roof. But something else was brewing just to her left. Checking on her brother, Yvonne found he was doing very poorly indeed.

Hugo's hair was stuck to his forehead with sweat, his pustules oozing thick puss. His tongue lolled lifelessly from the side of his mouth, and his eyes were glassy once again; Yvonne could barely see the whites under his blown out pupils. The manic episode was setting on fast.

"If I say I do, would you see me too?" Hugo squawked, taking the rest of the collective by surprise.

Margot and Agnes recovered rather quickly; they were becoming accustomed to the ugly boy's outbursts. The same couldn't be said for the adults. Both Bex and Kay had strong reactions, but with entirely different expressions. Whereas Kay grimaced at the very sight of Hugo's face, taking note of the sweat pooling on his upper lip, Bex...well, the strange adult showed a lot more interest in his worsening state.

Feeling their eyes on him, Hugo ducked into his sister's shoulder, embarrassed by what the voices made him say, afraid of how these adults would react as a result. Oh how he hated the voices. He wanted them gone right this moment. "More medicine, Evie. Please."

"I'm terribly sorry about my brother," Yvonne muttered, clambering around in her pockets for more of the Good Stuff. She eventually found the package amongst other trash, and her fingers trembled as she pulled the parchment paper open. "Please, I beg, do not hurt him, he is only a child—"

"You give him the Good Stuff?" Bex cut in, noting the sickly yellow substances now pinched between the pitiful girl's fingers.

"Yes, you see, he has a—"

"I truly will never understand. You know he's not supposed to have that," Kay said, disgruntled.

Yvonne flushed, her nerves getting worse. "Yes, I know, but—"

"Why is it you give him that stuff?" Bex took a noticeable step closer. "He hardly seems like the type of boy to break the rules."

"Um, well, like I was about to explain—"

"Shut up, Yvonne," Agnes snapped, sidling up next to her loud-mouthed companion.

Yvonne huffed, finally fed up. "Alright, that is enough—"

Before she could finish her complaint about being interrupted, Agnes dragged her a few paces away, then dropped her own voice down to a whisper.

"You're giving them too much."

The pitiful girl scoffed. "Some nerve you have. I didn't even get a full sentence out!"

"And you shouldn't. Not about Hugo, anyway. Look at how they stare." Agnes nodded back toward the group, who were now being distracted by the shadow girl Margot. Never one to pass up an opportunity, she was foolishly attempting a handstand, kicking up sand in the process.

Yvonne looked back at Agnes, puzzled. "They're staring at Margot. So what?"

"Not both of them," the young girl said, training her eyes to the stoic one out of the bunch. "Not Bex."

It was true. Though at first glance it seemed Bex was preoccupied by the shadow girl's show, upon further inspection, Yvonne spotted the split in their focus. Bex was watching Hugo from the corner of their eye as he ate his second dose of the Good Stuff, chewing happily.

"If Bex or Kay are supposed to be the king or whatever they call themselves, then of course they'd be interested in a kid taking the Good Stuff. This is how we get what we want. If we give away all the information about Hugo's condition and how their special food helps, we'll have nothing to hold over them. Just as Bogart was the bargaining chip that got us here, Hugo must be our chip now. It is the only chance we have of convincing them to help."

Yvonne picked at her jagged nails, worn short with worry already. It would be much easier for her to divulge all she knew to Bex and Kay in the hopes they had a more permanent fix for Hugo. Part of her also considered if the tables had been reversed, would Agnes do the same for her? She was almost certain the selfish girl wouldn't hesitate to throw her under the bus if it meant helping Bogart. But Yvonne wasn't Agnes; she still held the optimistic view that they could both win in the end.

So she nodded in agreement. "Not a word more about his sickness. Not until they help."

When the girls rejoined the group, Margot was a crumpled heap in the sand, clearly defeated by gravity. Agnes made sure to kick dirt in her face as she took her place back across from Bex.

"It seems we have found ourselves in a position of mutual gain," Agnes began, flourishing her vocabulary so the sane-minded adults knew she meant business. "Hugo's use of the Good Stuff and the reason behind it in exchange for your help to find Bogart. I'll have my brother back, and you will have learned something new about your precious adult delicacy."

Kay crossed her slender arms, then snorted. "Wow, you really have lost your edge, Bex. You've got kids bossing you around now. Maybe you'll listen to them better than you listen to me."

"Last I checked, the twerp was addressing the both of us," Bex said, but something in their tone sounded shaky—contemplative. "But I will admit, I'm listening."

"You can't be serious." Kay bristled, looking ready to grab Bex by the ear too. "What business do we have helping children play a game of hide and seek? And am I the only one still concerned about the snow that isn't supposed to be falling?"

"You can investigate that, too," Yvonne piped up, fingers fidgeting at her sides. "What better way to figure out what's happening in Eldritch than visiting yourselves?"

She was flying by the seat of her pants, but the suggestion sounded like a good one once said out loud. Based on the look Agnes gave her, the young girl agreed. It was almost a look of praise.

"Visit?" Kay screeched, clearly not as impressed. "Bex, please, send them back and let's get on with the day. Really, we've entertained this ridiculousness long—"

"They may have a point, Kay," Bex interrupted, glancing at her riled up associate. "We'd have a better chance understanding what's up if we just go."

Kay blinked back, appalled. "Perhaps I didn't get here soon enough. The children have messed with your mind or something. We're not supposed to go into town. You know this."

"It's been done before," Bex argued back, their mind already made up. "What's the harm in doing it again? A quick look around just to assess, then we'll be back by sundown. It'll barely be a disruption."

"If we find Bogart before then," Agnes cut in, refusing to be forgotten. "This is all contingent on my brother being found, safe and sound."

"Well, that's a bit unfair," Margot interjected from the ground. "What happens if he's dead when they find him?"

Seconds later, the shadow girl's eyes were full of sand and she was crying out in pain. Agnes kicked again and gave her a mouthful to match her eyes. Then, she faced Bex and Kay with determination. "So? Do we have ourselves an agreement?"

The young girl raised her small hand, then waited. She knew it would take time, but soon they would see things her way. What was it that she said before, about always winning in the end? Well, I won't say whether this holds true for all of her young life, but in this instance...

Bex raised a brow at Kay. "C'mon, when's the last time we had a little adventure?"

"We're not here for an adventure. We're on duty," Kay replied stubbornly, but even Agnes could tell the woman's resolve was waning. "However, those duties include keeping tabs on the town, and it's really not supposed to be snowing. Perhaps we can pop in for a moment, just to see..."

"How marvelous! We get to take the fun adults with us," Margot exclaimed, scrambling to her feet. As she spit out residue from the sand, the shadow girl danced with glee. "Everyone shall be so jealous that ours know how to use the nice words."

"We're not talking to anyone," Kay clarified, giving Bex a look. "And we're not touching anything, either. One quick look around, that's all, but don't get it twisted here, girl. Our business comes first, and I will not have the likes of a child telling me what to do. We will leave when my business is done and not a minute after. If your brother turns up before then, well, that's just grand. If not, you will have to make do without us. These conditions are not up for further negotiation."

Bex threw an arm around Kay's neck, then shot Agnes a wink. "Take it as a win, kid. You've got our help—for a limited time. You're lucky she agreed to even that."

Kay pushed Bex off, then readjusted her top so less of her tan skin was exposed. "There's still time to change my mind, so if we're done fooling around, we might as well get a move on before things get any worse."

"Well, what could possibly be any worse than snow?" Margot questioned stupidly.

Kay caught on quickly and ignored the shadow girl. Instead, she swept her pink hair up into a high ponytail, then pulled out her own glasses to shade her inquisitive brown eyes. Agnes could still feel them on her as Kay retrieved a white stick of her own, then held out a hand to Bex for the lighter. Kay took a drag, then exhaled the smoke heavily.

"Walk with me, Four Eyes," she said flatly, striding past Agnes and across the sand as if it were a paved road. "You can fill me in on the boy along the way. And please, do your best to keep up. I can't stand slow walkers."

Agnes blinked after her, stumped. Someone nudged her from behind; she turned to find Bex making a gesture with their head.

"She's talking to you." Bex went a step farther and pointed to Agnes's glasses. "Hurry up, she will leave you if you let her."

"I hope she does. Then you'll see what it feels like." Margot stuck her tongue out at Agnes for good measure.

Without a word, Agnes rushed after the woman named Kay, eager to get away from the petulant Margot and get closer to finding Bogart. Yvonne wiped Hugo's fingers of any residue from the Good Stuff, then took his hand once more to lead him through the sand toward home. This left the shadow girl and Bex to bring up the rear.

"Shall you cast me to the back like they always do?" Margot asked, already anticipating Bex's affirmative answer.

"Now, why would I go and do a mean thing like that?" Bex said cooly, tucking their hands back in the pockets of their jacket. "In fact, why don't we talk about whatever your little heart desires. Anything that comes to mind."

The shadow girl looked up at Bex with eyes filled with wonder. "You're the best favorite I've ever had."

Something flashed across Bex's face, but it's impossible to say what with the glasses on. Oh well.

"C'mon, Little Bits," they said gruffly, following behind the parade making its way back towards Eldritch. "Wouldn't want to get left in the desert now, would we?"