Nona, trapped in the house that smelled of smoke and alcohol and nothing else to do than being trapped in her own mind, felt compelled to clean every inch of the place as her intrusive thoughts took hold. Her mind raced with the desire for order and control, something she lacked in her current situation. As she scrubbed the floors, she became increasingly lost in her thoughts, trying to piece together fragments of her past. Amidst the turmoil of her mind, Nona saw a tall redhead woman giving her a hand to stand up: ''How are you? Are we waiting for Eske?''


    ''What?'' said Nona, looking at the woman puzzled. She was strangely familiar. She noticed her white blouse was stained with blood and black powder. ''Who are you?''


    ''It''s me, silly, Penny.'' The woman laughed again, but this time there was no humour. It seemed more like an attempt to mask some kind of pain or grief. ''I''m sorry I haven''t been around lately. Things had just got so busy, you know how it is,'' she added when Nona looked confused. ''I died, well, not quiet. I killed myself, went back home, and Bobby shot me right between my eyes. Well, I can''t actually be mad. I would do the same, but how do you explain to someone that we are someone else, that is us. So here we are!''


    ''You are a ghost?''


    Penny shook her head, ''No, maybe a fruit of your imagination..., but I''m more inclined to believe I''m a remnant of a time that you keep with you, probably. So here I am.''


    She paused before adding, ''Am going crazy...'' Nona stopped cleaning, staring at the woman. Tears were running down her cheeks from where she held them in by biting her lip until they turned into little nubs. ''Why are you here now, Penny?'' Nona asked, her voice trembling with a mix of fear and curiosity. ''Is there something you want to tell me or help me with?''


    Penny''s expression turned serious, the blood and black powder stains on her blouse serving as a stark reminder of her tragic fate. ''I think you''re in trouble, Nona. And I want to help you find a way out of this mess. Let''s say I''m the little annoying voice in your brain with the seed of an idea.''


    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.Nona nodded, willing to accept any form of guidance or assistance she could get. ''What do you suggest I do?''


    ''Do you know what happens if you overfeed a rabbit?''


    ''I guess they get chubby.''


    ''Gastrointestinal stasis, also known as GI stasis, the rabbit''s digestive system slows down or stops entirely, causing a build-up of gas and harmful bacteria. And boom!'' She pointed her finger upwards, making the gesture look violent. ''Guess what we should feed the rabbit?''


    ''I don''t understand. I can''t remember.''


    ''Nona, sweetheart, who is Ava?''


    The question made Nona freeze. She didn''t need to ask herself why the name sounded familiar. It rang bells deep inside her memory, ringing so loud that it drowned out everything else. ''Ava...''


    Penny nodded. ''And you know about the rabbit because you''ve seen it happen yourself, haven''t you?''


    Nona started shaking uncontrollably. A terrible coldness spread through her body. She couldn''t speak. She found it hard even to breathe.


    ''Come on, Nona is not a time for a panic attack. Breathe. We are going to be late for the party.'' Penny reached out towards her.


    As soon as Penny touched Nona, she crumbled to pieces. Bits of hers flew off and scattered across the air. The room grew dark as if a mist of black particles floated in the air.


    ''Oh, shit! What happened?