MAILAH TURNED to the women.
They seemed to be waiting for her. At first, she thought they were human, but as she got closer, she realized they were... something else.
Their skin had a faint, pearlescent glow, like the inside of a seashell. Their eyes were the strangest part—solid, glassy black with no pupils at all. They moved with a terrifying, smooth speed, their feet making no sound on the floor.
Mailah felt a wave of nerves. Are they dolls? Spirits? she wondered. She wanted to ask what they were, but she didn't want to be rude, so she kept the questions to herself.
The ladies didn't speak. They didn't even whisper. One of them made a soft gesture toward the bathroom. Mailah understood and walked inside.
