The Divide Between Us

***"How is everything I've heard... real?"***
This piece of *Evie and Mya* literature is outdated and is scheduled to be rewritten or tweaked in the future. Please note that some events currently depicted will be heavily altered or removed when said content is updated. Read at your own risk of discombobulating the series canon in your head!
And spare yourself from Av's old writing, please.
"I'm not there yet!"
 This page contains ***major spoilers*** for the series. If you're not caught up, stay back! Av's not gonna be too thrilled if you react to spoilers prematurely...

## The Divide Between Us

### Director

Potato Flakin

***The Divide Between Us*** is the fifth episode of *The Adventures of Evie and Mya* in Season 3, and the twenty-fifth overall. It is also the mid-season finale of Season 3.

## Synopsis

When Mya begins to miss Evie, she agrees to meet her again, against the orders of Harlow and Ivanna. However, when the meeting doesn't go as planned, she turns her back on her loved ones and falls to darkness - leaving Evie wondering if Pineshadow will ever be the same again.

## Content Warning

*This episode contains blood and some other scenes which viewers may find unsettling. Viewer discretion is advised.*

## Transcript

*The episode begins by panning down in the dining room of Hollowleaf Mansion. There, in two chairs, sits Harlow Parker and his granddaughter, Mya.*

"With great power comes very *great* responsibility, Mya," Harlow lectured. "As you are the one chosen to help us with our grand plans, you *must* make sure that you are the one having control and power. No one else."

Mya nodded in understanding, mystified by his words. "Of course. Power will hold a family together. I will make sure of that until the day I die."

"Very good," Harlow praised. He then grabbed something else off the table - a small, golden bell - and held it in front of Mya.

"Now, if you dare mismanage your power, or speak something unfitting of a Heartley or your power, I'll ring this." He rung the bell, and it chimed warmly. "It means you stop talking and remain silent. *Completely* silent."

Mya nodded in understanding, her skin tingling. She thought it was a *little* weird a bell would dictate some of her actions. But it wasn't harmless, and Harlow was doing what was best for her. He was right. She nodded, and he continued his lesson.

"Don't worry. I know all of this is probably confusing for you. But me and Ivanna do know what's best for you, Mya. Haven't you felt much happier with our... *Modifications* to your time?"

"Yeah, I suppose so." Lately, Mya hadn't returned home to her place at all - instead calling the mansion her home, moreover, her *true* home. It was nice, cozy, and fascinating to live here, instead of in her bedroom. Besides, she didn't have to dwell on conflict with her family, girlfriend, sister, and friends, all kept away from her in a click of a button.

To a degree, she was living in her own bubble, safe from the world trying to drag her down.

"Without those interruptions, you are made into a pure Heartley. Tough, courageous, valiant-"

Suddenly, the doorbell rang, and Harlow was forced to temporarily abandon his lesson plans. He trudged to the door, and opened it, surprised to find a few police officers outside.

"Greetings. Are you Harlow Parker?" One of the officers asked.

"Yes, I am. What can I do for you, kind gentlemen?"

Nearby, Mya watched, apprehensive.

"We've received reports from quite a few families in Pineshadow that you attempted to perform a sexual act on a child. Are you aware that this is a crime in Pineshadow, and will land you jail time?"

Mya gasped in shock, her muscles numbing. Those weren't any families, those were the families of Evie, Amira, and Daniela. *And my parents! They reported him to the police! No, I can't let him be arrested!*

"They are mistaken," Harlow calmly corrected. "I have not once laid my hands on a minor, nor will I ever. I have vowed to never perform such an *egregious* act."

From the hallway near the stairwell, Ivanna appeared, having overheard the conversation. "I'm sorry, you're definitely incorrect. Harlow wouldn't hurt a child, nor find a way to bring harm on them. He's innocent, through and through."

Mya stepped forward. "There was a conflict here, and it did lead to one of my friends-"

Suddenly, Harlow glared at her, ringing the bell. Feeling shame course through her veins like an icy rain, Mya silenced herself, looking away.

"Sir, what was she trying to say?"

"Nothing. Just a little fiasco at our recent dinner party, but nothing much. Things were resolved."

His hazel gaze impeded the officers, and they backed up. After exchanging whispers, they came to a conclusion.

"Alright, sir. We must have had the wrong guy. Sorry for wasting your time. Be safe!" The cops headed back to their squad car and drove off.

"Those fools," Harlow muttered under his breath. "Trying to hinder me and throw me in prison. I'll prove them wrong. They'll see-"

Harlow winced, cutting himself off and placing a hand on his injured eye. The flesh around it had now turned purple, and dried blood was still stained around it.

"Harlow!" Ivanna shrieked. "Come on, darling. You need to get that attended to. It's infected."

"I don't care if it's infected, Iv! I'm *fine*. Besides, we can't lose the *money*."

Mya watched them, seeing Harlow's eye. He would likely never properly see out of it again with the way it was faring. Pain scorched her like embers, but moreover, fury.

*It's all because of you, Daniela! You're such a heathen for thinking you could blind him and get away with this. And her friends let her! I'll make you pay. I'll make you see...*

On Harlow's quick command, Mya had blocked all of her contacts. Maybe it was for the best. Those girls had been getting in her way. But, secretly, she hadn't fully obeyed the orders of her grandfather...

*No. I can't get vengeance. Not when I have you, Evie.*

'**THE DIVIDE BETWEEN US - SEASON 3, EPISODE 5**

The next day, Winter picked up her phone, trying to text Mya.

*Hey, are you okay??? Please tell us!*

*Error. Message failed to send. Please try contacting the recipient later.*

*What? No. NO! She can't have blocked me!*

"Damn it!" She cursed. "She won't pick up... Mya, come on!" By now, she was worried. Why had Mya blocked her and her family? That was something she would *never* do.

She had been acting off. Way more than off.

She groaned in frustration and concern, and sympathetic, her mother hugged her. "Oh, Winterlyn..." She pulled her close.

Patrick joined them. "We'll get her back. Somehow. Some way. We can't just jump to conclusions this early, can we?" His voice was optimistic, though it did nothing to ease the tension in the room.

"What could have happened to my baby?" Nita questioned, her voice cracking. "She can't have disappeared again... No, I refuse to imagine it. She has to be safe! I don't want her gone!"

"Harlow and Ivanna are probably keeping her safe. That's what we can hope for," Winter suggested. That was the wrong response.

"Keeping her **safe**? **Safe**? I know for a goddamn fact Harlow and Ivanna are going to do **horrible things** to Mya!" Nita snapped, an angry yellow-green gaze boring directly into Winter, and she crawled back, stunned.

"I know what those two *snakes* are capable of. I've seen it." Her cheeks went red, and she stopped talking.

She had said far too much.

"**WHAT**?" Winter screeched. "You *know* what Harlow and Ivanna are like and you haven't told **any of us**? You didn't even **warn Mya**?"

"Winter, that isn't what I meant!"

"What *else* do you know? What have you been hiding from *us*?"

"Winter, don't press your mother on," Patrick warned. "She's already been through a lot lately."

Winter raked an icy, piercing blue gaze at her father. "You **LIED TO ME**!" She spat. "You lied about Harlow and Ivanna *living in Oregon* and *lied that they were good*! I could have done something to protect Mya! We could have done something! *You* could have done something..."

She looked at the ground, curling her fingers in and out.

*I've been lied to by my own parents. But why? Why couldn't they just be honest... They're tearing us apart!*

Winter felt *betrayed*.

"I could have saved my sister," she muttered under her breath. She couldn't stand here anymore. Her parents, worried, watched as she ran to her room, slamming the door shut.

Winter crawled onto her bed, which she usually shared with Mya. Instead, there was an empty space, only giving off emptiness and resentment. Winter looked down at her pillow, seeing tears splash down onto the fabric in an ugly torrent.

Pain clawed at her heart. *My parents could have prevented all of this. But they're just liars! They let Mya be manipulated, and now she's ghosting us! We're being torn apart*!

Screaming, she hit her pillow, *pounded* it, dug her fingernails into it repeatedly until she couldn't anymore, collapsing onto it and looking out through the window. The sky was clouded over. No sun to be found.

An hour passed. Winter woke up from a short nap, still feeling confused, lost, and deceived.

*I have to talk to somebody. Somebody who knows Mya well.*

Winter grabbed her phone, tucking it in her back pocket, and she ran out the door. Half a mile later, she reached her destination.

She knocked on a dark brown door, and it didn't take long for it to open, revealing Evie.

"Winter? What are you doing here?" Evie asked, surprised.

"I need to talk to you. Mya's cut us off!"

Evie put a hand to her mouth, chilled by the revelation. "She *what*?"

"We can't contact her at all. She blocked us and said it was all "temporary" in her last message. We don't know what to do..."

"Here," Evie said, putting a hand on her shoulder. "*Mời vào*. Relax a bit, and we'll speak in my room."

Winter nodded, following her friend into her bedroom. She had forgotten how cozy the place looked, with Evie's various posters and room decorations.

She sighed, then continued on.

"Mya's blocked us, and we haven't heard from her since then. Worst of all... Ev, my parents were lying to us. They *knew* Harlow and Ivanna were rotten from the start. They *knew* they still lived in Pineshadow. And they could have stopped Mya and avoided this if they would just *come clean*!"

Panic flared in Evie's green eyes, and she worriedly grabbed her blanket. "*No*! They... They knew. They let it happen... But why?"

"I don't know why! Now we have to fix this before it's too late... I don't know what to do!"

Winter buried her head in her knees, losing hope the more time went on.

"Win. We'll find a way and get Mya back," Evie responded shakily. "She... She can't have blocked more than just your family, right?"

"Have you tried contacting her?"

Evie looked thoughtful, and she calmed down a bit. "Oh my god! No, I haven't, but it's worth a try."

She pulled out her phone, opened her contacts, and found Mya's number. Making her message as simple as possible, she texted the following.

*Hey, are you doing alright? Do you want to talk with me at all?*

She hit send - and it went through.

Winter gasped. "She didn't block you!"

Evie hugged her. "Thank god. I don't know why she didn't block me. But maybe, I can talk with her and sort things out between all of us."

"And more importantly, where do we go from here?" Winter added.

That night, Mya ate dinner with her grandparents, calmly cutting up a slice of pork tenderloin with her knife. Things had been peaceful since the confrontation with the police officers earlier. Or so she thought.

Harlow had taken no notice to his dinner, instead twitching his scratched eye. He looked sleepless, his other eye burning with a fire Mya hadn't seen from him. Ivanna raised an eyebrow.

"Honey, eat your food. It's going to get cold," she advised.

"I don't *need* treatment, nor do I *want* it. I'm more focused on retribution and getting what we had back so along ago," he stated, a bizarre edge to his voice.

He placed a had on his eye, wincing and doubling over onto the table.

"Harlow, that's enough excuses!" Ivanna snapped. "See a damn doctor!"

"I do **not need a doctor** when there are serious things I must **attend to**." His tone unsettled both Ivanna and Mya. Mya in particular. This wasn't like Harlow, and it seemed like he was slowly falling into insanity the more his eye affected him.

Sympathetically, she cast her eyes onto her grandfather. "Ivanna's right. You should get that eye treated. After all, it would be better if-"

Harlow grabbed the bell and rang it loudly, and instantly, Mya stopped herself mid-sentence. Regret hit her hard.

She *should* have known not to try reasoning with Harlow. He was right, she was wrong. *Why do I just keep messing up?*

"Sorry," she mumbled.

At once, she felt a strong gaze bore into her - Harlow. He smiled, seemingly forgetting about his other issues for the moment.

"Young one, don't forget that you have great power. Use it to *conquer* the world. Show that you're a queen, and that nothing is stopping you from achieving more than you've ever achieved... Especially to your *miniscule* friends and family."

Mya nodded, but something didn't feel right. Her friends, girlfriend, and sister had been *nothing* but trouble and a thorn in her side lately. But her parents were loving, sweet, humorous, and had always cared for her. They had given her no cause for concern and had allowed her to spend most of her time with her grandparents. His disdain toward them was weird, to say the least.

"I promise I will complete my destiny as your chosen one," she said, picking up her plate and placing it in the kitchen.

After that, she went to the bathroom, changed for the night, and went to her bedroom. She jumped onto her bed, tucking herself in her soft blankets, and pulling out her phone for another short gaming spree before bed.

In that moment, Mya caught something that made her gasp - a single text from Evie. *Evie*.

*Hey, are you doing alright? Do you want to talk with me at all?*

"Ev!" She exclaimed in a low whisper. Pangs of meloncholy and regret hit her heart. Lately, she and Evie had been at each other's throats over Harlow and Ivanna, since Evie had believed they were cold, heartless villains while she loved them dearly and saw the good in them.

Mya had a right to be mad at Evie. She was jealous, *had* to be, and had been putting a strain in her relationship. Yet, she hadn't been the best to Evie either, and missed her company greatly.

She turned to the right side of her bed, imagining Evie being there to cuddle with her, kissing her on the cheek and whispering how much she loved her in a dove-like voice. She hadn't had that for what seemed like forever.

Harlow had told her it was better to not see her. Mya began to think otherwise, and rebellion sparked in her heart.

*I'm sorry, Harlow. You're not stopping me from talking with someone I love.*

She gulped, and gathered the courage to respond to her girlfriend.

*Evie! Words can't describe how much I miss you. I do really want to talk to you! XOXO*

It only seemed like a heartbeat before Evie responded.

*Oh my god, hello my love! I'm so happy to hear from you again <3 Yeah, let's meet up tomorrow night. You okay at your place?*

*Sure. That seems fine. Just us?*

*Just us, as always. Love you =D*

It was like a sweet honey that showered her in happiness. Mya smiled warmly, putting her phone down and turning off her light. She was definitely going to sleep happy tonight, knowing she would see her girlfriend again.

Hours later, she blinked open her eyes to find herself... Not in her room.

*Huh? Where am I...?* Mya blinked awake, finding that she was in Hollowleaf Forest, enamored by its tall, dark green leaves, thick brown trunks, and its patterned ground. She was dressed in her normal attire.

"Hello?" She called, glancing around. All of a sudden, a *strong* sight captured her eyes, and it brought her down to her knees.

There, in front of Mya, was the Pond of Ori. Its cyan waters glistened in the moonlight, and her reflection was clear to her, leaf-green eyes piercing her soul. Water trickled down from the rocks into the small pool.

"Wow," she whispered. "I never expected to be back here again..."

"Mya!" A voice exclaimed cheerfully. Mya's mouth fell open. Could it be?

"Evie! Is that really you?"

"Yes, it's me! I'm in the pond! Come dive in, it's really amazing down here!"

Mya glanced down at the pond. "But I don't want to get wet."

"You won't get wet. I promise. Now come on!"

Mya couldn't ignore the temptation building inside of her anymore, and she dived in the Pond of Ori, falling into a crystal sea. It was *paradise*.

Shimmering waters revealed vast spaces of glimmering coral and fish swimming all around her. Mya felt like a mermaid, so free, and she swam around, exploring. Gems of emerald, sapphire, ruby, lapis, and diamond floated past her, catching her eyes, and she thought she could see herself sparking in their reflections.

"You love it down here, don't you?" Evie asked. Mya finally saw her silvery outline and the grin on her face.

"I love it!" Evie swam up to her, pride and affection in her eyes. "I'm glad you do."

"I think I'm going to stay here forever."

"Forever? You can't stay forever," Evie suddenly scoffed.

Inside the book that I wrote

Are all the words that we spoke

Yeah, only with our eyes

Mya frowned. Was Evie mad at her? "What? Why?"

"Nothing lasts forever!" Evie snapped. "You're living in a dream, Mya. A *dumb* dream. The same applies to your reality. I've warned you about the danger you're putting yourself in, and you should start heeding my warnings..."

"No!" Mya cried. "I promise everything's alright! I'm not in danger!"

Now is the time to choose

Somebody wins and some lose

I can see through your disguise

Mya felt weighed down, and she stared at Evie wordlessly, watching as she responded to her yet again.

"Oh, stop making up lies, Mya. You're not fine. And you don't know when to stop. You're letting your ignorant bliss guide your actions instead of listening to your heart, and soon, that's going to lead to something far more sinister than you know."

The water around her turned from a bright cyan to an incandescent orange, startling her, and she looked around frantically.

Lay down, hope for something better

Looking at the clouds

Deciphering the weather

"What's going on???" She asked worriedly. Something felt really *awful*.

Evie didn't respond, her outline still shimmering. Her arms were crossed, and she contained only a look of disappointment.

You can't keep this up

The lies are just too much

"I'm sorry!" Mya pleaded desperately, trying to inch her way to Evie. "Please tell me what's going on! I don't want to lose you!"

Evie only shook her head sadly, and said something that made the water feel like ash around her.

"You *already* lost me. How foolish can you be?"

Kick back, start another fire

Lookin' at the clouds

Making shapes that you admire

In a blur, she faded away, and Mya could only watch in horror as everything around her did too. The water around her grew hotter and hotter.

She struggled to breathe, and flailed around. "Help! Somebody!"

You can't stop now

'Cause you don't know how

Suddenly, she began to sink, orange water flooding into her mouth, and Mya spat it out in disgust. She tried to swim upward, but instead, she felt herself sinking further and further into a terrifying blackness.

"*Help*!" She screamed, clawing up, but she only kept going down, and down, and down.

The smell of smoke then filled her lungs. Something was *burning*. Pain seared her entire body, and Mya looked at her hands. She thought she had just stared death in its eyes.

*Her skin* was being burned away. *Erased* from existence by an invisible fire.

You can't stop now

"No! **I DON'T WANT TO DIE**!" Her hair was singed from the invisible fire that was slowly, but was surely, going to kill her.

Mya made one last effort to swim to safety, but it was too late. She was too far down, and too far gone. Tears formed in her eyes as the darkness consumed her, and so did the fire.

Mya blinked open her eyes, jumping up and swerving her gaze all around a dark place. Was this it? Had she died?

Wait. No. She hadn't died. She was only in her bedroom. What she had experienced was only a horrifying dream, and yet, it had felt so real.

Ooh, I knew

Too much love will kill you

Be careful who you choose

Evie had left her because of what she had done. She couldn't let that happen in reality.

*No. I'm not going to lose you, Ev. I'm going to meet up with you, and we're going to move forward, stronger than ever.*

Mya curled up into bed once more, falling asleep more determined than she had ever felt.

Soon you'll see

Que sera, sera

Whatever will be, will be

The next day, Evie had gathered Winter, Amira, and Daniela at the park to update them on her plan.

"Okay, so, Mya's blocked off her family, but hasn't blocked off me."

"She blocked me," Amira muttered, rolling her eyes.

"And she blocked me as well," Daniela added.

"That's unsurprising," Evie said. "But, we do have hope in all of this. I reached out to Mya, and she wants to talk tonight at her place."

"Really?" Winter questioned. *Maybe Mya is beginning to warm up again.*

Evie nodded. "We're all going to be there, but I need the three of you to pretend like you're mostly non-existent throughout our conversation. I don't want Mya to get mad."

"You can count on me!" Winter declared.

"Absolutely," Amira confirmed.

"I'll hide beind you guys," Daniela murmured. "Besides, I don't want Mya lashing out at me..."

"Don't worry," Amira whispered to her. "We'll protect you through and through. Nothing like the dinner party will happen." Evie and Winter nodded at her.

Daniela blushed, looking away. "Aww... Thanks. I really appreciate you guys."

It had only been just a few minutes for Evie, and yet, it felt like an hour as she waited outside Mya's place. The sky was a milky blue-black, and no stars were present, making for a very dark space around her. Just behind her was her friends, and they stayed relatively hidden in the shadows.

Daniela shook nervously behind them. "Is she here yet?" She questioned anxiously.

"No," Winter replied. "Relax, Dani. You're going to be alright." She and Amira pressed against her, and Daniela relaxed, feeling herself calm.

Five more minutes passed. Evie dragged her night shoes, a pair of black loafers, on the ground.

She heard footsteps, and looked up. There, in the distance, was Mya. *My love!*

"Mya!" Evie called out, running into her and hugging her. She felt like flying. It was just like old times.

"Ev! Oh, how I've missed this..." She kissed her on the cheek softly, then pulled away.

"Have you been doing okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Though, last night, I had a really bad nightmare, and Harlow is claiming he doesn't need treatment for his injured eye..."

Evie nodded, understanding and sympathizing with her. "I'm sorry to hear that. I hope things will improve soon."

Mya moved closer to her, grabbing her hands and interlocking her fingers with hers. "I- I don't want to lose you, Evie. We've had our fair share of conflict and issues, but we have to make things right. I don't want to fight."

"It'll be okay, Mya. We'll work it all out, and things will be more normal again." Evie moved forward to embrace her, but found that Mya wasn't concentrating on her, instead on something in the distance. She dropped her hands.

Slowly, Evie realized that Mya had seen Winter, Amira, and Daniela, and now knew that she had been lying to her. Mya's soft look changed to an irate one, and she had two fists clenched in disappointment and rage.

"**YOU LIED TO ME**!" She spat. "What are *they* doing here??? Especially *her*?" She pointed an accusatory finger at Daniela, who flinched back.

"I'm sorry!" Evie apologized, feeling the icy claws of regret grip her. "We all wanted to speak with you. We want you *back*, Mya. Please just give them a chance as well!"

Instead, Mya shoved her aside, striding up to Daniela with one pure goal in mind: Vengeance.

"You don't **BELONG HERE**," she growled. "I know what you've done. You have my grandfather's *blood* on your hands!"

Daniela shook, feeling her heart clench. Why was Mya *still* blaming her when she had almost gotten violated? She was telling the *truth*.

"I didn't mean to **hurt him**!" She cried. "And I'm sorry if it feels that way! But I promise I wouldn't lay a finger on him if he didn't try to assault me!" She paused briefly. "Leave me alone... I don't want to fight you."

"Oh, is *that so*? Daniela, you scarred him on *purpose*, and I know it. Harlow's not a liar, neither is Ivanna. You're still keen on hurting me even though you've "redeemed" yourself, and you found the *most cruel* way to do it."

Daniela winced, the sting of Mya's words cutting into her skin. She knew Mya hated her and wouldn't forgive her at this point. They had started out good, but now, things were bordering on unfixable. *I... I can't let her cause a rift. I want her to see I've changed!*

"Please," she begged. "I didn't mean any harm... Harlow was *lying* to you! He tried to ***force himself onto me***!"

That was the straw that broke the camel's back, as Mya got right up at her *face*, enraged and ready to start a war.

"You think *I'm dumb*, Daniela? I know that you're ***LYING***. You always have, and you'll never admit it because your're *so* self-centered. You are **nothing more** than a two-faced, unforgivable, ***UGLY MONSTER***!"

All the girls gasped, and Evie, Winter, and Amira quickly turned toward Daniela. Daniela was quivering in shock, her face paling and her legs wobbling back and forth.

*Monster. I'm a monster.*

And that word triggered a memory she thought she had forgotten.

**A FEW MONTHS AGO**

*"Attention all prisoners, please report to the washroom at this time. This is the final washroom trip before bedtime."*

*Daniela sighed, smoothing her messy buntail down. It was yet another day in prison, and she had been spiraling into insanity.*

*She didn't want to be stuck here, in a place which was cruel and loveless to her. But it was what she deserved for almost getting her hands dirty with Winter's blood.*

*One of the two guards that kept watch near her cell unlocked it, and she headed out, glumly following a trail of white-shirt prisoners heading to the washroom. Daniela kept her head low. It wasn't like anybody was going to notice her deranged self anyway.*

*After a minute, she entered the washroom with the other prisoners. Some treated it as congregation time. But for Daniela, nobody wanted to even try talking to her. She was isolated in a sea of white.*

*Daniela walked over to an open sink, turning on the faucet and splashing cold water onto her face. She rubbed her insomnia-marred eyes. Compared to the burning orange-amber they once were, they had dulled due to her lack of sleep.*

*As she straightened her buntail, a voice whispered to her coldly. "Look at you. Nothing more than a lowlife who's corpse is rotting in prison."*

*It was the inner demon in her head again. "Go away," Daniela muttered under her breath, grabbing a hairbrush.*

*"Look in the mirror, Dani..."*

*"I'm not listening to you," Daniela growled, a bit loudly. Some prisoners turned to glance at her, baffled.*

*"Is she okay?" A female prisoner questioned.*

*The demon spoke up again, wrapping an icy hand around her throat. "You coward! Look in the mirror and see the person you've become!"*

*Daniela paused. "The person... I've become?" She asked.*

*"Yes... Just look at yourself, Dani. Your hair is wild and untamed. Your eyes burn with manic energy, the aggression you've been keeping inside. Your nails are worn down from scraping the brick housing you. Haven't you looked at yourself clearly?"*

*"I have!" Daniela snapped. "Now just leave me alone!"*

*"How do you think Winter honestly views you after you tried to murder her?"*

*Daniela froze, the memory choking her and sucking the air out of her body. She had almost delivered a fatal stab wound to Winter's throat. She almost bled out in front of an entire cafeteria crowd.*

*And she was the only person to blame.*

*"She'd... She'd think I'm... A... A monster!"*

*"Correct... And perhaps, next time you check your appearance, I think you should see what you've made yourself out to be..."*

*Daniela convulsed with fear as she finally looked at her own reflection in the mirror. Her mouth fell open in sheer horror at what she was looking at.*

*There was her image looking back at her - the image of what she was before prison. Her eyes were pitch black, glowing red in the center. She wore a crimson red dress with short, puffy sleeves; the bottom of the dress was pitch black. Her hair was sleek and refined, and a crown with three, diamond-shaped rubies sat on top of her head.*

*"What, no, I, I, I-I'm not-"*

*"You made yourself a monster, Daniela. There is a cold, heartless demon in your chest that you have embraced for a complete year. You chose to inflict pain on many, innocent human beings, you lusted for their pain, and you longed for the pleasure in all of it. Yet that pleasure comes with a price - you have **BLOOD** on your hands!"*

*Daniela gasped, looking down at her scarred arms and almost wanting to vomit her insides out. Her hands and arms were **drenched** in scarlet, oozing, bright blood, soaked wet in it. The blood was dripping onto the floor, staining the tile red.*

*"This is Winter's blood from all the pain you caused in her life. Everyone you hurt! Winter, Amira, Evie, Mya, your mother, the poor souls who never deserved to meet someone as cruel as YOU!"*

*"Winter... No... No!" She had tried to kill her twice. She made her bleed in front of a whole crowd. The memory would haunt her until the day she died.*

*"Evie." Daniela felt herself withering. She had Evie's blood on her hands too, having almost slit her throat open at the party. Her longtime foe could have been dead, all because of her.*

*"No... Mya..." Daniela had deeply bullied Mya, humiliating her many times over. Shame ripped her flesh open, and tears formed in her eyes. Mya was innocent. She never deserved to meet someone like her.*

*"You're foolish, Daniela! You deserve to rot in hell for what you've done!" The demon spat. Daniela looked down at her arms, finding them still dripping with various colors of red. The blood of the people she had brought harm onto. Her eyes stung from the sight and she ripped herself away - only to find herself looking at the monster in the mirror.*

*Without warning, the mirror shattered into pieces.*

*"You're ugly, Daniela. Nobody will ever love you now!"*

*Suddenly, Daniela let out an ear-curdling scream. Every prisoner in the washroom had turned to her, backing away. They* feared *her.*

*She glanced around, her head whirling at everything. Then, she ran out of the washroom altogether, slamming into a prison guard and running away.*

*"Escapee! Signal for backup!"*

*Daniela kept on running, not looking back. She was looking for a way out of this place, or as far away from the washroom as possible.*

*She rounded a corner, dimly lit and musty. Refusing to stop, Daniela dashed down the following corridor, blindly running in the dark. She could hardly breathe, and tried to take in air, but it was way too difficult.*

*A chill worked its way up her body, and her heart seemed to start freezing. Daniela knew she was slowly beginning to spiral into yet another panic attack. But no one would be there to help her out of it.*

*Without warning, she smashed into a dead end, falling onto the ground and groaning in pain. She heard heavy footsteps approach her as the world faded to black.*

*When Daniela woke up, she was back in her cell, placed onto her bedsheets that had been ripped apart in her manic episodes.*

La la, la la la la

Your mind is playing jokes on you

La la, la la la la

There's nothing that you can do

*The sun was rising. It was yet another day here.*

*All Daniela could do to comprehend her living nightmare was cry into her pillow.*

La la, la la la la

Your mind is playing jokes on you

La la, la la la la

There's nothing that you can do

Daniela panted heavily, her eyes marred with panic, tears appearing at the edge of her eyelids. Winter and Amira, concerned, quickly pressed themselves against her.

"Dani, you're alright. Breathe," Amira whispered.

"Just relax. Nothing's going to hurt you," Winter added. Daniela felt the tension leave her body, and she quickly backed away from the scene. What had happened had already caused her anxiety to flare, and she needed a break from all of it.

Then, Winter stomped toward Mya, brimming with white-hot fury. Her ice-blue eyes bore *blistering* hot fire.

"How ***DARE YOU USE THAT WORD AGAINST DANIELA***!" She screeched, making Mya jump back. "You know what? You **aren't the real Mya**. This is an *impostor* who is ***CRUEL AND AMBITIOUS***!"

"I'm supposed to have power. With it, I'm going to do *great things*!" Mya retorted. "This power is **protected by me**. I won't let anyone *steal* what is *destined* to be *mine*."

"So *that's* why you severed contact with us!" Amira exclaimed. "Because you've grown so power-hungry you *don't care* about the others in your life?" She appeared to be rather hurt. "Not going to lie. You **sound like Shetani**!"

Mya stopped, alarmed by the revelation and comparison. "How... How did you know that?" She questioned bluntly, her blood boiling.

"We all know!" Evie stammered. "But Mya, you've gone too far! This has to stop! Please connect with your family and the rest of us again. You *need* us! We aren't meant to be apart!"

"I don't need to," Mya hissed. "You'll only get in my way. I need *no distractions*."

Evie shook; the air around her felt so cold all of a sudden. "I'm... I'm not in the way!" She replied, her voice sounding like she had a fever. "I only want to help you, and make you avoid becoming a person you're not... Please..."

Mya shot her down instantly. "I'm *perfectly fine*," she muttered. "You had this petty brawl coming with the way you've been treating my grandparents. I don't know why you're so *enveloped* in my life, but I'm going to *conquer* the sun and prove that I'm meant to have *power*. *More* than you ever will!"

Evie glanced at the ground, pain welling inside of her. Thorns of darkness tore open invisible wounds all over her body. Mya wasn't the Mya *she* had known for four years. Instead, she was cruel, heartless, and ambitious.

*Just like... A villain.*

Denying all of the damage inside of her, Evie summoned the courage to speak, but it came out more weakly than she had hoped.

"Why, Mya? Why... Would you do this? To us... To *me*? You're acting like someone I don't *know*. Why do you have to be-"

"***WELL, MAYBE I JUST DON'T LOVE YOU ANYMORE***!"

It was as if she had just been delivered a mortal wound to the throat. Evie gasped, and so did the other girls.

Evie thought her heart had been *shattered* into fragments. She quivered, struggling to process what she had just heard.

"No!" She whispered. "Mya..."

Mya turned a poisonous leaf-green gaze onto her, showing no remorse, and only hatred. *Severe* hatred.

"Stay out of my way before you get hurt, Evie. Or before you try *ruining* my plans. I've already *wasted* enough of my time on you when I could have been obtaining *more*. We both know how this goes."

She stepped toward her. "I don't need *love*. I only want *power*."

In a flash, Mya whirled around, and took off into the night as a dark horse, vanishing into the darkness ahead.

Evie's heart throbbed, everything swirling around her. She collapsed onto her knees, hitting the sidewalk with a *thud* and sobbing, heartbroken.

Winter, Amira, and Daniela fell to her side, staying with her.

Nothing would be the same in Pineshadow again.

Fifteen minutes later, Winter had settled in Amira's bedroom. She had felt too distressed to return home and had lied to her parents that she was sleeping over with her girlfriend, which they were quick to accept. She didn't even want to talk to them anyway. They were liars just as much as Harlow and Ivanna were.

Amira noticed Winter, and she was worried. Very worried. Winter didn't want to talk, and had sat at the edge of her bed, glancing down at the floor, betraying nothing but sheer sadness. Amira pitied her greatly. *Her own sister just turned tail on all of us. Mya broke Evie's heart. Her parents were lying to her. Life's been nothing but cruel.*

As the leaves start falling down

And the shadows bough the town

I can finally see now

She moved up against her side, softly kissing her on the neck. "It's going to be alright," she soothed. "We're going to fix this."

Winter shoved her away, eyes blazing with aggression. "Leave me alone, Ira!" She growled. "I let Mya down! I should have done more to protect her! I could have stopped her from creating a rift between us..."

I see the fear inside your eyes

I see the pain in your smile

I can finally see now

"It wasn't your fault! This was on Mya. She turned to darkness in order to get what she wanted. She wanted to *stay* with Harlow and Ivanna and didn't care about us. You didn't know she would have done this."

"Amira!" Winter snapped, startling her. "I've **LOST MY SISTER** and there is **NOTHING I CAN DO ABOUT IT**!" Amira gasped, jumping off the bed and backing up.

Oh we radiate

All over the world

We used to radiate

Get radiate

But now we're drowning

Amira tried to regain some of her composure, and spoke again. Seeing Winter like this pained her. "I know you don't think there is a way. But you can't lose hope, Winter! If we don't give up, we'll discover a way to get Mya back and out of harm!"

Winter was too lost in her grief to care. To her, it felt like Mya was *dead*.

She shoved her girlfriend away, and Amira backed all the way up against the wall, panting. For the first time in her life, she felt *fear* around Winter. *Fear* that she could do something out of her insecurity.

"Mya treated me and my friends horribly. Like *jokes*. She's *greedy for power* and wants *that* over love. **She's not even a person I know**. She left **us**. ***SHE LEFT ME ALONE***!"

Suddenly, Amira watched in horror as she reached into her back pocket and drew something that made her want to disappear into the wall.

*Her knife.*

She shrieked, her body convulsing with terror, and her gaze remained fixiated on the knife. Winter looked down, and guilt lined her face as she realized what she had just done.

As the leaves start falling down

And the shadows bough the town

We used to radiate

Get radiate

But now we're drowning

*She had pulled HER knife on HER girlfriend.*

She noticed how petrified Amira looked, and tears welled in her eyes.

"I- I'm *sorry*!" At once, she sped out of the room.

"Winter! Wait!" Amira called after her as she followed her, trying to keep up with her fast pace.

In the kitchen, she found her grandmother, Dahlia. "Ami? What's going on? Winter just ran by me, and she's a sobbing mess!"

"No time to explain!" Amira responded. She glanced around the house, looking for where Winter went. She heard a *click* to her left. *The back door*! Amira took off in that direction and ran outside, finding Winter curled up into a ball on the porch. She was crying loudly, and had her head buried in her knees.

Amira sat down next to her, and wrapped her in her arms. "Sssh. Winter. I'm here."

Meanwhile, Daniela had walked Evie back to her place, guiding her ahead, as she seemed uncertain and confused. "Okay. You're home now, Ev." She was worried for her, so deeply worried.

Evie turned, facing her with no soul in her body. "Thanks." She went back inside, and shut the door.

Daniela sighed, and began the walk back to her place. Yet, as she did, something kept tugging her back to Evie. She looked so drained... And didn't seem thrilled about going home.

*She's fine. Just keep going.* Daniela willed herself on.

Why did she continue feeling wrong?

She couldn't help but imagine Evie trying to explain to her parents what had happened. Could she even get a *word* out of her mouth? Without breaking down?

Daniela was almost to the street sign when she stopped.

She knew what she had to do.

She whirled around, and sped back in the direction of Evie's house, dashing through the night at the speed of a god. She couldn't leave Evie. She *needed* someone there.

Daniela reached her doorstep, ringing the doorbell twice. The door opened, revealing her father, Anderson.

"Daniela? I thought you were just here to drop her off. What are you doing?" He asked, baffled.

"I... I need to see Evie. Something's telling me there's something wrong."

Opal, Evie's mother, appeared from the hallway. She looked concerned. "You aren't lying when you say that... Evie hasn't been acting like herself since she got home. She's just been curled up in her bed, and hasn't revealed what's been going on to us! Please, you've gotta help!"

Daniela nodded, and walked down the hallway, turning left to find her bedroom. She peered in.

There, Evie was sprawled out on her bed, her face buried in one of her pillows. She was almost *lifeless*.

"Evie?" Daniela gently called, sitting next to her and putting a hand on her back.

"Go away, Dani," she said, her voice partially muffled by her pillow.

"Ev. I can tell you aren't feeling okay. That's why I came back for you."

I see the fear inside your eyes

I see the pain in your smile

I can finally see now

Evie finally glanced up at her, her face pinkish from her tears and her eyes appearing more black than dark green. "You came back for me?"

Daniela nodded. "Mya broke your heart tonight... She had *no right* to be that vile to you. But the *real* her is buried, deep within all that darkness. We'll get her back, Evie. Together."

Oh we radiate

All over the world

We used to radiate

Get radiate

But now we're drowning

"It's hopeless!" Evie spat. "We've lost Mya for *good*. You heard what she said to me! She doesn't **LOVE ME**!"

Tears formed in her eyes, and they fell down her face.

Daniela pulled her up, placing her hands on her shoulders. "I know what she said," she started. "Mya doesn't know what she's saying, nor does she know the consequences. We have to get her out of this hole she's digging herself in, and we need *you*. You're her *girlfriend*!"

As the leaves start falling down

And the shadows bough the town

We used to radiate

Get radiate

But now we're drowning

"***TO HER I'M NOT***!" Evie screamed. Daniela quickly shushed her, gripping her in a tight hug. "Ev, ssh. You need to calm down. You've had a rough night."

"**I was abandoned**!"

"We all were!" Daniela retorted, trying to keep her cool. "You can't give up, Evie. Knowing you, you wouldn't give up that easily."

"Mya treated us like we were a bunch of *heathens*. She left us for Harlow and Ivanna. She left *me*..."

"Evie," Daniela reassured. She rubbed her cheek with her hand. "Breathe. You need to breathe and slow down. You're too stressed to think straight."

"I want Mya! I just want Mya! Mya... Mya!"

Daniela could do nothing more to soothe Evie but hug her and rock her back and forth.

We used to radiate

Amira kissed a still-sobbing Winter on her cheek, grasping her hands and cradling them gently.

Get radiate

Daniela rubbed the back of Evie's head softly, feeling how silky her black hair really was. She twined it in her fingers.

We used to...

Winter leaned up against Amira, breathing heavily and still crying. Amira kissed her on the forehead.

We used to...

Evie collapsed into Daniela's lap, causing her to blush. She laid there, grasping at her pillow and holding onto it tightly. Daniela stayed there, watching her and making sure she was settling down. Her heart rate appeared to be easing.

Five minutes later, she was asleep. Daniela carefully placed her onto her pillow, then walked out of her room, closing the door. She met up with her parents in the hallway.

"Is she okay?" Opal asked worriedly.

"I wish I could say she fully was," Daniela murmured. "She's asleep, but very heartbroken and upset. She didn't say it to me out loud, but she didn't want me to leave her..."

"Do you think she'll recover?"

Daniela froze. "I-I-I don't know," she stammered. "I honestly don't know. I'm sorry."

Anderson kneeled down to look at her directly in her amber eyes. "We may not know what lies ahead. But Daniela, our gratitude goes out to you for coming over to check on Evie. You've come a long way from being a villain... We honestly couldn't be more proud of you tonight."

Daniela blushed. "You're welcome." The Ly parents then hugged her, and the next thing she knew, Daniela headed back in the direction of home at last.

Hours later, Evie blinked awake in her room, and sat up. Her glasses were still on, and her eyes adjusted to the gloom.

It was long past midnight outside, and only the moon shone through the window, providing minimal light. Evie wanted to fall down and go back asleep.

Yet... Something didn't quite feel right. There was something *missing* to her, something she had to find. She realized what it was.

Solace.

She was lacking solace, and to find it, she'd have to go out of the house, to a place she had been to many times before.

Evie glanced at her feet, noticing her black loafers were still on. She was dressed fully. With that, she crept out the door, peering out.

The hallways were dimly lit, but her parents were both asleep. None of them would know what she was about to do.

Evie, as lightly as she could, slowly stepped out into the hall and into the living room. Holly, her cat, rested on the end of the couch. She too was asleep peacefully, her ears twitching.

Evie turned the door, gently opening it and hearing a *click*. She walked out of the foyer, and shut it behind her.

Her quest for solace had begun.

Evie let her heart guide her forward as she walked on the sidewalk, alone on a cool Pineshadow night.

A familiar walk turned into confident footsteps. Evie knew where she would be going tonight.

*Pinelake Park*.

I just want you

I just want you

The words I never said

But wanted to

As she walked, her thoughts drifted to Mya. Oh, how she *missed* her honey-sweet voice and drowning in her affection. Her touch and her kisses, and being there for Evie when she needed her.

There was a hole in Evie's heart. One that could not be filled.

*She should be here, with me, cracking a joke and being the person I love...*

I'm losing you

I'm losing you

But these thoughts won't let you go

They keep running back to you

*She's betrayed us for Harlow and Ivanna. Why can't I stop thinking about her?*

Mya couldn't leave Evie's mind now - all of it was overwhelmed by her memories and her voice, everything. The love, romance, and passion, all swirling around her in a mist.

"I wish I could have told you how much I still love you," Evie whispered, her head hung low.

"Evie?" A voice called out. Evie's head shot up, and her eyes widened in disbelief.

She knew that voice. Tinged with honey, sweeter than anyone on earth.

*Mya! She came back for me!*

(Chasing ghosts)

(Chasing ghosts)

(Chasing ghosts)

(Chasing ghosts)

In the distance, Evie could see Mya on the sidewalk near the park grounds. She strained her vision. Mya appeared to very silvery and pale, and almost non-existent. But she had to be there!

"Mya!" Evie called out. "Mya! I'm here!"

Mya looked at her, a smile appearing on her face.

Evie's heart lurched, and she picked up in pace. She burned with fire, desire flooding her veins. She couldn't take it anymore, and her mouth fell open.

I just want you (Chasing ghosts)

I just want you (Chasing ghosts)

I just want you (Chasing ghosts)

(Chasing chasing)

In that moment, with tears forming at the base of her eyes, Evie ran. Ran, ran the hardest she had ever ran in her life. Her love was in front of her, right there. She wanted her again, and she wanted her as well. There was hope.

"Mya! I'm coming!"

She approached Mya's silvery outline, and jumped into her - only to find nothing. Her outline had vanished into thin air.

"What?"

Evie strained in all directions, finding Mya in the tall grass ahead. *You won't get away from me this time!*

She lunged for her, but Mya disappeared again, and Evie faceplanted into the ground. She got up, not caring about the pain, and searched madly for her girlfriend.

"Mya! Mya! Where are you? Come back!"

She saw that Mya was now standing against their meeting place - the tree. Evie ran with all her might, but instead slammed into the ground again.

Mya still wasn't there. *Stop this game!* She said to herself. *I want to feel you!*

Evie got up, seeing Mya was standing on the playground step, a smile still on her face. She stopped herself from shuddering.

"Mya! Please!" Evie tried lunging for her again, but landed on the woodchips, managing to stay on her feet this time. She panted now, exhausted.

Where had she gone now? Evie desperately looked around, straining in the darkness of the night. She glanced up at the top floor of the playground castle. There Mya was, waving at her.

"Mya! Stay with me! I'm right here!" Evie sprinted to the tower, scrambling up the ladder and collapsing onto its clay floor, panting heavily. Once again, Mya was gone.

Evie crawled up to her knees, and there, she realized something. What should have been obvious to her from the start.

Mya *wasn't* physically here. She was only hallucinating. She was chasing nobody.

Nobody but an apparition to taunt her.

More tears formed in Evie's eyes as she struggled to breathe, struggled to accept the fact that Mya was gone.

And I'm bleeding words

They escape me, the recoil, it hurts

"Why did I come here? I was going to fail anyway. Mya's gone. She abandoned me... She left me *alone*! She... She can't have meant it... I can't accept it..."

Hearing her own words made Evie cringe, and she sniffed, gripping the floor of the castle tightly. She couldn't stop herself now. She couldn't. There was a gaping wound inside of her, and it poured out with imaginary blood, blood of all the things she'd never thought she'd say.

And I can't look the other way

I'm chasing starlight to find it's died away

"Mya, you aren't cruel. You aren't heartless! You can't be gone... The real you has to be there... I can't... I can't go on another day. My life, it's hopeless... There is no hope. Not without you..." A tear fell down from the right side of her face.

Evie glanced up at the sky, hoping that the stars would guide her and give her clarity. But there was none. There was no starlight, and only a single crescent moon in the sky.

To her, everything was pitch black.

Suddenly, a realization hit Evie hard, and she winced, trying to fight back tears.

Breathe it in

It's just snow

We're just falling

Mya hadn't just started up that argument because she saw the girls. She did it because she *hated* Evie. She *hated* her for how she viewed her grandparents, and how she attempted to take them away from her.

She despised her for standing in her way, and for defending Daniela over Harlow.

She *loathed* her for trying to claim her power that she sought.

Her words from the fight landed back in her head, and like the tip of a poison-covered arrow, it went straight through her heart.

*WELL, MAYBE I JUST DON'T LOVE YOU ANYMORE!*

And we won't always free fall

Back to nothing

Evie knew it now. She knew it so painfully clear. Mya didn't say that because she wasn't thinking straight.

She *meant* every *word* she said to her. She *wanted* her to suffer and be left broken.

*No... I can't... Believe...*

It came to her. What she had been denying for minutes now was real.

The Mya she had known was *permanently gone*. This Mya was *evil*.

*I've lost... It's over for me...*

Desperation burned Evie's lungs, and she gripped the floor hard, very hard. Pain overwhelmed her, so much pain she thought she was going to curl up and die.

And she couldn't accept it. As the moon shone in the night, Evie finally snapped.

'Cause I'm just starting to learn

I've always been chasing ghosts

"***MYA! COME BACK! I KNOW YOU'RE STILL THERE! I LOVE YOU, PLEASE! PLEASE COME BACK! I'LL DO ANYTHING, I SWEAR***!" Evie screamed into the night, crying madly, her face twisted in every shade of pain imaginable.

"***I SAID I'LL DO ANYTHING! CAN'T YOU HEAR ME? CAN'T YOU SEE ME... I JUST WANT YOU BACK! I'LL ALWAYS LOVE YOU! JUST COME BACK, MYA! I'M SORRY FOR HURTING YOU! I JUST WANT YOU BACK***!"

She shot a gaze of fiery, meloncholy dark green eyes up at the starless sky. "***CAN'T YOU HEAR ME??? GIVE HER BACK TO ME! YOU'RE NOT GONE, MYA! I KNOW YOU'RE STILL THERE! JUST COME BACK!!! I CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT YOU***!"

Evie's knuckles had turned *white* from gripping the floor of the castle so hard. She shook, and sobbed uncontrollably, her tears splashing onto the clay and her hands in a mad torrent.

This was reality now. This is what life had come to. She had lost everything she had loved.

I just want you

I just want you

I just want you

Yet she couldn't bring herself to stop everything from tumbling out of her wounds, oozing with invisible blood.

"*Mya*! Come back... Please... I just want you to come back... I need you! I *want* you!"

Evie's arms gave out, and she collapsed onto the ground, still sobbing heavily. "Please! I said I'll do anything! I don't want to chase your ghost! I want to chase the real you... Please... I don't want to be a goner..."

I just want you

I just want you

I just want you

"Mya! Please... I promise... I love you... Please... Please..." Evie wept, sniffing. The damage had been done to her. Now, she didn't know where to go, where to turn, or if her life would be the same again.

Would anything ever be?

(Chasing ghosts)

(Chasing ghosts)

(Chasing ghosts)

Evie got up, rubbing her eyes. She knew she had to go home. Her quest to find solace was done, and it had ended in heartbreaking fashion for her.

*My heart's just broken. Torn apart at the edges and the seams. There's nothing that will heal it...*

She slid down onto the ground, and began the walk home, each step feeling like a mile with the weight of what she knew now.

Mya was gone. She had chosen power and ambition over love - and her girlfriend.

*She doesn't love me.*

(Chasing ghosts)

(Chasing ghosts)

(Chasing ghosts)

More tears dotted the ground where Evie walked. They splashed onto the ground as if they were dots of snow.

*What's even the point of living if I don't have my light in the dark?*

(Chasing chasing)

For Evie, the walk home was long that night. Long, painful, and marred with the scars of a broken heart, with no starlight to guide her way.

The light she once had was gone for good.

## Cast

* **Udo Kier** as Harlow
* **Dakota Fanning** as Mya
* **Steve Blum** as police officer
* **Pam Ferris** as Ivanna
* **Mae Whitman** as Winter
* **Wendie Malick** as Nita
* **Trent Garrett** as Patrick
* **Peyton Elizabeth Lee** as Evie
* **Zoe Saldaña** as Amira
* **Eden Riegel** as Daniela
* **Miriam Margolyes** as Dahlia
* **John Hodgman** as Anderson
* **Lauren Tom** as Opal

## Songs

* Anna Yvette & AFK - *Clouds* (snippet)
* PRFFTT & Syvable (ft. Crywolf) - *We Are* (snippets)
* NIVIRO - *Voices In My Head* (snippet)
* Unknown Brain & Anna Yvette - *Twisted Reality* (snippet)
* ElementD & Chordinatez - *Radiate* (feat. Mees Van Den Berg)
* The Eden Project - *Chasing Ghosts*

## Trivia

* According to Av, this episode is the saddest in the series. She also believes the *Chasing Ghosts* scene is one of the most emotional, raw, and impactful scenes she has ever written in the series to date.
* This is the first and only episode to be released in February 2022.
* It is revealed that:
	+ Harlow is going blind in his left eye.
	+ The parents/guardians of each and every girl (including Mya's parents) have called the police on Harlow.
	+ Mya has cut ties with everyone except for Evie, still wanting to talk with her.
	+ Nita and Patrick have been hiding the truth about Harlow and Ivanna from Winter. This makes her furious that they failed to protect Mya and leaves her feeling betrayed.
	+ Daniela began to consider herself a monster in prison after having a horrifying hallucination of her arms drenched in blood and wearing a red dress with a crown. As such, she is sensitive when the word is directed at her.
	+ What Mya told Evie during their fight was something she meant - she doesn't love her and desires power. This marks the second time that a good character has turned evil after Daniela.
* As of this episode, Harlow is now permanently blind in his left eye.
* Harlow and Mya's conversation about power is inspired by the Halsey poem *With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility*.
* The way Harlow controls Mya with the bell is an exact parallel to *Gravity Falls*. In the show, Preston Northwest uses a bell against his daughter, Pacifica, in order to control her disobidience.
* When Mya drowns in her dream, *Clouds* by Anna Yvette plays in the background. *Clouds* was meant to foreshadow her fall to darkness later in the episode.
	+ Furthermore, the orange sea she is drowning in is inspired by the lake of fire Laura Brehm alludes to in *We Won't Be Alone*.
* During Mya's confrontation with the girls, the instrumental breaks of the 2013 PRFFTT & Syvable song *We Are* play in the background. *We Are* is a major inspiration for the episode.
* Daniela's flashback is heavily inspired by the Barren Gates songs *Devil* and *You Made a Monster*. Daniela even wears the dress alluded to in *Devil*.
* Daniela's scream is the exact audio used in the NIVIRO song *Voices In My Head*.
* After Daniela runs away from the prison room, the offdrop to the 2017 Unknown Brain song *Twisted Reality* plays in the background.
* Mya warning Evie that they both know where this goes is a reference to the Malinda song *Don't Make Me*.
* When Amira and Daniela soothe Winter and Evie, respectively, the 2017 ElementD song *Radiate* is played in the background. *Radiate*, just like *We Are*, is a major inspiration for *The Divide Between Us*.
* During the scene where Evie struggles to accept Mya's fall to darkness and when she finally breaks down completely, The Eden Project's 2014 song *Chasing Ghosts* is heard in the background. *Chasing Ghosts* is meant to serve as a reflection of Evie's state of mind - lost and chasing nothing but darkness and emptiness.