Nina, Lanie, Nick,and I are gathered at the exhibit hall, standing in front of Ava’s mixed-media masterpiece, titledA Curious Case of Tentacles. It commands our attention. Its sheer creativity leaves me speechless, tears welling in my eyes.
But it’s also captured me in a chokehold, sucking the air from my lungs.
A giant octopus, its tentacles reaching out in all directions, dominates the center of the piece, overlaying a page fromAlice in Wonderland. Each tentacle is adorned with shimmering crystals that catch the light and bathe the room in rainbow hues. The octopus’s expression steals the show, its eyes gleaming with a sinister intensity. A Cheshire-cat grin makes it appear even more menacing.
In one of its tentacles, the octopus clutches a large eye, seemingly choking the life out of it.
The octopus.
The eye.
Words Natalia Moradi spoke to me not long ago replay in my mind.
Nothing in your life moving forward is a coincidence, my dear.
“Do you like it?” Ava asks, holding my hand.
I turn to her and nod, a tear falling down my cheek. I swipe it away quickly.
“I’m in awe, Ava. This is so beyond my expectations.”
And it is. It’s truly incredible. The detail. The symbolism. This is more than just a school project—it’s a work of art, a reflection of Ava’s endless talent.
I couldn’t be prouder of her in this moment, but it’s also packing on a host of questions I can’t ask.
“How did you decide to do this?” Nina asks, her voice thick with emotion.
Ava shrugs. “I wanted to create a piece using a passage fromAlice’s Adventures in Wonderlandin the background. The overlaid image was originally the Mad Hatter as the focal image, but I always felt like it was wrong.” She sighs heavily, shoulders sagging. “The pieces needed to be connected by something other than the book itself. Otherwise, it just felt unoriginal.”
“What made you choose an octopus?” I ask.
She stares at her piece, a dreamy quality taking over her expression. “They’re mysterious and cunning. They’re known to be playful and creative. The passage I chose embodied all those things.”
Maybe this is truly a coincidence.
“Thankfully, we got a new teacher a few weeks ago, and he suggested the octopus when I told him my concerns. He helped me re-create my project in record time.” She turns to me. “That’s why I’ve been so MIA.”
Lanie, Nina, Nick, and I all share a look.
“Who’s your teacher?” I ask, glancing around the room. “I thought it was Mrs. Woods.”
“He’s a student teacher, Mr. Oaks.” Ava’s head swivels aroundas she lifts up on her toes. “There he is,” she says, pointing toward a man conversing with another family about their child’s project.
He turns to the side, scratching at his arm. The sleeve of his black smock lifts, and there on his arm is an octopus tattooed on his skin.
Nina sees it too, because her eyes are wide as she turns back to me. It’s clear that we’ve arrived at the same conclusion.
The KVS knows that we’ve been snooping around, and nearly took down one of their own. They’re sending a warning.
“I’m going to go see a friend’s piece. I’ll be back,” Ava says, smiling at all of us before bouncing away.
The four of us huddle together, voices lowered. “What the hell?” Nick nearly growls.
Lanie blows out a harsh breath. “She has to come home. Somewhere we can keep her safe.”
“You can’t exactly pull her from school without explaining your reasons. And you can’t tell her the truth,” Nina says. “Her knowing anything puts her in more danger.”
I close my eyes, my heart pounding out of my chest. “Guys, we have to be looking at this wrong. We just learned about the KVS. What would be the chances that this has anything to do with them? What if his tattoo is mere coincidence? I mean, it’s not exactly like Austin’s.”
