Who is Lying"

My parents and my brother, Finn, had once again taken Aurora on a tripthis time, to a ski resort in Aspenand left me at home alone.

Just before they left, Aurora had feigned a sigh of regret. Its such a shame Ivy doesnt even know how to ski or rock climb. If I had known, I wouldnt have picked a mountain resort.

My family immediately rushed to console her, turning to blame me for being so unadventurous.

I watched them go, a bitter thought twisting in my gut: I wish she would never come back.

I never imagined I would speak it into existence.

There was a real avalanche in Aspen. That evening, my parents and Finn stumbled back into the house, looking like ghosts.

Ivy, Aurora didnt make it out! My mother threw her arms around me, her body wracked with sobs. Youre our only daughter now!

But a deep, icy chill spread through me, and I couldnt feel a shred of happiness.

Because just a second before they walked through the door, Aurorawho was supposed to be dead on that mountainhad sent me a WhatsApp message:

Sis! Mom, Dad, and Finn are all dead!

My mother sensed my stiffness and slowly let go. Whats wrong, Ivy? Were back now. Dont be scared.

Her voice was so gentle it felt alien. She only ever spoke that way to Aurora. With me, her tone was always as cold as ice.

I stared at the three people standing in the doorway. Though their faces were bruised and their clothes were stained with blood, they were unmistakably my parents and my brother.

But why would Aurora say they were dead?

No, wait. According to my mother, Aurora was the one who hadnt escaped the avalanche. So who sent me that message?

Mom, lets get you out of those dirty clothes. Ivy needs some time to process this, Finn said, helping our weeping mother into the living room.

As they passed me, a bone-deep cold emanated from them, making me shiver.

A comment Id seen under the news report about the avalanche flashed in my mind.

A tourist caught in an avalanche that big is almost certainly a goner. If your loved ones come home safe, you should take a good, long look and make sure theyre human.

The commenter, who claimed to be a mountain guide, had explained that sometimes victims of a disaster dont realize theyre dead and will stubbornly try to go home. He was ridiculed until he deleted the comment.

Something that bizarre

Was it happening to me?

At that exact moment, the last rays of sunlight vanished, plunging the living room into shadow. I wasn't sure if it was my imagination, but the temperature in the house seemed to drop several degrees.

Ivy, what are you doing standing by the door? Close it, my father said, his voice raspy. His face was lost in the gloom.

The way he turned his head was strange. He didnt just turn his neck; his entire torso swiveled with his head, stiffly, as if frozen solid.

The hair on my arms stood on end. I instinctively took a step back, reaching behind me for the doorknob.

My phone buzzed in my palm.

It was Aurora. Shed sent a series of photos.

Three black body bags, laid out in a neat row.

They just flew Mom, Dad, and Finns bodies back. Where are you, Ivy Reed? Didnt I tell you to call a car to pick me up?

Bang!

An arm slammed the door shut behind me.

I jerked my head up and met my brothers gaze as he looked down at me.

Ivy, he said softly, who are you texting?

Finn took another step forward. I hadnt noticed before, but his skin had a strange, grayish pallor, like meat that had been in a freezer for too long.

My back was already pressed against the door; there was nowhere left to retreat. I frantically locked my phone and forced a smile that felt more like a grimace. Grandma and Grandpa were asking if Id heard anything. I was just letting them know youre safe.

Finn paused, then nodded, a flicker of sadness crossing his face. Ah. Its a shame Aurora was too weak to hold on until the rescue team arrived. You should break the news to them gently.

Oh, right. I need to let the rescue team know were okay, too. I lost my phone. Let me borrow yours.

He snatched my phone and held it up to my face to unlock it. Panicked, I lunged for it.

He clearly wasn't expecting such a strong reaction. He lost his footing and tumbled to the ground. The phone flew from his grasp and shattered against the wall.

Ivy, are you okay? he said, scrambling to his feet. Instead of scolding me, which would have been his usual reaction, he anxiously checked to see if I was hurt. It was my fault. Ill buy you the newest iPhone in a few days to make up for it.

A pang of emotion hit me. A ridiculous thought surfaced: If they could always be this kind to me, what does it matter if theyre human or not?

Im fine, Finn. Its just too dark in here. Ill turn on the lights.

I took a deep breath and flipped the switch. They say ghosts dont have shadows, I thought, closing my eyes for a second, praying my fears were just thatfears.

Click.

The chandelier flooded the opulent living room with stark white light.

All three of them had faint shadows stretching out behind them.

I felt a wave of relief.

My mother warmed some milk for my father and Finn and poured me a glass of juice. Youre lactose intolerant. You drink this.

Stunned, I accepted the glass. It was cherry juice, my favorite. She used to call my lactose intolerance a poor persons disease and force me to drink milk until I was sick, telling me I just had to get used to it.

Ivy, you should move into Auroras big bedroom now, my father said, a trace of guilt on his stern face.

Finn looked at me apologetically and ruffled my hair with his large hand. And remember to lock all the doors and windows. Be especially careful on the first floor.

I kept my head down, sipping my juice. Its sweetness spread from my mouth to my heart. I almost didnt want to think about Auroras messages anymore.

Finn was still talking. Especially tonight. Dont open the door for anyone. No matter who it is. Especially not for Aurora.

Who? I asked, thinking Id misheard.

Just then, the chandelier flickered.

And then went out, plunging us into silence and darkness.

I could feel three wooden faces turn toward me in the gloom.

Three voices spoke as one.

Dont open the door for Aurora.

What happened to the lights? Another power outage in the community? my father muttered, getting up to check.

The sudden darkness was unnerving, but their last words echoed in my mind. I forced myself to ask, Aurora? Why would she be at the door? I thought she was gone.

There was a moment of silence at the table, followed by my mothers soft sobbing.

She is, she choked out. But before she passed, she kept asking why. Why it wasn't you in the avalanche. Why it wasnt you who died.

She was too overcome with grief to continue. Finn sighed. Were worried her spirit wont be at peace. That she might come back to harm you. Its better to be safe than sorry. Well be careful for now, and then arrange a proper memorial service for her.

I hugged myself tightly, my mind a tangled mess. Their explanation seemed plausible. And even if they had always favored Aurora, the concern they were showing me now was something I had only ever dreamed of.

Aurora, on the other hand, had always been terrified of losing her privileged life, of going from a princess back to a nobody. From the day I was brought into the family, she had targeted me at every turn. This trip to Aspen was her idea, specifically chosen after she found out I couldnt ski or rock climb.

Who was I supposed to believe?

My fathers footsteps returned, accompanied by his grumbling. Yep, the powers out. What do we pay such high community fees for? No emergency generator, nothing. They just leave candles by the door.

He pulled a lighter from his pocket and lit four white candles. The wicks caught, casting a sickly, greenish glow.

Finns face changed instantly. He blew them all out in one breath.

Somethings wrong with these candles! Dad, did someone from maintenance give these to you personally?

No, my father said, confused. They were just sitting on the doorstep. If it wasnt maintenance, then who

His voice trailed off. Wed had outages before, but the community association had never handed out candles. Four candles, a perfect match for the number of people in the house.

A shiver ran down my spine. Could it be was Auroras ghost really here to cause trouble?

Wait. If Aurora was claiming their bodies had been flown back, there had to be an official list of victims online. My phone was broken, but there was a laptop in Auroras room. If I could just confirm who died, I could stop scaring myself.

I Im going to head to bed, I said, pretending to be frightened.

Lock your doors and windows, and dont wander around. Call for us if you need anything, my mother said, patting my hand. Her palm was so cold it made me flinch.

The chill seemed to clear my head a little. Their kindness felt rehearsed. I could understand a change of heart after losing a child, but would it be this sudden? This complete?

I locked the door to Auroras room, but her laptop, unused for so long, was dead. I rubbed my throbbing temples. Just my luck. Id have to wait for the power to come back on.

I got up to close the window. The dim moonlight cast my reflection on the glass.

And standing in the corner of the room, the reflection of Aurora.