"Dear Y.F.H,

I've gotten no closer to figuring out what's going on, but I did learn a few new things that might help me survive. I was able to talk to both Luz and Edric today and both of them had some interesting things to say.

The first time I tried to talk to Edric was pretty unsuccessful but also very strange. More witches were checking into the hotel and one of them really looked like my dad. And when I say really, I mean he looked exactly like my dad other than the pointy ears and wrong eye color. And he sounded just like him too! It was basically him but as a witch!

And then these other two witches just suddenly started hugging me and apologizing for everything they'd ever done. They both called me Amity, the dead witch that everyone keeps talking about. I don't know what Amity was like. Maybe we're really similar or maybe we're nothing alike. But I'm positive that my entire family has a witch version of them, and my witch version was Amity.

I wasn't able to finish talking to Edric. He and his dad went upstairs to check on someone named Emira (If I had to guess, I'd say that she's the witch version of my sister Olivia). But I was able to talk to him again at lunch time. I didn't think it was possible, but he said something really helpful.

He told me to ask everyone if they knew Amity, and, if they suddenly got upset, I could trust them. I don't know if I should believe him, but I do. Yes, he is basically the witch version of my awful stupid brother, but he seems a lot more considerate, like he actually cares about me.

He also told me to ask Camila to make all of my meals, so they wouldn't get poisoned. I asked her about Amity and, just like Edric said it would, her name made her sad. Well today's lunch didn't kill me, so I assume I can trust Camila.

Later on, I was heading back to my room after lunch when Luz suddenly lost it and tackled this really bitchy demon to the ground. It seemed to surprise all of the other witches at the table with her, but I don't know why. She's obviously going through a lot. That three eyed dipshit should've known better than to push her like that.

They were talking about my witch version of course. Apparently, everyone there knew who Amity was, and, other than the witch who started all of the trouble, they were all fond of her. I guess that means I can trust all of them too.

Not too soon after that, the killer took another victim. Skyler and I tried to stop him, but I ended up breaking my arm (my non-dominant one of course). I suppose we're lucky that he didn't kill me and Skyler too, but that didn't make watching someone else be murdered any less difficult.

And I've been in my room ever since. Luz's mother made me a makeshift splint and Luz has come by a few times to check on me, but other than that not much else happened after the murder.

Well, there was that one dream I had while napping today. I was at some sort of weird school dance when a blob monster attacked us. It ended up cornering me and Luz in the woods and we turned it into a tree by dancing (it was cooler than it sounds). I don't know if it has anything to do with anything, but Luz told me to write down everything so that's what I'm doing.

That was my day. I guess it could've gone worse, but I still hope you're doing better than I am. I hope everything I found out today helps you too. I'll let you know immediately if I find out more.

You're Friend,

Amiyah Bane".

Amiyah's nightly letter to me was a treat after yet another shitty day. Like she said, a lot of things had happened earlier and none of them were good. Between three separate murders and my fight with Boscha, I think it's safe to say that that day was a disaster.

But the bear's odd dream was able to rekindle my hope, which had been slowly eroding away since the elevator fell. It may have been weird, but it was not random. The blob monster Amiyah mentioned was not something her mind made up while she was sleeping. It was a real nightmare beast that, yes, Amity and I had fought by dancing. And the tree was a real thing too. It was basically a symbol of our love, even though we weren't dating when it first sprouted.

I wasn't quite sure how the killer altered Amity's memories exactly, but whatever he'd done was not permanent. It was a nice thing to know though it still brought up some questions. Would Amity get all of her memories back, or would she only be able to remember some of her stronger ones? And what did the letters we were writing each other have to do with this?

Emira had told us that they would be the key to the bears finding the truth. We don't quite know how, but her idea was working.

"Dear Amiyah,

I wish I could say I'm doing better, but that would be an obvious lie. I honestly don't know how anyone can be happy in this damn place. I am fortunate enough to be staying on the third floor, that's where all the permanent guests the killer won't butcher are. But the third floor is nowhere close to being a good home. It received no-renovation whatsoever while the hotel owner was prettying up the place. I don't think there's been any work done on it in decades other than the dusting and cleaning we all have been doing. The springs in the beds are all broken. The water that comes out of the faucets is brown. It honestly shouldn't be considered inhabitable, yet here we are.

And I know what you're thinking, but you wouldn't be able to live up here. The killer has cameras all over the hotel. If he notices you going upstairs, he will bring you back down dead or alive. Not to mention its being guarded by Dusty. (He's a giant literal dust bunny who can recreate the darkest parts of your mind).

I'm glad that you've found a way to get poison-less food. When he was trying to kill her, Amity nearly starved to death. She hadn't eaten the night before we all checked in, and witches can only go a few days without food before they die.

Right. You're probably sick of hearing about Amity, aren't you? She's very important to a lot of people here and, well, I'm afraid you're going to hear a lot more about Amity throughout your stay here.

Speaking of Amity, that dream you mentioned, the one where you and Luz fought a blob at a school dance? That actually happened to Amity. The blob was a creature called Gromethus who could shapeshift into anyone's greatest fear. And while they danced, Luz and Amity combined spell circle magic with these symbols called glyphs. If you ask Luz about it, I'm sure she'll tell you everything and then some.

But going back to what Edric said, there are a few exceptions to the ask about Amity rule. Boscha, while quite a bitch, is against the killer. She will do anything to stop him, even if that something is tolerating people she doesn't like. And there's another witch who isn't here yet but is planning on staying here later on. Amity's her daughter and, while she may say some nice things about her, she cannot be trusted. Mint green hair (usually in a bun), blue eyes, dangerously passive-aggressive, you can't miss her.

I'm rooting for you, Agridulce. I really am. And if you ever need to talk to someone, I'm here.

Your friend,

Y.F.H.".

After finishing my letter to Amiyah, I let out a large yawn and drug myself over to my bed. I was really tired, like I had been all day, but I knew I wouldn't be able to fall asleep. Amiyah had gotten me thinking about Amity, as if I'd ever stopped, and that thinking turned into longing very quickly. I hadn't even made it a half-an hour into the night before I climbed out of bed and crept down the stairwell.

Just like the floor I was sitting on, the bent rusted elevator doors felt so cold. I lightly rubbed my hands together in an attempt to warm them but to no avail. No matter how much I tried, nothing would bring the heat back to them.

Cold is the best way to describe how I felt once the shock of losing Amity wore off. My hands felt cold because she wasn't there to hold them. My arms felt cold because she couldn't wrap hers around me. My heart felt cold because hers was no longer beating. Life just felt cold after the elevator fell.

The only thing I had left of Amity was violently smeared against the walls inside of the elevator shaft. It was hard to even look at the lift most of the time, but I was so desperate to have any part of Amity near me that I often clung to her tomb. It kept reopening wounds that didn't even have time to close, yet I couldn't help myself from returning to the same spot and getting hurt all over again.

Though, sitting on the ground in the total silence of the night gave me some sort of peace. My negative emotions, my guilt and grief, ran rampant with no sign of stopping. But sometimes I'd get to remind myself of why Amity's death hurt so badly.

Amity truly was special. She was so strong willed and courageous yet gentle and compassionate. Her eyes could stop witches in their tracks but were also so bright and life filled. She was basically the geode of witches. She had a rocky and rough exterior but that was just a thin layer that hid all of the shining crystals within.

And sometimes, if I got really lucky, I would get trapped in a memory. As I sat on the cold hard ground that night, I could see her sitting beside me. Her head was nestled into my shoulder as my phone played tune after tune. Amity was obsessed with my 3 am. cry songs playlist, though that was mainly because of one song in particular. I wasn't a huge fan of the band who sang it. I mainly liked it because of an amv someone did a while back featuring a heavily shipped (but not canon, unfortunately) rivals to lovers couple.

Honestly, it was really easy to see why Amity liked it so much. The lyrics kinda hit home to her. Someone struggling with the weight of the world on their shoulders receives hope and words of kindness from someone dead set on helping them: sound familiar?

I couldn't keep myself from singing as I wandered lost in my memories. It didn't sound too pretty, what with the giant sob stuck in my throat, but I tried to sing anyway.

"When you try your best, but you don't succeed.

When you get what you want, but not what you need.

When you feel so tired, but you can't sleep.

Stuck in reverse".

The more I sang the more my heartache began to shove me back into reality.

"And the tears come streaming down your face.

When you lose something you can't replace".

I stopped to snivel after the last line. Now that I was fully pulled out of my reminiscing, the lyrics were hitting me at full force. Yet I kept singing in hopes that memory would return and sweep me away.

"When you love someone and it goes to waste.

Could it be worse?".

I tried to move on to the chorus, but my voice had been reduced to a pitiful squeak. It was getting harder and harder to push down a mournful cry. I squeezed my eyes shut as I gritted my teeth together, my pajamas being drenched with my falling tears.

"Lights will guide you home". I could hear Amity's soft and beautiful voice sing in my mind. It was laced with fondness.

"And ignite your bones". It sounded so clear compared to the faint echo the rest of my memories were.

"And I will try…". It was as if Amity was with me, trying to comfort me with a song that meant the world to her.

",to fix you".

I smiled. The hurt faded away as my heart swelled with joy. It was a bittersweet joy, but it was definitely better than the heavy remorse that was weighing me down. Even as I mourned for her, Amity was still able to make me happy. I doubt that would ever change.

The sound of feet shuffling broke me away from my sea of emotions. I hesitated to turn around. I didn't really want them to see how ugly that cry was. My eyes were probably all red and puffy, and my nose was probably all snotty.

But that person was probably pretty concerned about the kid sitting on the floor bawling in front of the elevator. It would be a whole lot more awkward for them to just stand there and watch me cry. I had to rip off the bandage.

My vision was slightly blurred by my welling tears, but I definitely was able to recognize my disturbed onlooker. Her pale skin was as smooth as stone. Her eyes were a fiery amber that glowed in the dimmed light of the hallway. Her hair was dyed red, but auburn peeked out from her roots.

It wasn't just my imagination. Amity was with me.

"Oh. I...I'm sorry, Luz" she stammered. "I was just… I heard someone out here and… It's dangerous out here. Who knows where the killer is?".

"It's fine. I was almost done anyways" I reassured with the best fake smile I could muster. "And you don't have to worry about the killer. He won't hurt you unless there's people around to watch".

"How do you know that?" she asked. "Do you talk to him much?"

Despite the implications of her question, she didn't seem scared of me one bit. She didn't remember who I was, but she still trusted me. According to her first letter to me, that was the only thing she was completely sure about.

"Unfortunately. I've been trapped in this hotel for quite some time now, and the killer seems to have some sort of an infatuation with me. So, he's talked to me a lot".

"An infatuation? Why's he so obsessed with you?". Amiyah barely finished asking her question before she was scrambling into an apology. "Ah! I didn't mean it like that! I just-–".

I interrupted the bear with a laugh. I held up my hand, silently telling her that it was alright before I did it audibly.

"No, no. I get what you mean". My chuckle quickly faded away. "I think the killer is obsessed with the fact that I'm human".

"I'm human too," Amiyah argued. It took a lot of strength not to tell her the truth, that she was actually born a witch.

"I was the first human he'd ever met. And because he's obsessed with what I am, he was hooked the moment he met me".

The witch-made human couldn't say anything. All she could do was stare at me sadly, her eyes revealing her desperation to help.

Looking into her eyes helped more than the bear could ever know. Though they were no-longer the vivid gold I'd come to know, the compassion that shone in them brought me a feeling of familiarity. It was warm like rays of sunlight and was able to lull my grief to rest, temporarily at least.

"So," I went on, trying to move the conversation to a happier subject. "You're a fan of that song?".

"Song?". It took her a moment to realize what I was referring to. "Oh, right. It's actually a favorite of mine. I don't know why, but it sort of hits home for me".

"It was one of Amity's favorites too. Whenever I hear it, I can always hear her singing along to it too".

"What was she like?" Amiyah asked after a small moment.

"Amity? Well, when we first met, she was… just scary. She was training to become one of the strongest witches on the isles and that meant she wasn't supposed to show any sort of weakness. But then she found out what kind of monster she was working so hard to become and, well, her sweeter side started to come out more and more". The more I spoke the more I had to fight the lump of sorrow climbing up my throat. "You know, she almost got me cut open the first time I saw her. Yet, in the end, she made me the happiest person in all the isles".

My last couple sentences made Amiyah perk up. With the face she gave me, I could almost see the light bulb floating above her head.

"Cut open?" she asked. "You mean like dissected?".

The realization struck me just as fast. Did she know about the abomination incident?! Had she seen it in her dreams just like she saw the creation of the Grom tree?! I had an urge to race back up to the third floor and tell everyone. Emira's prophecy was coming true right before my very eyes!

My clearly visible excitement just made the bear even more confused. She unknowingly cocked her head, her eyes asking for an explanation.

I didn't get the chance to. Her gawk suddenly moved away from me. Her jaw dropped as she hastened to her feet. She scaredly pressed herself against the elevator doors while her brain argued over whether she should run or hide.

I turned to find a slender witch casually walking up to us. He was wearing a black cloak, as usual, but he didn't try to hide himself in it. He wasn't in the middle of killing his victims so he didn't really need to.

"Luz" he called. "Why are you up so late?".

"Why are you up so late?" I snipped back. "I thought I told you murdering people in the middle of the night would be bad for business".

"I know. You made your point very clear, little one. But I'm not here to murder anyone". The hotel owner clarified. "I saw you were awake and I came down to see what was wrong".

"You're kidding?" Amiyah growled while still shaking in fear. "Don't act like you care about us while you're trying to kill us!".

"Oh, I'm not trying to kill Luz. I've thought about it, but I've decided she's way too special". His words sent shivers rippling down my spine. They weren't full of any ill will, despite the subject matter, but they were still creepy as ever.

"I'm one of his employees," I continued to explain desolately. "I give him information about the human realm and help him with hotel theming. And in return, I get permanent residency on the third floor. And when I say permanent, I mean permanent".

Though I didn't go into details, Amiyah clearly got the point. She swallowed her dread with a gulp while quietly giving me her pity.

"Now, what are you doing at this time of night, Luz?".

"We were just talking about Amity," I sighed. "I've been thinking about her a lot lately".

"Really?". It was a simple question with a ton of other questions hiding underneath. The suspicion in the tone of his voice was subtly tainted with anger. "How come?".

"Oh I don't know?" I snarled. "Maybe it's because I just lost her a few weeks ago".

"You didn't lose her".

"But I don't have her either!". My grief-filled yowl bounced off of the elevator door's that caused it, off into the empty hallway.

"Then what do you call this?" the hotel owner pressed defensively.

I stopped for a moment to look at Amiyah. Before the killer had gotten involved, I was enjoying my time talking to my old girlfriend. Yes, she didn't remember all the time we'd spent together in the past but spending time with her helped soothe that wound.

But I was still wounded. No matter how much time I spent with Amiyah, Amity's death never left my mind.

"I just wish she knew how much I love her" I whimpered as more tears began to form in my eyes.

Very apprehensively, Amiyah grabbed my arm and pulled my attention towards her. Tenderness melted from her and wrapped around me as if it were hugging me.

"I know I've never met her," she said softly. "But I'm positive that she knew, and she loved you just as much".

Her response, though I appreciated it, made me ache much worse. The fact that she said, "she knew" instead of "I know", that she said, "she loved you" instead of "I love you", it pierced me like a pile of thorns.

"Miss Bane?" Mr. Rucker murmured. "Would you mind leaving us for a moment?".

I could see the bear's mind race as she stared at both me and the hotel owner. Every time that man spoke reminded her that she was in a killer's presence. But at the same time, she didn't want to leave while her friend was drowning in her own sadness.

"I think I'll just head to bed. I'll see you tomorrow, Luz". The bear took one last look into my watery eyes, then skittered away.

"You two have given me an idea" the hotel owner continued once Amiyah was out of earshot.

"I don't even want to know what horrifying way you're planning on killing her". My growl was quiet but the warning it gave off was anything but.

"It has nothing to do with killing her. But it has everything to do with your relationship". My rage faltered as my intrigue pushed its way through.

"It does?".

"She still loves you" the old witch hmmed.

"But she just met me".

"Yes. But that love for you is still there. It's something I literally couldn't erase, even if I tried". The killer looked down at me with a natural but still unsettling smile. "She wants you as much as you want her. Can't you tell?".

"So, what are you suggesting?".

"We should throw a ball," he rasped.

"A ball?" I repeated in surprise. "Where would we hold a ball?".

"I was thinking we could move all of the tables in the lobby. I can have my wife prepare drinks and snacks, and I could find someone to DJ".

"So it would be more of a dance then?".

"Call it what you want, child. But it would be something that the guests would enjoy, and it would be a way for you and Amiyah to bond".

As soon as he mentioned Amiyah's name, my anger rushed back to me. Was this all some fancy way he could lure the love of my life into her death.

"And then you're going to kill her," I spat. "Right?".

"Eventually. But first you two should fall in love again. I'm sure the guest would love to see a sweet little couple like you two running around. And that would make Amiyah's death all the more tragic".

My heart dropped, aching as if it had been shot. It would be tragic. It'd be too tragic! Losing Amiyah was going to hurt regardless, but to have her and I slowly rebuild our relationship just for the killer to wipe her memories again? No! I couldn't do that!

But if the two of us spent more time together, talked more and learned more about each other, would she remember me? The letters that I was sending to her anonymously seemed to already be bringing back some memories. The more time we spent together meant the more I could chip away at the facade the killer made for her.

I… I had to do this. I didn't know if I could handle it when just looking at the elevators made me breakdown. But I had to try. I had to do this for Amity.

"Promise me," I seriously muttered. "That you won't kill Amiyah until after the ball".

"I give you my word, Miss Noceda. I'll give you and your date plenty of time to rekindle the flame". Mr. Rucker gave me a pat on the back before he began to head back to wherever he'd been hiding. "Now I'll worry about the rest of the planning. You just worry about Amiyah".

"I will" I responded too quietly for the witch to hear. "It's not as if I ever stop worrying about her".