The splash echoed through the night as Isabelle hit the water. For a split second, I stood frozen in shock, my mind struggling to process her deliberate plunge into the Moonlit Reflection Pool.
"HELP! SHE'S TRYING TO KILL ME! HELP!" Isabelle's shrieks pierced the air as she thrashed in the water, her performance flawless.
My body jolted into action. Despite everything, despite knowing this was a trap, I couldn't watch a child struggle in water. I rushed toward the pool's edge, reaching out.
"Grab my hand, Isabelle!" I called, stretching toward her.
The little girl's eyes met mine, and in that instant, I saw it—a flash of calculation, of triumph. She deliberately moved away from my outstretched hand, thrashing more dramatically while maintaining perfect distance.
"Someone help me!" she wailed, her voice carrying across the grounds. "She pushed me!"
