When she was just a girl

She expected the world

But it flew away from her reach

-Paradise by Coldplay

It could have been the way she slipped into the shadows, it could have been her quiet watchful gaze, or it could have been her mere presence. Whatever it was, it had Dana's current beau scared to death and he really wanted out of that house. Which, of course was why he begged 16 year-old Dana to go somewhere else for their date but, as usual, she had to 'baby-sit' her kid sister Shilo. The girl in question had pale, almost transparent skin and calculating blue eyes. Her hair was usually hanging in her face, strands of black hair obscuring her delicate features. Like today, for example as she watched Steve tremble slightly at the barest glance from her. Really what could make him so afraid? She was as normal as any other 12 year-old, or as normal as one could be with such dark urges fighting for freedom. You see, Shilo Benton was becoming a serial killer.

Well she was actually already one; it was in her genes after all. Her father, that elusive creature she could only imagine in her mind, had been one she had heard. On this day, her twelfth birthday Dana, her older sister, had yet another date which is why Shilo found herself in her house with the two others. As the boy, smooth skinned and handsome, jerked his forest green eyes away from her stare yet again Shilo wondered what her sister saw in him. Sure he was handsome but he also had a dark nature about him. He hid it well but he and the young girl both knew it would come out to play soon, very soon. And when it did, Shilo or the Black Rose as she called her killer side would come to play as well.

It wasn't till later, much later, that she got the chance. It was a couple months after Shilo's birthday when Dana came home crying and fled to her bedroom without a word. Shilo, being the quiet and intelligent girl she was slipped into her sister's room without disturbing the sobbing form on the floor. "He broke up with you then?" was the only thing to pass her lips. An nod and straggled sob was all she got in conformation. It made her blood boil and her right hand itch for something. Growling she gritted out one last question. "What did he call you?"

"Slut." as the whispered reply followed by more sobbing. Dana didn't even notice that her charge was gone until hours later by which time she was frantic with worry and dread. Finally after almost pulling her hair out she saw a figure, small and bird-like in the distance. As it drew closer she gasped. It was her little sister but her clothes were torn and drenched in blood. Wordlessly, before one bit of scolding could come out of her mouth, Dana's hand was grabbed as Shilo turned and walked backthe way she came, her puzzled older sister trailing behind her.

Cry baby, cry baby, and

You can't understand

How I could just kill a man

-I Could Just Kill a Man by Charlotte Sometimes

The apartment building was dark when they go there, as Shilo insisted on walking. Dana didn't know what to think as she watched her sister get into the building as easily as if she herself lived there. They walked the halls and up the flights of stairs as if nothing was amiss until they reached Steve's apartment door. Dana spared the wood door a glance, nothing seemed wrong with it, that is until they opened it and went inside. The whole place was a bloodbath. Dana wondered in shock how a one person could have this much blood. If it was just one person, that is. Stealing a glance at her sister she saw no cuts on her skin but of course who could tell under all that blood?

A light was on in the bathroom and Shilo seemed to gravitate to it like a moth to a flame. All Dana could do was follow her yet again. Except this time she wished she hadn't. There in the bathtub lay what used to be Steve Alan Burnet. The porcelain was garnet red and bits of muscle and tissues were splattered on the tile like a distorted, dark painting. The room swam for a minute before Dana launched herself at the toilet, thankfully not near the tub, and threw up. The acid in her throat and mouth gave her something else to focus on and she relished it. A cool hand she knew like her own touch the nape of her neck and held her hair back as she retched.

Sitting back on her heels she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and opened her mouth to ask the burning question: "Why?" A soft sigh and the swish of hair across flesh indicated Shilo had shaken her head as she does when she is disappointed by something. Her whispery voice answered back as though it was a well-kept secret. "Because he called you a slut." Jerking her head up from its bowed position, the older girl looked at her younger sister. Her mind whirled, stuck on that answer as if it held the world's secrets. Shilo killed someone just because they called her, Dana, a slut? If that was what it took to commit murder my baby sister will play mercenary if she finds out about all the things the others have said to me. She thought before standing.

Unable to look at the dismembered corpse of her ex she turned waving her hand in the direction of the bloodstained tub. "Clean it up or something." Dana sighed and wandered out the door and down the hall. She had no idea where she was going but it wasn't here. An hour later she realized she had walking all the way back home and she was dead tired, excuse the pun. Exhausted she unlocked the front door and barely made it to her bed before falling asleep. The last thought in her head was 'No matter what happens to me and Shilo I'm glad I have such a protective little sister.'