THE NIGHT IS COLD. THE WET SNOW SEEPS INTO MY CHEAP BOOTS. IT'S VERY DARK TONIGHT. I'M THANKFUL I REMEMBERED TO TAKE THE LAMP.
BUT THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE. WHY AM I OUTSIDE? SHOULDN'T I BE ASLEEP NOW?
IN FRONT OF ME IS A GIRL; A CUTE GIRL. SHE'S TALL AND THIN, WITH MIDNIGHT BLACK HAIR AND A PALE COMPLEXION. SHE'S OBVIOUSLY ONE OF THE NOBLES IN TOWN. SO WHAT AM I DOING WITH HER?
"KATELYN, JUST LEAVE HIM ALONE. HE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING." MIMI CRIES, DESPERATE. I DIDN'T NOTICE MIMI WAS THERE UNTIL NOW. WHAT IS SHE DOING HERE?
"MADELINE! I TOLD YOU NOT TO SPEAK. NOW YOU'VE GONE AND CONFUSED HIM." KATELYN SAYS. THOUGH HER WORDS ARE HARSH, SHE SPEAKS IN A SWEET ACCENT.
"I'M SORRY. I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT CAME OVER ME. I HAVE YET FOUND MY OBEDIENCE. PLEASE FORGIVE ME." MIMI RESIGNS HERSELF TO LEANING AGAINST THE BARN WALL WITH HER HEAD DOWN, HELPLESS.
"'TIS ALL FINE. ANOTHER ROUND OF COMPULSION WILL DO. HE WILL MAKE AN EXCELLENT ADDITION." THE WORDS KATELYN SPEAKS ECHO IN MY EARS. SHE SOUNDS BOTHERED BY THE SETBACK BUT JOYOUS AND... MANIPULATIVE.
"WHAT? JACOB? YOU SAID YOU ONLY WANTED TO MEET MY TWIN, NOT KILL HIM! THIS ISN'T-"
"IN TIME YOU WILL COME TO UNDERSTAND. YOU'RE ONE OF US. WITH THE WAR WE WAGE NOW, WE NEED EVERY ADVANTAGE WE CAN GET. YOU KNOW THAT."
"I DO. BUT JACOB DOESN'T THINK LIKE THAT. HE'S NOT CUNNING. HE'S A BIT DITZY, A TOTAL CLUTZ. HE'D NEVER BE ABLE TO HELP." MIMI REASONS. I CAN TELL SHE'S LIEING, NOT BY MEMORY OF THIS JACOB PERSON THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT, BUT FROM HER VOICE.
"DO NOT LIE TO ME! I KNOW AS WELL AS YOU DO HOW THIS BOY THINKS. HE'S A GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL, THROUGH AND THROUGH. HE'S CHARMING AND MANIPULATIVE WHEN HE CAN BE. I'VE SEEN HIM WORK. WE NEED HIM. AND NOTHING WILL STOP ME FROM WINNING." SHE YELLS. KATELYN BECOMES MAD, REALLY MAD. SHE FACES MIMI AND IN LESS THAN A SECOND SHE HAS MIMI PUSHED UP AGAINST THE BARN WALL. "I'VE KILLED YOU ONCE. I CAN DO IT AGAIN."
WITH THAT SHE DROPS MY SISTER HARD ON THE FROSTED GLASS AND TURNS BACK TO ME. MY MIND BECOMES FUZZY, MY THOUGHTS PAUSE AND I HAVE THE SUDDEN URGE TO WALK TO HER. I STUMBLE FORWARD AND THEN FOR THE FIRST TIME NOTICE HER EYES. THEY'RE A PAINED BLOOD-RED COLOR. SHE MOVES QUICKLY. IN A FEW SECONDS I HAVE MY BACK AGAINST THE BARN AS MY SISTER DID, BUT I'M IN A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT POSITION WITH KATELYN. SHE'S STRADDLING ME; AND ENJOYING IT. I WANT MORE. I START MOANING.
"SHH, MY LITTLE SWEET." SHE SAYS, PLEASED. SHE LOWERS HER SHIRT AND CUTS A LASH SOMEWHERE A WOMAN OF HER CLASS SHOULD NEVER HAVE REVEALED. A THE CUT STARTS DRIPPING A CRIMSON RED COLOR. MIMI BECOMES IMPATIENT. "DRINK." KATELYN TELLS ME, HER VOICE LACED WITH PLEASURE.
I DRINK. IT TASTES METALLIC AND SALTY. MY HEAD STARTS SPINNING, AND-
BLACKNESS.