This is Kitty's late birthday fic. Love dearest:grin:

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"I swear to God, Bella, if I die out here, my ghost will come back and mass-murder you," Maureen hissed, snapping a twig that was buried under the inch or so of freshly fallen snow. She twirled her index finger around a thing, gold chain with a small, tear-shaped pendant hanging down upon her neck, her newest nervous habbit. "And besides, we're no where near anywhere, it's freezing, I'm stuck with you, it's snowing, it's dark, and we're only out here to get pinecones for Joseph Pulitzer's toy shop," she continued her already long rant about things she hated about being there.

Bella, Maureen's younger sister by two years, rolled her eyes. "I need to get these pinecones tonight. Christmas shopping will be here soon and everyone will be out searching for the perfect toy for their kids, friends, and family," Bella explained as she bent over to pick up another perfectly shaped pinecone.

Maureen kicked at the snow."But why tonight? Couldn't you do this in the morning? When it's light outside? I really need to get these pictures developed." Maureen said, waving a small roll of film in her sisters face.

"No, I have to get these tonight. Besides, the photoshop will be open tommorrow," Bella replied irritably, shoving a stray strand of dirty brown hair out of her eyes as she scooped up another handfull of pinecones.

"But, Bella..." Maureen began to whine. "These pictures are vital to..." Bella turned and glared. "Why don't you just go back to the car? Here are the keys. Just GO ALREADY!" Bella yelled, throwing the keys at Maureen, whose face turned into pure, unadulterated horror.

"Alone? In the dark?" She asked, fear flooding her voice.

"Yes, alone. And yes, in the dark. There is no one else out here anyway. I only need a few more pinecones and I've picked this spot of the woods dry. So I'm going to go over that hill. You go through that clearing to the right of us and go back to the car, got it?" Bella asked, not really meaning it as a question, but just as a "do as I say."

"But... I can't...not alone..." Maureen whispered, totally afraid.

Bella turned and glared at her angrily. "Why not, Reen?"

"Bell...I...I need to tell you something..." Maureen said almost silently.

There was something in the tone of Maureen's voice that told Bella this was important. Very important. Deadly important. "...okay..." was all Bella could manage. Maureen had been acting weird...very weird since she got back from college yesterday morning. She was very wary of being alone, in the dark, or just driving around town. She even rambled on about some car following her home from Yale. It's funny, because if Bryan Denton, their mother's long-term boyfriend (not their dad), didn't work as a teacher at Yale, we wouldn't even know Maureen was alive.

"Well, I think I've stumbled upon something. It is really important...but it's dangerous and..." Maureen's voice trailed off into a whisper. "That's why I need these pictures developed, they are so vital to what I'm researching." Maureen paused for a moment as if lost in thought. "I think someone is trying to get me, Bell, I mean, really really get me. I think that black car I saw was trying to run me off the road. Or find out where I lived...that's why I didn't go back to the college dorms. I came here instead," Maureen whispered, fear written all over her face. She handed Bella the roll of film. Bella shoved it into her purse without a care. "It's really important that you get these developed, Bell. I mean, absolutely vital. I know these hold the answers. Then I can..."

Bella laughed. "Oh, please, Reen. You won't fool me into leaving early. Just, go back to the car." Bella threw her sister the keys and headed off deeper into the woods.

"You don't believe me?" Maureen asked, eyes wide in pure horror.

Bella turned and glared. "God, Reen, stop faking this. It's not funny, just stupid. Now give it UP!"

Maureen's eyes watered for a moment, then her whole face reflected anger. "FINE!" she yelled and stormed into the clearing. "Don't believe me then! I don't need your help!" she called to Bella's back.

Bella shrugged her sister off. She was just excited, college hype. Or maybe she was just psycho. Most likely the first one though...

Maureen has everything, why does she need to figure out something else? Like it's going to save anyone's lives or anything. She's just a drama queen. Bella thought.

Besides, Maureen was everyone's deffinition of the "perfect" daughter. She had excellent grades, she excelled at everything. She was the manager of her school newspaper. Senior class president in highschool. Captain of the cheerleading squad. Her personallity could make anyone feel better, her very presence could calm any tormented soul. She did community service for a hobby. She was an angel to everyone. Social butterfly at school, extremely popular. Plus, she was absolutely gorgeous. Curly black hair that cascaded down her back, always looking perfect. Chocolate brown eyes that you could get lost in. Slender and fit. Any guy would jump at the chance to date her. She was so..."perfect". But in Bella's eyes, just a typical preppy teenage girl.

Then there was Bella. Straight chocolate brown hair, dull brown eyes, she was regular weight, keeping in shape with plenty of struggle. She couldn't get a date to save her life, since she had a gorgeous sister who was at "college". Like college automatically makes you cool. If that's all it takes, Bella would go there in an instant. All the guys at her highschool wanted to know when her sister was coming down. Not that Bella knew, her sister kept to herself for most of the time.

Bella took some of her anger out on a nearby tree. She kicked it as hard as she could, intending damage. Of course, the tall pine tree was not affected in the least, yet for some reason Bella felt better. She bent down to pick up another handful of pinecones.

A blood-curdling scream pierced her ears.

Next came the sound of ice breaking. More screams reached Bella's ears. Bella spun around, dropping her pinecones all over the white ground.

What she saw horrified her, thrilled her, and sent chills up her spine all at the same time.

"BE-----" Maureen's voice was cut off by gurgling and sloshing water sounds. Bella spotted a small hole in the frozen, white earth. Water spilled over it's edges, quickly turning into ice.

Maureen had fallen through ice. But how? That clearing was just... "Just where the lake is..." Bella realized, all too late. She ran over to the small hole in the ice. She shoved her hand into the frigid waters, trying to grasp her sister's hand. Adrenaline pumped through her, fear and pure terror following behind.

"Grab my hand, Reen! Grab my hand!" Bella yelled into the water. She could feel a chilling touch on her fingers, she tried to grasp it, but it was being pulled away by an unseen force. "MAUREEEN!" She screached.

She shoved piles of snow out of her way and wiped at the ice. She stared deep into the waters. They were dark, everything was barely visible.

Silent scream. A face in the darkness. Maureen...

"...sleeve..." was all Bella could make out from Maureen's pale purple lips. She banged on the ice, panic evident on her face.

"SLEEVE!" She mouthed louder. At least, that's what it looked like to Bella.

"Grab my sleeve! Over here! The whole, Reen!" Bella yelled into the waters. But Maureen couldn't hear her. Maureen could no longer see her. Maureen couldn't speak. Maureen was drowning in a frozen solid tomb. An unfitting grave for someone such as Maureen.

Yet in the cemetary there was a lonely, empty silver gravestone. Underneath it lay undisturbed dirt, for Maureen's body wasn't found. Not yet.

RIP. Maureen McCaully. 1973-1992.

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So, what dost thou thinkest? Revieweth and I shall forever be grateful to thou.

XxGinnyxX