~chapter 6~

-chapter 6-

                The sun was bright and warm, the grass green and lush. It was Casandra’s and Charleen’s fifth birthday. The two girls were out in the yard playing a game of house. The two were sisters in a fairy tale castle. They were both wearing pink, fluttery dresses that they had gotten for Easter to go to church in the year before. They hadn’t grown much so they fit perfectly. Both girls settled down near the flower garden and began to make flower tiaras for each other. Their hair blew softly in the wind as they were working. Placing them on each other heads with assortments of lilies they began to giggle.

                “We’ll be friends for life, right?” Casandra asked laying back in the grass and looking to Charleen.

                “Closer than that, we’re sisters. Nothing can ever change that.” Charleen responded while she handed Casandra another lily to put in her hair.

                The scene changed. Five more years had passed and it was the girls tenth birthday. Casandra saw her parents on the other side of the cake. There was only one, Casandra and Charleen were both standing on one side. They took each other’s hands and looked at each other smiling. They began a countdown from three then turned to the cake and blew out the candles. Their friends and parents clapped, everyone was smiling. Later that night while the two were up in their room they were looking over their gifts. Casandra had gotten a few books, some nail polish and a few other assorted items. Charleen had also gotten nail polish, but had also gotten an assortment of colorful stones. Looking over at Casandra she grabbed the nail polish and hopped over to Casandra’s bed and plopped down. “Let’s do each others’ nails, 'kay?” She said, with a smile that reached her eyes.

                Casandra grinned happily back, giggling. “We’ll get in trouble, you heard mom and dad. No doing nails out of the kitchen in case we spill any.”

                “But it’s late, mom and dad are asleep.”

                “I know. Okay, let’s do it then.”

                The two stayed up half the night painting each other’s finger and toe nails, giggling more into the night while the brush strokes where uneven and unpracticed.

                “What did you wish for Charleen?” Casandra asked.

                “I wished that everyday would be as happy as it was today and we’ll always have our birthdays together. I wished we’d be happy. What about you?”

                “Me too,” Casandra responded, “no one can tear us apart.”

                The dream changed much more. Casandra was out in the yard sitting in a willow tree. When she was younger she had never been able to get up. Yet as of that year she had grown tall enough and it was her favorite place to relax, more so with a book. Today was her sixteenth birthday. The only reason why she wasn’t in the kitchen with Charleen was because she wasn’t feeling well for some reason. She had come outside for some fresh air before it was time for dinner and cake. Suddenly from the kitchen there was a blood-curling scream, along with a scream from her mother. Startled Casandra swung to jump out of the tree to help. Her foot got stuck and she fell out and landed on the ground. Her vision went red, and she felt sicker than ever. Suddenly her father’s voice screamed out, in shock, closely followed by a scream of pain. Casandra panicked. What was happening? Where was her sister? Was she okay?

                Casandra tried to stand, found herself unable to due to pains in her side and the feeling of nausea sloshing in her stomach. A feeling of dread rushed though her. She gave up standing, and attempted the army crawl, mildly thinking that gym class came in useful for something. Her vision became more and more clouded. Images became blurry. But she had to get to the kitchen. She had to find her sister; she had to help her parents.

                She finally got to the door and nearly passed out at the sight. Her parents where lying on the floor, puddles of blood around them, with a figure standing over them. The figured turned to face Casandra. All she could really see was the outline, details were too blurred. Casandra knew somehow that her parents were dead, and with a fleeting thought wondered if she would be next. The person came over to her and knelt at her side. She felt the feeling of lips kiss her forehead, than the person was gone. She heard the sound of a familiar giggle going into the distance. With that the feeling of sickness was too much, and the redness turned into darkness as Casandra slipped out of conscience.