The face in the doorway began talking in that short sharp tone that I had hoped never to hear again.  "You should have known that we would catch up with you eventually Armand" said the face.  "P-p-please Alex" I stammered, "what have you done with Roberta"?  Alex stepped out of the doorway with his long blonde hair hanging freely passed his shoulders.  The cuts on his face seemed out of place with his almost perfect features. 

 My eyes then turned to what he was wearing around his neck.  My heart skipped a beat. It was Roberta's necklace. "You killed her, didn't you?" I wanted to yell at him to scream, but what I said is only a whisper.

"Of course I didn't. I need people like her for information." He smiled sourly. "Like the kind that I'm going to get from you." He took a step towards me. I was paralyzed with fright. I knew it was no use to run.

I picked myself slowly of the floor. Now tears came, "What do you want? If you just let me see her, assure me she's save, I'll give you any information you need." Alex grinned an ugly grin, and pushed me forwards, into the storm shelter.

The darkness was overwhelming. It covered my sight like black velvet as dark as night. The small light that came from outside was diminishing fast. Then Alex jumped in. And everything fell away and I felt as helpless as someone in a dream.

“Maybe this was all a dream.” I thought. “Maybe if I call her name Roberta will come out of the darkness, laughing, and maybe Alex will laugh too.” The push on my back is too real. This is no dream. "Keep going," Alex's gruff voice said. Slam. Alex shut the door. There's no escape.

We walked for hours through the dark tunnel. The tunnel twisted and turned and seemed endless. Then after what seemed like an eternity I saw a dim glow in front of me. It was the light that I had seen a hundred times since my childhood. It haunted my nightmares at night and clouded my thoughts in the day. It was a light of dread. The light of Alex's home, Emnada, his so called "laboratory". A disgraceful name for the treachery performed there.

I heard a rustle of clothes. It hadn't come from Alex, he hadn't moved. "Roberta?" I asked, my voice weak with hope. Alex sniggered at the hope in my voice, but I ignored him. A figure came out of the darkness.

It was not Roberta. It was the face of someone I had never met.

"Who's that?" I whispered to no one in particular. Alex answered any way. "You have met him before Armand. Surely some one of your stature can figure it out." There was a hint of sarcasm in his voice. The kind that made me want to slug him in the stomach. So, regrettably, I did.

 Alex doubled over and the figure, cloaked in black, charged at me. "How dare you strike him." the voice rumpled, the figure helping Alex up. Master? Alex didn't look much like a master, he was doubled up in pain. I almost laughed at the sight of him, but I didn't. He looked up at me and gave me a weak, evil grin. "I'm not the weakling I was when we last met. " He still had that evil grin on his face, yet I knew I was in more power right now. So I kicked him. Alex doubled over yet again. This time I didn't stay quiet. "Not a weakling? HA!" All the pain I had held inside was bubbling over. "You know what you are? Huh? You are a monster. A weak, pointless, horrid monster! You never cared for my mother! You didn't care for your sister! You didn't care for any one but your horrid self!" Alex quickly stood up stiffly. "How dare you. You are nothing but a girl." The cloaked figure took a step forward then turned and looked at Alex. Alex then nodded slightly. Suddenly the figure ran forward and pushed me backwards onto the floor. Alex put his knee on my stomach and held up his knife. "How about I fix your face." He grinned sourly and put his mouth close to my ear. "So we will be twins again." He brought the knife so close I could see my reflection on its shiny surface. His mouth went back to my ear. "Good bye... sister." He softly kissed my cheek. It sent fire of anger through my body. He straitened then raised his arms, and sent the knife, slicing the air, towards my face. "Stop called him Al, it had to be her. He spun around.

I looked warily at the cloaked figure, but it was looking at its master, waiting to see what it would be commanded to do. "Stop Al." Roberta's voice. She always called him Al, it had to be her. It was her. 'Why, you little brat! I shouldn't have tied you up so loosely," Alex muttered. My little sister, the knot master, could untie anything, and Alex knew it. Roberta just followed her arms and looked smug. Alex raised his knife and lunged. 

CHAPTER 2

Suddenly the figure seemed to snap. It ran and grasped Alex's elbow. "Please."

"I told you! I am not doing this any more." Alex squirmed away. The figure wasn't giving up. It grasped Alex's neck and threatened to squeeze. "Please."

"You have no right to quit .I am your master. Dad." Alex spit the last word out like it was a bad taste in his mouth.

Dad? I couldn't believe it. I wanted to run into his arms, act like his little baby again. But no, I was a teenager now; I had to be more mature.

Roberta glanced my way but said nothing. Dad pushed me back then through back his hood. He had changed. There was change in his eyes. His most lovely feature.

"Sorry to break up the little 'family reunion'" This was not a family member. It was Attida.

"Surprised?" Alex grinned. He kissed his girlfriend. "More surprises, we're getting married."

"When?" I'm able to choke out.

"Tomorrow. You and Roberta are going to be our guests of honor," Alex still grinning, tucked on my hair, pulling me forwards.

CHAPTER 3

It was the day of the wedding. Mother would of been ashamed... if she was still with us. She had always hated Attida. I had to. I hadn't seen her for years though. "And today she'll be my sister in-law." I thought gloomily. I had to find a way to break up the wedding. For mother's sake. 

Alex stopped by my room just as I was getting up. I pulled a robe on once I heard his familiar knock, I didn't want him seeing the babyish pjs that Dad had given me when I was 12.

"Great news sis! You get to be the flower girl!" He thrust a- babyish- way too small for me- dress at me, and it was yellow. Yuck.

Attida's voice came from my parent's bedroom, which Alex and her had slept in last night.

"Tell the baby brat to hurry up and stop wailing!" I could hear Roberta wailing down the hall. "Tell the other brat to hurry up to. Don't be afraid to be strict." Alex grinned sourly. "Of course honey!" He called. I could hear Attida giggling. Alex stepped forward and slapped me across the face. I could feel it burning on my cheek.  "Get dressed or you'll feel that again."

Reluctantly, I put on the dress. It was meant to go down to foot level. It went above my knees. I felt something poking deeply into my back. I bit my lip to keep from crying. I had to be strong. For Roberta. For father. For mother... I drifted off into my thoughts.

The next thing I knew, Attida was in my room. Alex had left. It was just me and her. I felt doomed. 

She slapped me. For no reason.

"Where's Roberta? What are you doing to her?" I asked as I heard another howl from downstairs.

Instead of answering my question she tucked on my sleeve, straightening up the dress as best she could. Then she said, "You'll make a lovely flower girl. But not a pretty bride, no no no, you would have to look like me to do that," She looked at herself in my already cracked mirror. Then she threw her knife, which she always kept in her back pocket, (she even had one when wearing a dress) at the mirror.

Its cracks grew even wider and then shattered on the floor. I gasped. I had always been very superstitious. Then I caught my self. If any one deserved bad luck, it was her. But the mirror didn't stop cracking. It fell to the floor and the floor started cracking. The walls crumbled. Attida stood with a faint smile on her face as if the dissolving building was a mildly funny joke.

Another scream from Roberta, and then my room crashed, right into the room under it, which is the dining. Room. I landed on my feet, just Daddy's little cat should, and looked around.

Roberta lay on the table, gagged, but that gag didn't stop her muffled screams. She wore a pink dress that was way to big for her, it covered her feet. Rough hands grabbed her, Alex's hands, and set her in a chair, with rope twinned around it. She was trapped.

Alex sat me down too, gagged me, but didn't tie me. He smirked, "After that crash entry we don't want your lips bleeding all over the nice, white carpet, do we? But we still need you to get up and do the flowers when the time comes."

The gag slipped down to my chin. "D___." Alex swore. "What about Roberta?" I asked not wasting a second of having my mouth free. "She'll be your motive." Alex smirked. "What do you mean?" I asked. "She'll be your motive." Alex repeated. He walked over to Roberta and slowly drew out his knife. "Mess up and..." He held the knife to Roberta's throat. Roberta's eyes grew wide. "You wouldn't." I said my eyes as wide as Roberta's. "He would." Attida snickered. "For his identical twin you sure are stupid." Alex raised his hand for silence. He smirked again. He held the knife closer.

Attida wrapped her arms around him and laid her head on his shoulder. "He got all the brains." He smiled, bent down and kissed her little finger.

"Alllexx... come on, let's get this  wedding done with," She whined, hugging him.

"As soon as I make sure this brat understands, and then I'll gag her. Then we'll get on with the wedding. " Alex nodded toward a man that was in the darkness. "Pete, come here. I want you to hold this knife in front of baby Roberta's neck, so they both understand what's at stake here."

  The man stepped forward. I gasped. I knew that face. Then I fainted.

CHAPTER 4 

A hard kick woke me up.

"Wake up, flower girl," Alex’s harsh voice commanded.

My first thought was of Roberta. Was she okay? Was she... dead? I didn't want to think about that but that question had to be answered.

I returned Alex's kick. "Where's Roberta?!?" I screamed. Alex was on the floor. He grabbed my ankles, pulling me onto him. We scuffled for a few seconds. Grabbed at each other’s hair and scratched faces. I laughed. I couldn't help my self. It was just like when we were little. Now we were 18. But then again this was a more desperate time.

"Whatcha laughing at, sis? At a wedding you're suppose to cry," was Alex's furious whisper into my ear. I felt a sharp pain in my leg. I looked down. His knife was on my leg. Alex waved the knife threatening to push it into my leg. Suddenly the door burst open. Alex jerked the knife away, leaving a thin line of blood. Attida stood at the door.

"Wow," gasped Alex, admiring Attida.

"No," I whispered. I said no for two reasons. One, Attida was wearing Mother's old wedding dress, I knew Mother wouldn't be happy about that, and two, I knew I couldn't stop this wedding.

"M-m-moms dress?" I whispered. I had seen pictures of my mother wearing that same dress. I began to cry hot tears, my face flushing with anger. Alex yanked me by the ear. "Wedding time." he whispered.

 CHAPTER 5

The song "Here Comes the Bride" will always haunt me for the rest of my life.

Attida came down the aisle, looking all smug. Before she had come down the aisle I had to throw the flowers. I threw them half heartedly, thinking of each petal as a piece of my life slipping through my fingers, and into Alex's hands. After I went down the aisle I was forced to sit back down with Roberta. When the song "Here Comes the Bride" came on, she hummed along like we were at a joyful wedding, like she wasn't having a knife pointed at her the whole time. Traitor.

Then, it was time for the vows. The pastor had no idea that with every word he was ripping at my heart. It was time for them to say, "I do". I plugged my ears so I didn't have to hear the dreaded words. Suddenly a flash of light entered the room. The floor opened.

I was falling, yet I wasn't scared. Everything was going in slow motion. Attida screamed. I could not hear her. I only saw her mouth open.

Alex yelled at me, "You did this!"

I turned my head and realized we were the only one's falling. Darkness.

"Are you okay?" said Alex; sounding like the brother I had grown up with.  

"Roberta!" I cried weakly. "Help!" There was a horrible pain in my head. I reached up and felt blood. I cried out in pain. Alex bent over me. I'm not sure if it was a caring or disgusted look on his face. My vision began to blur but I pushed the feeling back.

"Roberta's not here sis, I'm sorry." Alex's concerned face comes into focus. He pulled me up, his touch gentle like it was when we were little. I still didn't trust him, so I looked at his pocket. No knife.

He laughed, "No knife, sis. Surprised?"

I nodded, faith in him coming to me slowly, but I still stepped back.  

I looked at Attida. She was looking confused. She looked at Alex. She didn't know what was going on either. I was getting scared. Was it a trick?

 CHAPTER 5

I still couldn't believe it; I was trapped in a hole with the two people I would rather not be with. It had to have been hours since we had fallen. Attida had her head on Alex's shoulder, and she sounded just like Mom as she hummed. I snuggled up close to her, feeling like she actually was Mom.

Suddenly, I sat upright. I had heard a noise from above. I shivered. The air had suddenly become cold. Ropes dropped from above. I could see figures climbing down the ropes.

Attida's body turned tense. "Who are they?"

Alex patted her hand, but with that evil smile on his face that I hadn't seen for hours, maybe days. "Their friends."

Attida gave a weak smile back. What was with her? One minute she's getting married to Alex and now she doesn't trust him. I didn't trust him either. Especially that grin. Without thinking I went to Attida and hugged her just as the men landed in the hole.

Alex stood up with a grunt, then held his hand out to the man. "Good morning Noah. How are you?" Like he was greeting an old friend, like they were just about to get into a very deep conversation about something as simple as the weather.

"I told you not to call me that anymore. I'm....

Attida interrupted him. "Who are you?"

"Alexander can tell you that." Now it was Alex's turn to snap.

"I told you not to call me that!" He shouted.  The man gave a sly smile. "Now we're even." he smirked.

Alex turned to Attida. "Never interrupt this man again." he said meanly.

"How dare you!" Attida screamed. "What does it matter to you?" She turned to the man and kicked him. I cowered behind her like a lost puppy. 

"Miss, I happen to be this young man's boss," the man's icy glare turned towards Attida.

"Well...." Attida, usually so talkative, couldn't find anything to say.

"Noah.... let's go over here and talk," Alex led him over to the opposite corner.

"Hmph," was all the man said at being called Noah.

As the two whispered in their corner, I was thinking, where had I heard that name Noah? The man seemed so familiar... then I realized it. "Mr. Cwornal?" The man spun around. "What are you doing here?" I asked.

"I should ask you the same question." he glared at me. Alex grabbed him by the arm. "Go easy on her." He pleaded. 

"And why should I?" Mr. Cwornal asked. "Why should I?" he repeated quietly, staring off into space. Then his eyes met mine once more. "I shouldn't." He whispered, barely audible. He charged strait at me, eyes gleaming. Attida jumped in front of me.

"I don't know who you are, but if you touch a hair on this little girl's head..." Attida's voice trailed off, not finding a consequence big enough for this man.

"You'll spank me?" The man grinned and pushed Attida aside.

He came towards me. I stepped back.

Alex grabbed at him again. Mr. Cwornal spun around to look at him. "You love this girl?" he gave a half smile. Alex hesitated. "I can't let you kill her. I need to do it my self." The man smiled fully. "Go ahead." he smirked.

Alex looked at me and drew a breath. He would have to think fast for this one. He didn't try. He drew his knife.

CHAPTER 6 

"Wait! What about the information you need from me?" I asked, stalling.

Alex looked at Mr. Cwornal as if to ask, 'do we?'

Mr. Cwornal shook his head, but thoughtfully, pausing, thinking. He couldn't make up his mind, what was more important, the information he needed, or the joy of killing me?  

It took him two seconds to make that pause, but two seconds was all Attida needed. She jumped in front of me again, this time planting her feet firmly in front of herself. "You can't have her," she said coldly.

I blinked. I had just thought of another angle. Why was Attida defending me? Didn't she want me dead to? What happened to her and Alex? Before I had saw Alex yesterday I hadn't seen him for three years. What had they planned? When did the meet Mr. Cwornal? I now regretted what I had done to him all those years ago. Dreams still came to remind me of what I had done. His poor daughter... I shook my head. That was past. I could regret all I wanted to but more pressing matters had come.

Mr. Cwornal looked me coldly in the face, then looked at Alex. "Do whatever you like with the girl, but I'm taking this brave little chicka." At the last three words he stroked Attida cheek. Then he made a quick movement. I blinked, and I had missed it. But now he had Attida in his arms.  I could almost see the horror in Alex's eyes, his boss, and his girlfriend! I gasped. "Is she..." words failed me. I ran to her. Mr. Cwornal threw her to the ground. I lay my head on her chest. I felt a beat. She was alive, only unconscious.  I breathed a sigh of relief. I wasn't sure why.

Suddenly I felt cold metal on my back. Darn. I was starting to really hate that knife. I sat up and the knife pushed into my back. I gasped and everything went black.

"Are you all right?" Attida voice, the first thing I hear.

"I think so," I said, propping myself onto my elbows. Alex and Mr. Cwornal had left. "Where are they?" I asked.

"I don't know, but they left us a little present," Attida scoffed at the word "present.

My eyes went wide, thinking it was something awful and covered in....

A moan from the corner stopped my thoughts. I ran to the dark little corner. A lump sat there. It stirred and I thought I saw its face. But it couldn't be....."Roberta?" I asked unsure.

Attida nodded slightly. I smiled. When Attida saw that smile she frowned deeply. I was confused. Didn't she like Roberta? I ran over to Roberta. She was lying on her back groaning in pain. She had a bump on her head but other than that she looked unharmed. I was relived. I gave her a hug than turned to Attida. "What's going on?" I asked. "I don't know. I regained consciousness just before you." her lip trembled. "We're trapped."

Roberta moaned, but managed to say, "Yeah, I think we all know that."

Attida snarled.

I almost couldn't believe Roberta, talking to Attida, who saved my life, like this! Of course in a way I did understand, Roberta had always been snappy.

Attida leaned against me and whispered into my ear, "I don't trust her."

I stared at her. "She's eight!" "So?" Attida asked. Roberta gave her an innocent puppy dog look. The kind that I hated. Apparently Attida hated it even more.

I rolled my eyes. Roberta wasn't mean enough to squash a bug, let alone betray me. But then again... where did that look come from? I wasn't sure whether to go to Attida or to go to Roberta. I had to make a choice.

Roberta looked at me with pleading eyes, and then she let out a little moan.

"She's faking it, don't listen to her," Attida said, clutching my arm like a lost child.

I drew away from, even though I wanted her to comfort me in that motherly way she had done earlier. I couldn't just give into her just because she had been nice to me earlier. That all could change.

Attida pulled away from me, a sour expression on her face, as if she had been stung when I had pulled away from her.

Roberta walked over to me. "Please sissy," she said, in that little voice she used when she was trying to make me feel bad for her.  

I didn't know where to go. Roberta had always been a good actor. But was she acting now? I had always trusted Roberta. I had never trusted Attida. Why was it so hard to choose? It should have been obvious. But it wasn't. Each of them asked me in their own way. Roberta did the helpless little girl look. Attida kept whispering bad things about Roberta. "You don't know what she can do. I've seen her do things you couldn't even imagine." I took a step towards Roberta. Attida hissed. "Don't do it. I-I love you. I don't want her to hurt you." I stared at her. Then we were interrupted by a thump. I turned around. Alex had returned.

Alex stared at Attida's gentle hand on my shoulder. "W-What are you doing?" he yells, furious at the thought of the bond he thinks Attida and I formed.

I pulled away from Attida. Now that Alex was here he would change her. No way was she going to try and be like my mom in front of Alex. Nice acting, Attida.

Roberta smiled a smug smile and wrapped her arms around my neck in a posseive way. It almost choked me.  Had I made the right decision?

I didn't know who to trust but Alex made the decision for me. "I don't think we need the big one anymore." Roberta's grasp tightened. Attida grabbed Alex and pulled him to the corner. They talked in low voices. Too low to eavesdrop. They came back. Alex was looking none to happy. I knew Attida had gotten her way. I wondered what would happen to Roberta.

 "Come on small fry," he said, pulling Roberta's hair until she screamed and followed him. They shot up the hole that suddenly appeared above our heads. I leaped for it, but Attida held me back. "We're not going with them," she said.

I stared at her. "Then where..." My voice cracked. "Don't worry." Attida whispered, putting her finger to her lips. As soon as Alex and Roberta left she took my arm and dragged me to the other side of the hole. "Alex thinks he trapped us but I know the way out." She kicked the wall, making the dirt fall away and revealing a wooden door.

 CHAPTER 7

I couldn't believe it. Attida, disobeying Alex. Oh well, and I ran out the door. Attida followed me, making sure the door was closed. We were in some type of woods.

"Come on," Attida said, tugging me along.

My feet were still, I wanted to ask Attida something before I moved. "Does this mean the wedding's off?"

She stared at me. "What do you think." her voice was quiet yet frightening. I stayed silent. I didn't know how to answer. I heard a noise to my right. I whirled, coming face to face with a creature. I screamed. I reached for Attida but she had disappeared.

The creature snarled. "What do you think, Princess?"

It had the voice of Attida.

It must have been a trap. I ran. I felt hands clasping my back. I whirled around and looked into the face of Attida. "Ar-Armand." she whispered. "It hurts." She collapsed. I stood over her, horrified. "Losing control. Run." she whispered. "Don't look back." I ran. But I looked back. Attida was gone. I ran even faster. I heard a hiss from above me. I looked up. There was the creature. I screamed. It jumped to the ground. The creature laughed. "There you are princess." I was terrified. Suddenly it began to shrink. It's sharp features softened to the face of Attida. Attidas real voice came back. "Run! I'm losing control!" she shouted. Suddenly her body began to swell again.

I ran. It felt like my lungs were on fire, but I kept running. I needed to find Alex, needed to ask him a question.  

Had she always been like this? Is this why he wanted to marry her? For power? I could only imagine the horrible things she could do in that state. I realized I had to find both of them. To save Attida, and to talk with Alex. I realized I cared about Attida and needed to save her from herself.

First Attida. She couldn't be far. "Attida!" I screamed.

I heard a growl behind me.

I turned slowly around.

There she was again I was tempted to run but I held my ground. "Attida. I need to talk to Alex. Where is he?" Attida only walked closer.

A growl escaped from her, but you could tell she didn't want what was going to happen.

 I knew what the monster inside her wanted to do, but I had to speak to the human inside her. "Attida, don't." I said in a voice like I was talking to a naughty puppy. I knew those weren't the right words, weren't what I should've said.

She pounced.

I sidestepped her, thinking fast. Attida fell. I stood over her. I took out my pocketknife and cut some of her hair just as she was shrinking again. When she was back to normal I held it out to her. She looked at it. "Run Armand. I want to make sure you never see this again." She waved the lock in the air.

"No. I'll stay with you. Maybe we can find a doctor," I say, pulling her up to her feet.

She shakes her head, "No doctor could fix my problem."

I say, "My dad could."

"Armand, we don't know where your father is." She says.

Tears in my eyes.

Attida reached up and brushed them away. "I'll go find my father!" I said. Attida shook her head. "I have to." I continued. "Lets go."

I pulled and tugged but Attida stayed where she was. "We don't know where to start," was her next complaint.

"Yes we do," I said, leading her in the direction to a house I hadn't been in for 2 years.

It was a long walk but I knew the way by heart. This would be the first place Dad would go if he was lost. But what if Mr. Cwornal had taken him? Was he taking revenge for his daughter? I pushed the thought out of my mind. I had to stay strong.

Attida chugged along behind me, her breath coming out shallow. I could tell she was having a hard time, but my mind's eye paid no attention to that. It was recollecting some wonderful, yet terrible memories.

I was thinking of Mr. Cwornal's daughter. Poor Manad. I had done it. I wouldn't ever forget it.

And Alex. All those people I had hurt. But could you blame me? I had only been 9.

A year older than Roberta. Would she do something like that? I didn't want to find out but knew that I would in the near future.

CHAPTER 8 

The crisp, green grass underfoot felt familiar as I walked up to the house I grew up in. Dad and I both had felt like this was our home, and that would be that way forever, so I knew this is where he would go. I knew Dad would accept if I just entered, so I put my hand on the doorknob, about to go in.

I stopped. What about Attida? Would dad want to help her? I would have to find out. I opened the door. Father wasn’t inside. But Roberta was. With Alex sprawled on the floor at her feet. I ran to him. He was breathing. I looked at Roberta. She had changed. She no longer looked like a helpless child. She looked fierce and wild, not afraid to hurt any one.

"Armand?" comes Attida's voice from outside.

 CHAPTER 8

 I didn't want to hurt her. I didn't want it to come down to this. I knew I could easily beat her. I was 10 years older! But then again...

Roberta's head snapped forward, her eyes looking at the doorway. And me. I know she would hurt Attida, just because she didn't like her. And I was in her way.

Roberta kicked Alex one more time, then came with solid, certain steps. Straight at me. It was time for the sister showdown.  

That evil grin told me she wasn't going to hurt me. No, she was going to do much worst.

She walked back to Alex. "You wouldn't." I said. She smiled. "I might." "He's your brother!" I shouted. "And your my sister." she said, stepping towards me.

She was going to hurt one of us, that was obvious. I looked at the desperate look Alex gave Attida. He needed to have that wedding.

"Roberta, come here." I said, stepping towards her.

She looked into my eyes. She saw no evil in them. But boy, were there evil in her's! She stepped towards me. "OK," she said, with that evil grin.

I put my hand on her shoulder, like I did when she was little. She drew back and pulled Alex's knife from her pocket.

I stepped back from her. "Put the knife away," I said in a calm voice, even though my heart was pounding.

All those years of listening to me because I was the older sister had not paid off. She continued to advance, wielding the knife. I really hated that knife now that I had been threatened with it so many times.

The knife was just inches from my skin when Alex cried out, "Roberta, no! You love Armand, you wouldn't hurt her."

Roberta has tears in her eyes, "You're right, I wouldn't hurt her. But I would hurt you," she takes a step towards him.

I look down at my chest. A little drop of blood was on my shirt. It has so many lives in it, Alex’s, Roberta’s, Attida’s, and mine. I look up and take a deep breath, ready to join in the tuck-of-war game that has started with Roberta. A deadly game, whoever gets pulled into the mud dies. Roberta is the knot. You don't want the knot to touch you, yet you don't want it to touch your sibling.

I ran at her from behind and held her wrists. Alex ran at her and held her from the other side.

"What are you doing?!" I screamed. Roberta lowered her head. "Making it better for both of us." she whispered. Then broke free and ran at Attida. 

I thought my sister had gone mad. How could she go from sweet to trying to kill everyone in a room. Two of which were her older siblings! 

Attida, seeing the mad eight year old and the knife coming at her, screamed.

Alex dived in front of her, just as Roberta was about to throw the knife at her heart.

The knife clattered to the floor, right on Alex’s bare foot. Then we heard foot steps in the doorway. It was Father. He stared at the blood on the floor. "There better be a good explication for this."

"Daddy!" I cry, like  a little child and run to him.

"Hello Father," is all Roberta says.

"What's going on here pumpkin?" He looks at her, a smiling question in his eyes.

"I think I can explain that," Attida comes out of the shadows.

Dad's eyes turn cold.

"What are you doing here?" he asks, a slight smile still on his face but his eyes are still cold and sharp.

"I'm marrying your son," is all Attida says.

There is a slight frown on Dad's face, so I say, "Don't worry Dad, she won't do it again."

He turned to me. "So you're sweet on this traitor too, huh?" His face was calm but his voice was boiling mad.

"Don't worry Daddy, I hate all of them," Roberta came up to him.

Like the times when Roberta and I got into fights and she came running to him Dad said, "Why Roberta? You should always love your sister."

Roberta shakes her head, "I don't. She's a traitor."

"Me? What about you?!"

"You don't love daddy." She said. Then she ran for the door.

"Roberta!" Dad runs out of the room after her.

I ran out the door after them, but they were nowhere in sight. Attida and Alex stepped out after me. Then the woods around us began to fade...

"Where are we?" I scream, looking for Roberta and Dad.

"Our place," Attida squeals, clutching Alex's shirt and smiling up at him.

"Finally we're home!" Roberta all but exploded in excitment.

We were in a living room. It looked fairly normal. Then Alex threw open the doors on the far end. Emnada.

"What are you doing here?" comes out of all three of our mouths.

Alex walked towards Pete. "I thought I told you to stay out of my house." He said, a dangerous smile on his face.

"I know son, but I just had to see my baby girl again," Pete said, turning to Attida.

"Don't call me that," Attida snarled, "You didn't approve of Alex, and so I ran away."

"I didn't. But now I do. Isn't that enough?" Pete pleaded.

"No, it's not," Alex says, taking out the knife.

"You hated me so in return I will hate you." Alex walked closer. Attida took him by the elbow. "Please Al." She said softly. "Please."

"No Attida. He hurt you. They all hurt you."

"I'm on your side, al," Roberta, the one who always wanted to be on the winning side, came over to him.

"Get away punk," he said.

 Then he stopped and blinked. "When did she get here?" he asked everyone shrugged, including Pete. Roberta giggled evilly.

"Roberta..." I say, one finger outstretched towards her, not sure if I should touch her.

Roberta jerked back, unfortunately knocking a huge table covered in full test tubes and beakers. Now Alex was mad.

"How dare you!" He screamed at her. He was going to say more, but was drowned out by Attida's screams.

"Alex! Alex! Get it off of me! Oh, it burns!" She screamed, and that's when everyone else realized that one of the chemicals Roberta had tipped over had landed on Attida.

I ran over to her and grabbed her arm where the liquid had fallen. "No!" Alex screamed. I felt heat hotter than anything enter my hand, then pure pain. I could feel unconsciousness creeping up on me. It got to Attida first. She swooned... right on top of me. I felt more burning as her arm landed on my face.

CHAPTER 10 

"Honey, are you okay?" Dad's voice behind the fog.

"Where am I?" I moan, trying to sit up but then collapsing with the effort.

"In the hospital," Dad says.

"Or somewhat." he continued. "It's another part of Emnada." 

I sat up. As well as I could anyway. I felt like I was boiling. 

I could barely see, my eyes seemed like they were pinched together. Roberta joyfully hands me a mirror. I almost scream, my face is puffed up and blistered.

"W-w-what happened?" It hurt to talk.

Dad shook his head grimly. "You don't want to know."