8.) Umbra (The Clan Curse: UNRATED)

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     Sayaka had trouble sleeping that first night

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     Sayaka had trouble sleeping that first night. As exhausted as she was from the ordeal of her small accident at the pool, she was even more confused at the loss of her clothing. Specifically her favorite pair of silk lavender underwear. Could Damien have taken it, she wondered, then dismissed the possibility as Kirari and Damien had long since left for the Tower of Doors tour after their business was concluded at the basement. She wanted to ask the house help for where it all was but was afraid to cause anyone any trouble. And more than the loss of her underwear was the bizarre behavior she was gauging in trying to tell the twins apart. She was so sure of her own keen sense of observation that anything that contradicted it caused her analytical mind to do gymnastic somersaults in her own head for hours on end. It was two in the morning when she was finally able to fall asleep. Getting used to how large her new bed was proved to be another obstacle to counting sheep. She curled into a ball, her arms wrapped securely under her knees. Unknown to her, Ririka had placed a ritual hex underneath her bed. Tomorrow, Sayaka thought. She would look for her clothes. It would be embarrassing if the President or Vice President found them instead of the house help.

     On the next day, Sayaka had a hearty breakfast with the manor staff first and they were kind enough to pack her a bento lunch for later. She filled her thermos with water as she knew she needed to stay hydrated because of the unusual amount of sweating. She enjoyed more of their small talk while the staff got to preparing meals on trays for both Kirari and Ririka. Breakfast in bed or the balcony was their usual and the only trouble they had as staff members was figuring out which room the twins slept in as they often invaded each other's private quarters. Unknown to Sayaka, Kirari had risen early to switch the single lily to her own blue vase before soaking in her own bronze-painted tub. It was 7:17 when Sayaka graciously bade the staff farewell and walked towards the front doors of the manor. She decided to walk to school earlier than the twins could wake, or so she thought. Out of the corner of her eye, she spied the lily in the foyer which had suddenly switched vases from right to left. She blinked twice, "I'm going crazy," she thought to herself. Then shook her head knowing full well that the single lily flower had been on the right vase with the more rounded opening yesterday.

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