Ruby

You learn forward in your chair. I cringe when it sqeals.

"Good morning, Sage."

"Yeah."

You clear your throat and adjust your tie just before reaching for a cup of coffee.

"Shall we pick up where we left off?"

I nod, you take a slurred sip of your coffee.

"Mama always told me be carefully who you trust."

"And?"

".. She was right. Too bad she told the wrong daughter."

"You mean your sister, Ana?"

"Yeah."

"Go on."

I cough and turn my attention to a couple birds fluttering past the window. You rarely ever catch a glimpse of life here.

"Sage?"

I don't respond. My mind travels back to the fifth grade. A pageant. Mama was fixin' Ana's blonde hair into curls.

"Oh Ana! Look how beautiful you are!" Mama cheers, confident she'd win. Just like last year, the year before that and the year before that. She hardly ever noticed me. Just like everyone else.

I was the strange, quiet child. The neighbors swore I was crazy. They taught their children to run from me.

I didn't understand why. I guess they didn't think tearing Barbie dolls apart was normal.

"Sage, focus."

I turn my attention towards you, "huh?"

"Your sister, Ana-"

"You already know where that's heading."

"You have yet to tell me the whole story."

'There's a reason why.' I think this, rather than speaking it.

I wonder if it would've hurt to take a curling iron and press it to your skin.

The bell rings.

"Well.. that's all we have time for."

Standing, I scoot the chair back where it was originally and walk out.

The same blonde lady walks me back to my room.

"How did today's session go?"

There's something on her mind.

"What is it, Ruby?"

Her anxiety kicks in. She starts twiddling her fingers and muttering.

"Speak up!" I bark.

"Uh, well, I might be getting released soon."

Silence swallows us whole.

"That's a good thing, right?"

"Yea- I think so.."

I don't say anything more. I slip into my room and crack the door behind me. A sigh slips between my lips as Rylee looks up from her book.

She knows better to ask what's wrong and glues her eyes back on her book.

"Knock knock!"

We both turn our heads to the door.

"Dinner is ready ladies."

She's so scrawny. I wonder how easy it would be to snap her fragile neck. My eyes glow at the thought if her helpless struggle under my grasp.

"Sage." Rylee notices what I'm doing.