Tara

It was storming outside, the sky completely black, reasonable due to the clouds full of rain blocking out any form of light the moon might provide on this dreadful day. Lightning would strike and thunder would rumble every five seconds informing me of how close it has gotten within the past hour. I turn away from the rust closed window, the heat of my breath fogged it up until it was blocking my sight of the woods behind my family's manor in a disorienting manner. The wind screams as it is not allowed in the house. The bricks building the tower uneven with several bulging out in a violent manner, its edges sharp and threatening to any unsuspecting victim who decides to pass by the villainous wall. I sat down on the sofa, listening to the rain. Waiting. Listening. The pitter patter, pitter patter relaxing me as I waited.
            "Emily?" Ah, there she was. I looked up at the black haired female. Her black hair curling around her head in a wild manner similar to how you would imagine a rose bush would grow should it be free to do as it pleases. Her blue eyes bright as the sky when it was a sunny and cloudless day.
            "Yes?" I cocked my head as I stared at her feeling like a common milk women next to this beauty of a female. She glided over towards me, her white nightgown fluttering behind her as she spun around to sit on the dusty couch besides me.
            "Mother said dinner should be done in ten minutes." She flicked a wandering strand of hair out of her eyes as she smiled a prize winning smile. With a weak smile of my own, I nodded. Mother usually informed me of this on her own. She must possibly be busy seeing as she has to do nearly everything around the house now that father has passed away.
            "And what shall we be having today?" She placed her hand on my meek brown hair smoothing down what must have been a wild strand of my own,
            "That my sister, I do not know. I was merely told to inform you of the arrival of time dinner should be finished." She released my head and frowned, "My. How much you remind me of father appearance-wise." Her bright blue eyes growing teary as she remembered said man. A man who had the lightest shade of brown hair that plenty would call blond and a shade of green eyes most women fawned over.
            "I do believe mother has asked me to set the table earlier." I fibbed as I stood up, my own nightgown deciding to remain submissive as it stayed down not flowing around me as my dear sister's does to her, "And Tara. Don't ever mention father around me again." She nodded solemnly watching as I walked out the room, avoiding the bricks that seemed to be coaxing me closer.
            Time passed as we shared a quiet dinner. Mother's own blue eyes dim much like they have been since the death of my dear father. Her hair, much like my sister's, tamed and forced into a loose bun that hung at her nape.
            "Tara?" My mother said out of the blue,
            "Yes mother?" My sister's smooth voice hiding her shock that I saw flash within her eyes at my mother's exclamation.
    "Nothing dear." She smiled sadly as she went back to eating. Tara turned towards me only a raised eyebrow explaining her confusion to me. I shrugged in what I hope looked like a graceful manner and continued eating. No other words were shared at the dinner table.
        The night went on. I laid down in my bed wide awake. The storm unrelenting as it pounded down on the manor's roof reminding us of its presence. The lightning casting unrealistic shadows on my walls creating images of the monsters in childhood stories to cross the wicked minefield of my mind. The shadows grew mouths as they began calling me. Talking of sweet desires, the desires of all the most guilty feeling souls. The wind began screaming again sounding like a human who was buried alive. I, soon, decided to leave the horror of my room and into the bleak and less threatening living room. Listening to the heavy splashes of water as they hit the roof, I noticed the dining room light on. Upon walking closer, I could make out two figures sitting on opposite sides of the table.
      "She's been different since father has died." Tara. I grimaced at the mention of my dad and wait for my mother's reply. I waited for her to deny my sister's accusation. Waited for my mother dear to inform my sister on how wrong Tara's comment was. But, alas, there was no comment. It was silent.
     "She is just having difficulties adapting without your father around. You know how much she looked up to him. She is lost without him."
    "She didn't seem lost when she snapped at me for just simply mentioning him. She seemed as if she simply wanted to erasure his whole  existence!" Tara stood up. The small candle light casting a humongous shadow of hers. The similarity of her shadow and the ones on my wall struck fear into me. I froze and looked at the shadow. It's wild mane of hair shaking back and forth as she shook her head in anger.
  "Tara. You must understand what she is going through." Mother said calmly,
    "I am going through the same thing as she is!" Tara sat down placing delicate hands into her wild hair messing it up worse than before. "I am going through the same thing as she is, but she won't let me help. I merely want to speak to her about him. I want him here. With us. I want to see his eyes light up again. I want him here mother." Her voice growing softer and softer and while I know she was still speaking, I could not hear the words come out of her moving lips.
   "Tara, darling." Mother crossed the table and sat down next to my sister. "I know you are going through a lot. But remember that at least I am still here. At least, I am with you." I froze. My blood began running through my veins as if they were set on fire. My mother. My dear loving mother dares comfort my sister when she can't even dare glance at me.
    "I know you are with me. But..." her voice faded off, "I'm worried for Emily."
   "Why are you worried for Emily?"
    "She needs a guide in life, Mother. First it was father and now he is gone. She needs one. I don't know if she is going to choose me or you mother, but she's gonna choose." I clenched my jaw. My fingers shaking as rage flung itself at my body suffocating me until I couldn't think straight. Was I that pitiful? That I need a guide to help me with life? What am I? A duckling who imprints on a person? I could feel myself walking, but to where? I do not know.
    "TARA!?" I felt the words rip out of my throats as if the creatures on my wall were thrusting its sharp claws down my throats and pulling the words out past my dry lips,
     "Emily?" The words sounded faint and distant. I have no clue where I am. It's too dark to see my location, but I could hear the window blowing and the rain pounding. I heard the light pitter patter of her feet smacking the brick floor, "Emily? Did you call for me? Emily? Where are you?" Her voice was closer.
     "I'm over here." I replied. She turned the corner and I saw them. Those bright blue eyes full of concern, "why?" I asked, she stopped walking.
    "Why? Why what?" Tara stared at me, "Emily. Are you okay?" I cocked my head and felt my eyes narrow.
    "Emily, what did you mean by why?" She walked over to me slowly and placed light hands on my shoulders, "Emily, darling, you are terrifying me." I yanked my shoulder away from her,
    "Why what! Why what! Why does mother prefer you!? Why does everyone prefer you?!" I clenched my fist, my hands shaking like the trees outside.
   "Emily? What are you talking about? Mother loves us both equally." I scoffed,
   "And that's why she talks to you and ignores me as if I don't exist." Tara's eyes widened, "and what more? Am I merely a creature to you? A creature that imprints on others?" Tara slowly raised her hands as though to not frighten me. But that small action simply fueled my anger to a level that was indescribable. I never felt this type of rage before, but now that I have, it is intoxicating. I grabbed her shoulders, "ANSWER ME!" I pulled her closer to me,
    "Emily." She took a shaky breath, "you are scaring me." She grabbed my wrist and lightly pushed them away. Or I should say she attempted to. I tightened my grip on her bony shoulders and kept tightening my grip until I felt her wince.
    "Scaring you now, huh? You weren't scared of me earlier? You seemed to be enjoying the ability to compare me to father. But guess what sister. He is dead. Ten feet under the ground." Her eyes grew teary as I continued, "wanna hear a secret?" She shook her head.
   "Emily. Just let me go please. I promise I'll leave you alone. You won't have to deal with me," her voice grew pitiful sounding, "please Emily." I ignored her pleas and let out a humorless chuckle,
   "Sometimes, I still hear his voice. Beckoning me closer. He visits me at night. Though. He is scarier than usual." I felt the corner of my lips turn upwards in a gruesome attempt of a smile. Her eyes widened as though they wished to fall out, "sometimes. He speaks of you. Of you talking with me. Of you hugging me. Those talks are dull though. My favorite are his darker stories. Of you gasping for breath as I strangle you. Watching the light leave your infuriating blue eyes. I get tempted to watch these stories come to life, but then he whispers to me soft and sweet. Wanna know what he says?"
  "Emily... do you need me to get you some melatonin to calm yourself down?" I felt like screaming, wizhing i could finish the story out without her constant questions,
   "He tells me kindly, just like when he was reading us Cinderella to get us to go to bed. He would come right next to me and say, 'Emily. You know those stories I spoke to you often?' I would confirm and ask which ones. He tells me, 'the one I told you to never mention to your doctors, to you sister and your mother.' And sister, Those stories. Those of my favorites. It's a secret between me and father." I froze. Hearing it. The softly spoken voice, "He is here now. He's waiting for me. You see? He wants me to do as he asked. He misses you so much and wishes to see you again." Tara stared at me tears going down her face.
   "Sister. Don't. Please." I snapped my head towards my father. "Emily! No one is there! Please let me go get something to calm you down!" Her voice cracking annoying me greatly.
   "You always told me to listen to our parents. Adults are to be obeyed and we must do as they say. Were you lying to me? Tara, why did you lie? Father isn't happy with you lying. I'm sending you to be at home with him." She froze for a second before breaking out in tears. Her beautiful face growing ugly as it takes on a red tint. Snot ran out of her nose and down her face, those typically bright blue eyes a dull grey color as they grew puffy. She began struggling. Yanking her shoulders and letting out a sharp cry calling out to dear mother. Emily shook her shoulder violently trying to pry off my vulture-like grip. Upon seeing that action was a failure, she began twisting her body causing us to shift position. Her back almost where I was standing except more to the left. My eyes widened. Brilliant.
   "The wall." I mumbled. A light bulb going off in my head. The sharp spikes grinning to me as if they knew what I was thinking. Soon enough, I began pushing my sister backwards.
   "EMILY! PLEASE STOP!" Tara cried out in pure terror. Still, I was full of strength and with one final push, I let go of her shoulders and watched as she fell. And boy did she fall, she fell hard and right onto the bricks. The bricks were full of joy and glee as the impaled her thin frame. First, her back and then her head. The scratches growing larger as I watched as her body slid down the bricks leaving a violent red color that was visible even in the darkness. Her bright white dresses getting dyed crimson red as the light faded from her eyes. It wasn't what I expected. The light leaving her body. Her soul leaving her. It wasn't what I expected. Oh no. It was way better than I would ever expect. I felt another smile cross my lips. I felt elated. She was gone. The one thing that I felt downgraded me. The one thing that made me look awful when compared to it. I could feel a joyful laugh cross my lips when I turned to Father,
    "I did it! Dad, You get to be with Emily!" Pride filling me. I was able to fulfill the one task my father asked me to do for him. I was beaming and proud when I suddenly heard it,
   "I'm not your father. I'm you." The voice said. I froze as I heard that. You? 'I'm you'? I heard loud steps pelting down the hallway towards me.
   "TARA!!!" My mother's voice cracking as she slid towards my sister's deceased body tears streaking down her face, "Emily. How could you!" 'I'm you.' That voice. It never was father. It was me. Me and my jealousy. I gasped and backed away. Away from my sister. Away from my mother. Away from myself. I ran to the living room and grabbed the house phone. I must get away. I dialed the number and held the phone up to my ear,
   "Nine-one-one, how may I help you?"
   "I just killed my sister. Could you come and get me?"