The Sisters: The Curse of Gabriel's Gardens

Possessed

Alexis anxiously knocked at the door of small, neat family house that belonged to the Sanchez family.

A minute ago, the door were opened by Santiago Sanchez, an obese man with a heroic moustache. "Alexis, my dear!" he shouted with a thick accent. "Long time no see, but I'm afraid that today is not the..."

"I know about Marlene," Alexis interrupted him. "I'm here because of her."

"Come in," Santiago said and entered the house followed by both girls. The living room was already occupied by Maria Sanchez, Santiago's wife. She was short and a little plain-looking, but her smile was always charming and heartfelt. The sisters received a warm welcome from both husband and wife.

"What happened to Marlene... it's terrible," Mr. Sanchez muttered. "She just went to a party, like almost every week... she never came home drunk or drugged, she was so responsible... but now... we were waiting for her to come home, but then someone knocked at the door, it was the police, dios mio, and they were like 'Sir, we have unpleasant news for you' and I was like 'What happened?' and..."

"Mr. Sanchez! Slow down," Diane said as the man's speech became gradually faster and less intelligible.

"Okay, okay. Lo siento," Santiago apologized. "They said that Marlene was affected by that Teenage disease that has plagued the city for the last two months... she was just laying on the bed, so pale, looked like dead... I'm afraid that she'll never wake up!"

"Can we see her room?" Alexis asked.

"Of course. Of course," Santiago nodded furiously. Alexis knew the path to Marlene's room. Diane followed her. The room was a combination of a neat organization and a teenage mess. Everything was in its place, but the walls were filled with posters of various musicians and framed photos. Most of them depicted Marlene with young, quite handsome man with blue eyes and pleasant, but a bit overconfident smile.

"Her boyfriend," Alexis muttered. "She never told me much about him... this is actually the first time I've seen a picture of him. Maybe it's my personal bias, but they don't fit very well together. Marlene always looked for intelligence and kindness, and this guy... he looks like that kind of macho man with a girl on every finger"

"I agree that they look somehow weird together," Diane agreed. "No offense to your friend, but he's too hot for her. I'd expect him with a cheerleader or a beauty queen."

"Oh... look at this," Alexis whispered and touched one of the photos just with the tips of her fingers. There were Alexis and Marlene when they were younger, maybe thirteen. The photo was taken in an amusement park named Starlandia located in the Serenity Square district. The girls depicted were so happy and carefree.

Alexis again had to wipe a tear. "Sorry," she said. "I'm probably getting too emotional over this."

Diane put her hand on sister's shoulder. "It's okay."

"Did you find anything?" Santiago barked at them as soon they entered the living room again.

Alexis shook her head. "Nothing yet."

"My poor girl! My little Marlene!" the man wailed.

"Don't worry, we'll figure something out," Diane ensured him.

"We've put our hopes in you," Maria Sanchez sighed; her accent wasn't as strong as her husband's. "Please, don't disappoint us. If Marlene doesn't wake up..." she bursted out crying.

"For now, we just need to make some research," Alexis chanted with her trademark lecturing voice. "Learn more about the disease."

"Green Day said: Know your enemy," Diane added.