PARABNORMAL SISTERS

Chapter 1

The final bell opens the floodgates and hundreds of kids escape out into the streets. The two girls among them walk in lockstep, Amy invisible to world and wishing to be seen, and Karen seen by the world and wishing to be invisible.

"A couple of the jocks fancy themselves poker players," says Amy coyly.

Karen keeps her head down and says nothing for three blocks.

Frustration grows on Amy's face. "It'll be just for fun," she pleads.

Karen, ever vigilant to who might be near, finally speaks when she's certain there's no one around. "No."

"C'mon. Please. We haven't done anything fun for a while."

"Your idea of fun usually doesn't end well for me," huffs Karen.

"Yeah. Life is tough. Oh, wait! I don't even HAVE A LIFE!"

"Do not. I repeat. DO NOT play the, oh boohoo I'm dead, guilt trip on me." Karen picks up her pace as she turns onto their block.

"But—"

"Shhhhh!" Karen glances across the street to her neighbor, Mr. Chapman, busy maintaining his perfect lawn. He gives Karen a nod and a smile.

As Karen fishes her keys for the Geest front door out of her purse, a police cruiser pulls in across the street.

"Chief Richards is home," says Amy flatly.

The hardened cop climbs out of his car and gives a friendly wave to Mr. Chapman hard at work in his yard, and then takes a long look over at Karen hunting for her keys.

"He still watches you like a hawk," Amy adds, then slips through the front door.

The latch clicks and the door creaks open just as Karen locates her keys at the bottom of her bag.

"They ALL watch me like a hawk. I am the neighborhood psycho, serial-killer waiting to happen," remarks Karen matter-of-fact.

"I wish you wouldn't talk like that."

As soon as Karen steps through the door their mother June calls out from the kitchen. "Dinner's almost on. Go get ready."

"You know what's coming up?" whispers Amy, although only Karen can hear her.

"Don't remind me," Karen sighs and tosses her bag and books on her bed.

"I dread this every year," says Amy as she drifts across the room to the window.

"Mom tries so hard to act happy. She overcompensates then does the big pendulum swing."

"She'll talk to me and ask God what I'm doing. It rips my heart out," says Amy.

"Why don't you just stay out of mom and dad's room and not listen to her?"

"I can't do that." Amy floats into the center of the room. "It's the only time mom talks to me and I feel like it's when I need to be beside her the most.

"I wish we could forget about our birthday." Karen shakes her head in frustration. "And... when she does finally get out of bed, it'll be over-protective mom month. She's already starting in on me."

"You guys visiting my grave REALLY creeps me out." Amy shivers.

"It's actually a peaceful place. There's an oak tree--"

Amy thrusts out her hand like a traffic cop. "Stop. Stop. Stop. I've told you. I don't want to know. I don't want to hear about it."

"Why not?"