the hanging tree - billie eilish

the forest |40|

alexis's POV

~three years earlier~

"so, are you excited?" layla asks, singing when she says excited and wiggling her shoulders so she's against mine. "shut up" i roll my eyes and push her back into her seat. we're in the backseat of my uncle's car right now, my dad is in the front. we're going camping for the weekend so i'm actually pretty excited. i love camping. emma is on the other side of layla and i have the window seat after threatening to punch emma's nonexistent boob and layla saying she'll take the middle so we don't fight. "what about you munkin?" layla asks. emma isn't really that young. she's only a year younger than me because she was kind of an accident. though my parents would never admit that. they just say she was a "surprise". "i'm pretty excited yeah. what about you?" emma asks. "hell yeah i'm excited. hey dad, how's my form?" layla asks jokingly, taking emma's arm in her hands and pretending it's a rifle. "perfecto" dad answers in a weird voice. "turn up the music dad" emma orders happily once she realizes what song it is.

"sunny, thank you for that smile upon your face. sunny thank you, thank you for the gleam that flows its grace. you're my spark of nature's fire. you're my sweet complete desire. sunny one so true, yes i love you" we all sing together. "take it lex!" emma says and points at me. "sunny, yesterday oh my life was filled with rain. sunny, you smiled at me and really, really eased the pain. now the dark days are gone and the bright days are here. my sunny one shines so sincere. sunny one so true, i love you. i love you" i sing, seeing everyone but uncle jared staring at me in awe.

here's how it works really. everyone calls layla the sweet one, emma is the funny one and for some dumbass reason they call me the "talented one".

"hell yeah lexi! that was amazing!" jared cheers. "awesome as always" dad smiles and high fives me. "that was great alexis. you should sing professionally" emma tells me. "i guess we know why they call you the funny one" i shake my head and laugh. "she's right. you could be so famous" layla agrees. "i'd love to see that beautiful face on all the billboards" jared adds. "thank you, thank you very much" i thank them in an elvis voice.

"look where we are!" dad exclaims. the car erupts with "yay"s and "woo hoo"s as we see the cabin. jared parks the car and we get our stuff from the bed of the truck. "first one to the door gets the master bedroom!" dad yells. i book it to the door and feel emma grab my arm and pull me back. "cheater" i roll my eyes playfully and trip her, running past her. i finally reach the door and see everyone else barely get there after. "looks like you're sleeping in a twin bed" i boop dad's nose and laugh. "and you are too!" i smile and boop jared's as well. "looks like i'm putting you on an air mattress and out on the lake" jared jokes and boops my nose. "you're bluffing" i deny and walk inside. i admire the cabin and walk up to the master bedroom.

we've had this cabin for my entire life. my grandpa owned it before he died and he left it to my dad. my mom was going to come with us but she couldn't because she had to work. but i guess this will be nice too. i love spending time with my dad. and obviously with uncle jared too. he's the best uncle in the world.

after we settle in we get ready to go hunting (i have never gone hunting in my life because i don't want to kill animals so excuse me if this is wrong). once we're all ready we walk outside and i follow my dad. we get in the car and drive to the right spot before getting out. my dad hands layla and i guns slightly smaller than his and emma gets the smallest one. this is emma's first time because the rules are, when we turn 11 we get to go hunting with dad and jared. the passed few years she had to stay back at the cabin with mom so obviously she's excited.

my dad points out an elk and we kneel down behind some bushes. "go ahead." he nudges me with a whisper. "are you sure?" i ask. "yeah" he nods. i aim at the elk and pull the trigger after a few seconds, barely missing him. "dang it." i sigh as the deer runs off. "it's alright kid, you'll get the next one. you were this close" he says, putting his fingers close together.

after a few minutes uncle jared pulls me away from the group. "i swear saw a deer over here somewhere." he says, looking around. "you know, deers are attracted to a clearing when the hunters are nude." he explains. "a-are you sure?" i ask. "yeah, trust me" he assures me. "if you say so." i agree nervously. he starts taking off his clothes and i do the same, praying he's telling the truth. "lay down, they'll come." he orders. "o-okay." i nod and do as told.

he climbs on top of me and my eyes go wide as he shoves his entire length into me. "no, stop" i order, trying to push him off of me. he's too heavy. "shut up." he demands and covers my mouth with his hand. "stop! please!" i yell, though it's muffled into his hand. "oh my god" he moans and i feel my stomach tighten as if i'm about to throw up. "i-it hurts" i tell him, wincing at the amount of pain. i can feel something in my lower stomach and it only makes the pain worse. "help!" i scream, still coming out muffled. "jared stop" i cry. "not until i cum. now shut up and take this dick you little whore." he says, slapping me across the face. "get off of her!" emma screams. "emma no! get away. he's dangerous" i shout at her. he smirks and gets off of me, walking over to emma. "stay away from her!" i order. "or what?" he asks. i grab the gun from the ground and hold it up, aiming at him. "that doesn't scare me. you're not gonna shoot." he laughs. i cock the gun and point it at him once again after he grabs emma. "don't touch her." i order. he starts unzipping her jacket as she squirms and i close my eyes and pull the trigger, hearing a familiar scream.

i open my eyes and see a bullet hole in emma's coat, blood starting to pour out of it. "OH MY GOD EMMA! HELP!" i scream. i run to her and take her from jared's arms. "stay with me. come on em. stay with me." i cry. "i love you lex." she chokes out. the light drains from her eyes and i hug her close to me. "i love you too." i sob, knowing full well this was my fault.

i just killed my sister.