“Sit still,” Suzie’s older sister scolded, smacking her on the arm, “or I’ll leave your hair half braided.”

Suzie’s spine stiffened, then she tilted her head back and whined, “nooooo...”

“Then sit still or be lop-sided.”

“But it’s sooooo boring,” Suzie’s back slowly curled into a slouch again as she pouted.

“Oh, you’re bored? Well I’m bored too and my hands are cramping so I’m getting the prize at the pity party.” Lizzie stuck her tongue out at Suzie, holding the position until Suzie looked up and saw her in the mirror. Suzie stuck her tongue out in response to her older sister, her eyes squinting and her face scrunching up as she tried to force her tongue out farther.

Lizzie yanked a little extra hard on Suzie’s hair. Suzie accidentally but her tongue, her hands flying up to cover her mouth. “You’re so meeeaaaan!”

“Oh hush, you’ll miss me when I’m gone.”

A strange feeling filled Suzie’s chest, spreading all the way up to her throat. She met her older sister’s eyes in the mirror. Lizzie’s smile was frozen, her warm reddish-brown eyes unblinking, and when Suzie turned around.... She wasn’t there.

*

Suzie opened her eyes only a few hours after closing them, her head pounding and mouth dry. With a sigh, she sat up and looked about the guest room. Kelsi was nowhere to be seen, only a Kelsi sized dent in the chair by the window. The boys were still sleeping in the other bed. Hiro laid on his back with his limbs splayed and his mouth agape. Alphonse was curled up next to him, knees jammed into Hiro’s side and an arm draped over his chest.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

The bed frame creaked when Suzie stood and Alphonse’s eyes opened immediately. His all too wakeful gaze flicked over to Suzie and he kindly removed his knees from Hiro’s ribs before closing his eyes once more.

Suzie shook her head, yawning as she stepped out of the guestroom. Eli and his wife had both clearly left to deal with matters in town and once more Kelsi was nowhere to be seen. So Suzie was left alone to hunt for a pitcher of water.

*

Kelsi hugged her bundle to her chest, her soft brown eyes were wide and fixed firmly on the ground and her bottom lip was trembling. Her back was pressed flush against a wood wall and her collar was stuck to her neck with sweat. She was cornered by the blonde armored woman that terrified and angered Suzie when they first arrived at the village.

“What makes you all think you can encroach on our territory? A bunch of no-name little upstarts! Huh?!” The woman punched the wall by Kelsi’s head and she flinched away from it. “Look at me when I’m talking to you!”

On instinct, Kelsi’s chin jerked up. Her eyes flittered around, searching for someone to save her but the villagers all ignored her as if they were unable to hear the woman shouting at her.

“I said, look at me!” Kelsi’s chin was suddenly and brutally grabbed. In her shock, she dropped the bag in her hands, the dried fruits and meats scattering across the patchy grass. Her inventory was full of knives and knickknacks and she thought it wouldn’t be so bad to carry them back to the Rothlin home but now... they were all dirty.

Kelsi was forced to look away from the lamentable state of her groceries and into the blonde woman’s eyes. Her chin was held so tightly by the woman that her lip wasn’t wobbling anymore but tears were spilling down her cheeks.

“Playing the victim? You pathetic, little-”

“Kyna!”

Kelsi peeked over the woman’s shoulder to see Suzie stalking towards them, armorless and eyes burning with rage.