Page 106 of The Harbinger

She was my little sister by six years. The product of my mother’s best friend who didn’t want children but a career. She couldn’t fathom her child being raised by anyone other than my mother. I was meant to be an only child, but we were inseparable when my baby sister came around.

My sister’s beautiful black locks bounced in my mind’s eye, and a sob broke free as her face materialized. The dimples on her cheeks, the scar on her forehead from when we fell from the pine tree in the backyard.

I’d walked away with nothing but a bruise, but she required stitches. We were both lectured about the dangers of climbing too high, but we were kids and didn’t care, so we did it again the next night.

I peeled off my clothes and washed his cum from between my legs as I searched my brain for more information.

What of my parents?

The dark void in my mind kept its secrets close to the nothingness, only letting me partake when it released its grip. I stared at the binding sigil in the mirror made out of his blood on my chest. I’d lost my mind for a second time tonight, letting him do this to me. But I couldn’t raise my fresh cloth and wipe it off.

I stared at the sigil, bound on my chest with his blood, reflecting in the mirror. I had allowed him to do this to me, but I couldn’t bring myself to remove it.

My stomach twisted as my eyes traced the design, and for a moment, I wished it were carved into my skin. It would serve as a constant reminder that I belonged to him—that I had a purpose.

But even with this symbol, it wouldn’t prevent him from using me however he pleased. He had declared that I meant nothing to him… yet his actions spoke otherwise. He protected and cared for me in ways I couldn’t comprehend.

Mom is going to kill you. You know that, right?

As her voice echoed in my mind for the second time, I couldn’t help but wish for the presence of my dear sister by my side, even if it was just a hallucination.

What was the reason for this memory to resurface once again?

I scoffed, tossed the cloth into the sink, and walked into my closet.

I’d really lost my mind if I’d thought the ghostly memory of my sister did anything but haunt me. Lex was a memory. She wasn’t there to reveal anything significant to me. She was a manifestation of my damaged psyche, and the sooner I accepted that the better off I’d be.

It was dark save for the light flickering in the bathroom when I dressed in a plain t-shirt and jeans, then tossed my hair in a towel, letting each lock wring out in the softness.

Mom is going to kill you. You know that—

“Stop it.“ I slapped my temples with my palm. “Stop it.Stop it.”

My knees gave out beneath me, collapsing to the ground as if they could no longer bear the weight of my crumbling mind. My temples throbbed with unrelenting pressure. I braced myself for the blinding pain, but instead, it was her voice that shattered through what little sanity remained.

The words echoed inside my head, each repetition breaking off a piece of my mind until nothing was left but fragments of a broken record.

The sudden creak of the bedroom door was like a gunshot in the silence, its rusty hinges screeching in protest as it swung open. I flinched, my heart racing in my chest. The door had never sounded so old, so desperate for oil, but at that moment, I was grateful for the warning it provided.

“I’ll be right out.” My words hung in the air like stagnant fog, and a crackle of electricity branched over my skin, setting my hair on end. “Hello?” I stood and sniffled as I peered into the bedroom. The door was closed as I’d left it.

What’s wrong with me?

I’d stumbled into unknown territory, and not even Dr. Sergei could figure it out. He’d said my memories would come back on their own, or I’d be forever left in the darkness I’d called my mind. Either way, it didn’t explain the auditory and now what seemed like visual hallucinations—if that’s what the man in the forest was.

My mind crumbled piece by piece like Humpty Dumpty.

I hung my towel on the hook and raked my fingers through my hair, making it as presentable as I could without diving into the drawers or throwing it into a ponytail, then stalked out of my bedroom and collided with Sacha’s hard chest, smelling of spices.

“The food’s getting cold.”

“C-cold?”

My body jerked away from his irresistible aroma as if he hadn’t induced mind-blowing ecstasy moments ago.

“You’ve been up here for nearly forty-five minutes.”

“Forty…” I shook my head, his hands sliding over my shoulders. “That’s not…” I rubbed my temples as he slid his hand down to my elbow and ushered me down the steps.

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