Page 72 of The House of Whispers

As I approached the hall of Casper’s floor, I noticed streaked bloody footprints that appeared to branch from beneath Madame Chepi’s closed door, growing as they smeared down the hall. The trail seemed to continue down the long, stretched hall leading to the opposite end and stopping directly in front of Casper’s room. My stomach grew sick at the metallic smell that hung heavily in the air, increasing as I fluttered over the blood-stained floor nearing Casper’s door. My wings slowly lowered, allowing my feet to touch the floor as I attempted to avoid contact with the small dark puddle in front of her closed door. My shaking hand rose, gently knocking against the door as my other hand squeezed tightly around my nose and mouth. My body heaved as I choked back my churning stomach, fighting against the pungent smell.

“Sister?” I whispered through my fingers against the paint-chipped wood. I waited a moment, hoping for her reply, but there was no answer. My chest rose as I breathed hard, forcing myself to remain in front of the door. Part of me wanted to fly away and leave, but I knew the only way to leave was to speak with Casper first. “Sister, are you there? I-I received the note you sent me… from the Whisp—”

Before the words could fully leave my lips, the door unlocked itself and gently cracked open, quietly inviting me inside. The atmosphere was drenched in an eerie, threatening energy that sent a chill of worry along my wings and down my back. The inner voice in my head was screaming for me to turn around and run to Nathair, but I ignored it. Swallowing hard, I forced myself forward, stepping through the small, open crease of the door and into her room. The smell of blood increased, thickening as I slithered inside the room.

Casper’s room was outlined with an overwhelming number of lit candles, burning a magikal orange and purple. The flames danced, casting shadows along the distressed walls, distracting my attention. Fear gripped my bones as the door suddenly slammed shut behind me, the storm raging outside as lightning flashed, followed by an immense roar of thunder. I jumped in reaction, gasping as I stepped to the center of the room, slowly rotating as I suddenly came face to face with my sister.

“Casper!” Min screeched, jumping at the sight of me. The storm must’ve had her on edge, adding to any already existing anxiety that usually plagued her innocent self.

“Min,” I smiled, “I take it you’ve received my note?” She nodded, her eyes wide as they absorbed my appearance. I’d almost forgotten that my skin was soaked in the blood of my most recent art piece. Presumably, the image of me standing there bathed in blood must’ve rattled my sister a bit as it hadn’t been my usual choice of attire—until recently. My hand flourished from my head to my feet. “Isn’t it beautiful?” Min’s brows furrowed in confusion, terror painting her face as she gawked at my strange persona. “Why this, dear sister,” I explained, “is the true embodiment of my triumph.”

“I-I don’t understand. What t-triumph?” She held her hands close to her chest, tucking her chin into them as her voice quietly stuttered. “Y-your note said you needed to speak with me, that you had almost completed y-your plan but needed me?” She swallowed, pointing to herself, her body cautiously stepping back, away from me. My eyes immediately noted her defensive movement. “Casper,” she whispered, “t-there was blood on the paper… down the hall.” She wheezed the words, freezing as her eyes caught the focus of mine.

“Why, of course.” I lifted my hands, my eyes moving from Min to my open palms as lightning flashed revealing the gruesome aftermath of my masterpiece. My hands were soaked in the paint of my art, matching most of my skin. “Murder does tend to be a messy exchange.” A deadly grin stretched from my lips as my eyes met Min’s. She quickly fluttered to the door in fear, thunder rolling outside as the rain tapped against my window. My raised hand moved as my fingers curled, magik locking the door as she tried to turn the knob, slapping her hands against the door as tears fell from her silver eyes. “Shhhhhh,” I rushed to her side, attempting to coax her as she flinched from my touch. “There’s no reason to fear me, Min. I’m not going to hurt you.” My eyes quickly glanced to the other end of the room.

My sister looked up at my face, sobbing. “Then open the door. Sister, let me go,” she cried, spitting her soft words, “please.”

His haunting presence thickened the air as he stepped through the doorway of the washroom. My veins coursed with electricity as he stood there, patiently waiting. My hand stroked Min’s pale face, blood smearing across her cheek as she tried to turn from me. “There is no one left to fear. I freed us, sister.” I cupped her face with both of my hands forcing her eyes to stare into mine, “Madame Chepi is gone. She can no longer hurt us.” The unnatural smile on my face grew, exposing my teeth as I squeezed her face, my breathing intensifying as she gawked at me. I had never witnessed such fear in her eyes.

“Casper,” she wheezed, “please tell me… tell me you didn’t kill Madame Chepi?” I felt insulted by the questioned disgust in her words.

“It was the only way to free you.” My face dropped, disappointed in Min’s lack of appreciation for what I had done for her.

“Casper,” she cried, “who will protect the Whisps?”

My lips frowned as my expression darkened. “I do not care about the fate of the Whisps.” I dropped her face. “They are not my problem.”

She cried softly. “What about Chesmu?”

My body stiffened at the mention of his name as I forced the sentence from my mouth. “Chesmu is no longer a burden I bear.”

Min gasped, blinking as she looked at me. It was as though she was staring at a stranger. “Casper, what have you done?” My head tilted as she remained standing against the door. “Without Chesmu, Madame Chepi, or the Whisps, we’re alone in this world.”

“Are we?” I scoffed, raising an eyebrow. “Or am I?” Anger slowly began to consume me from within, magik burning brightly in my palms.

Min straightened her posture as she pushed against the door. “What do you mean?”

“Tell me, sister.” Power flowed from my being as I fiercely slammed her body against the door, my hand gripping her neck. Min gasped, her eyes widened with fear. “What exactly was your plan… if the events of tonight didn’t go as you had intended?” She grabbed my hand attempting to pull it back as my magik burned against her skin securing my grip. “Was it not your plan all along to run away with your Scaley beau?” My hold tightened as she choked, tears falling from her face. “Wasn’t it?!” I screamed through clenched teeth as her bloodshot eyes begged me to release her.

Weak.

I leaned close to Min’s ear and whispered, “Did you really think I didn’t know? You wanted to run away and leave me behind.” I pulled back. “After years of protecting you.” Min’s face slowly began to fade. “After everything I’ve done for you, you were going to abandon me. Oh, sweet sister, there is no us. Onlyme.” My eyes bolted to Jakkal as he approached my side. “And you are holding me back.”

My grip on Min’s throat loosened as she fell to the floor, coughing hysterically as she held her throat. Jakkal gracefully stepped in front of me, bending down to face her, my knife firmly in his hand. Min looked past Jakkal and stared directly at me, crying as he played with the blood-stained blade. “Please,” she cried uncontrollably as he lifted her head, the knife kissing the skin along her neck, “please, Casper, this isn’t you.”

In that very moment, Min’s innocence shined through the darkness. She was so sweet and pure. So weak.

My head tilted, mimicking Jakkal’s movement as I smiled. “That, dear sister, is where you are wrong.” Jakkal moved the blade along Min’s throat with steady precision as her warm blood sprayed us both. Jakkal released his grip, stepping away as Min’s mouth filled with blood. Her hands trembled as they reached for the gaping wound, her mouth opened wide as she stared up at me, tears falling from her metallic eyes. I dropped to my knees and faced her, soft cries dripping from her lips. “This is me.” My thumb wiped a tear from her cheek as her head slumped back against the door, her hands desperately trying to stop the bleeding. I crawled to her side, tears filling my eyes as I pulled her close, doing my best to soothe her, resting her head against my chest as her blood pooled across my breasts. “Shhhhhhh. It’s okay,” I stroked her hair as her breathing became shallow, “I’m here. I’m here, sister.”

Min’s face shifted, wobbling as she peered up at me, our eyes meeting. Her sparkling silver irises darkened as her pupils dilated. She reached for my face, her bloody hand smearing my cheek as her fingers shook, gently touching my skin. “Sister,” she whispered as the last breath of her life slipped from her blood-stained lips. Her arm fell as her body went limp against my own.

My hand peacefully stroked her face, my smile fading as the sudden realization of her death pressed through the small cracks in my brain. It forced out the emotions of my suppressed consciousness as my eyes blinked uncontrollably, tears quickly filling my eyes. The dark demeanor that overshadowed me quickly melted away as I held my sister’s limp body in my arms. It was as if the dark image of my reality had suddenly sharpened into view.

“Min?” I blinked, feeling her blood on my skin, causing me to wiggle in discomfort. I shook her face, watching for any sign of life. “No,” my hands shook her once more. She remained lifeless, her neck struggling to hold the weight of her head as I violently tried to wake her. “No, no, no!” Tears burned in my eyes as I carefully laid her body on the floor, a small pool of her blood forming beneath her as I shook her body once more. “Min?” She remained frozen, empty of any life. Warm tears fell from my eyes onto her pale bloody face as I began to sob uncontrollably. “Min, wake up.” I positioned myself, my hands flexed above her chest as magik flowed from my palms into her body. “Wake up.” My power soared through her body, failing to revive her. “Wake up!” I screamed, pushing more of my power into my sister’s corpse.

No, no, no, no, no! This can’t be happening. It can't!I continued to shake her, desperate for her to return to me, crying as I slammed fistfulls of magik into her chest. My heart burned, aching with a heavy, uncontrollably pain as I wheezed, breathing heavily through thick cries. My heart was breaking, shattering into microscopic pieces as my head throbbed, pulsating as it began to battle itself.

Jakkal remained standing adjacent to me, fiddling with the bloody knife, Min’s blood dripping from the blade as he watched me. “You were free,” he growled.

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