In the wee hours of the morning, my feet slid across the carpet in the hallway. I ignored the family portraits hanging on the wall. I walked past Mom and Dad's master bedroom. There was no point going in because no one was there. They were sleeping on my bedroom floor after taking turns all night watching over me to make sure I didn't fall asleep. I made it to the bathroom, turned on the light, and left a small crack in the door, in case Mom or Dad peeked their head into the hallway; my cover story of having to use the bathroom would sound more real if they saw the light on.
I crept to Angela's closed bedroom door and opened it. Her Winnie the Pooh alarm clock was the only light in her room. She was snoring lightly. I took a deep breath and placed my hand over my heart. My beautiful little sister. I'd have to keep telling her stories of Franco, so her memories wouldn't fade as she got older. I shut her door softly to not disrupt her peaceful sleep.
I made my way to Kina's closed bedroom door and balled my hands into a fist. If I was a cartoon character, gray smoke would be coming out of my ears. If Kina had a heart, she would be crying herself to sleep, or she would be praying near the window. When I turned the knob, I wasn't surprised to see the little brat sound asleep. The lamp on her nightstand was still on, and her iPad lay near her pillow.
I folded my arms across my chest and stomped to her bed. I wasn't afraid of Kina, and it was time to prove that to her. If anything, she should be afraid of me. You see, Kina was sneaky. Never in a million years would I have thought she could be so ugly inside. I thought she had that naive personality of innocence. I knew she was laughing at how things worked out with Franco. She was plotting what to do next. I just knew it. The thing with sneaky people was that they worked on schedules, and sometimes they manipulated other people to do their dirty work.
If there was a war between us, I'd win. No doubt. I wasn't sneaky. I didn't plan. Instead, I acted on impulse, and when the time came that I thought she didn't deserve to breathe anymore, I'd end her life and not give it a second thought. She would end up as worm food, what she resorted my brother, my best friend, to become.
I leaned down. Her breathing tickled my nose hairs. If I didn't know any better, Kina was smirking in her sleep. She definitely looked evil. I whispered, "Kina." My voice sounded like acid. Good. I wanted to scare the bejeezus out of her.
She yawned, stretched, and opened her eyes slowly. "Loren, I'm happy you're home. I love you." Her voice sounded hoarse.
"I hate you."
"Why?"
"You know why."
"No, I don't. Please tell me." She hugged her teddy bear. No doubt trying to squeeze it to death, to make the black buttons pop off and the cotton ooze out. Franco had given her that Build-A-Bear a few years ago. How dare she hold on to it. Could it be her trophy? From watching Law and Order: SVU, I knew killers liked having their trophies to remember their victims.
I snatched the bear out of the little brat's hands and threw it on the floor. Kina leapt up. Her mouth was open, and her eyes were wide. I leaned even closer to her. "You killed Franco, you little bitch."
Kina frowned. Tears welled up in her eyes.
What a joke? She wouldn't fool me any longer. She wasn't innocent. She was a manipulator.
I pushed her down. "If you tell Mom or Dad about our conversation, I'll hurt you."
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