The Voices

This story is by Talia and was part of our 2020 Summer Writing Contest. You can find all the writing contest stories here.

July 16th, 2020

“Chri! Chri! I need you to do something.”

Christy’s eyes jolted open. Staring back at her clear as day was her twin sister. Christy could feel her fear as if it were her own. They were twins, they had that connection. 

“Che?” 

Chanelle glanced over her shoulder at the door before turning her attention back to Christy. In an urgent tone she screamed, “RUN!”

Without hesitation Christy jumped out of her bed, disregarding shoes. She headed out of the back door.  She had no idea where she was going but something deep inside her did know. 

July 31st, 2019 1 year ago

Christy sat in a corner of the living room trying to pretend she was invisible. She watched her mama zip all over, avoiding reality. Something was off.  This was not her mother, at least on the inside she was not. She had developed a strange twitch moving her body in an awkward way. She wondered if anyone else noticed. 

Probably, considering the circumstances, but they did not want to say anything. Mourners smiled uncomfortably, squeezed a body part – a shoulder or  an arm, then walked away. Relief washed over their faces. They had done their good deed for the day.

No one attempted to give the remaining twin any attention; she guessed they had no more condolences to give. She loved that everyone was oblivious to her presence. Chenalle was the outgoing one with the great personality and intelligence anyway. Christy was angry with Chenalle. Angry that she left without a goodbye. Angry for being left alone.

—————————

Penny saw the side eyes, heard the whispers saying how terrible of a mother she was and how it should have been her dead. They were not going to take her child. She catapulted out of her bed and into her daughter’s room. She nearly shook Christy’s soul out of her trying to wake her.

“We need to go!”

“What mama?”

“NOW! They’re after us.”

Fogginess roamed in Christy’s head. “Who?”

“Don’t question your mother, get up.”

Two hours later Christy and her mama were deep in some woods. Everything black as if light never existed there.

“Mama where are we going?”

Her mama ignored her as she continued on. A one level house appeared in an opening. It looked like it had not been occupied for centuries. Immediately her mama began unloading bags from the car. Every once in awhile she would stare back into the woods they had come from. Finishing her mama stood in the doorway. “Come in before they see you.”

If Christy would have known it would be a year before she would feel outside air she would have savored it longer rather than hurry inside; the deadbolt sealing her fate.

July 16th, 2020 1 year 

The night air slapped Christy in the face as she ran through the trees. Light from the moon slivered its way through. When she stopped her lungs were burning, her mouth had went cotton mouth dry and the bottoms of her feet felt like rocks. She bent over, her hands clinching her knees.

“Chri.”

Christy lifted her head. This had to be a dream that she will wake up from. 

As if reading her mind Chenalle said, “You’re not dreaming Chri.”

The anger Christy had for her twin sister resurfaced. “Why did you leave me?!”

“I didn’t. You know I would never leave you, you’re my twin sister.”

“But you did so…”

“I’m dead Chri,” Chenalle explained. 

“No! You’re standing right in front of me.”

“Chri, mama killed me.”

“You’re lying! Why would you say that?”

Christy no longer had control of her own body again. Chenalle led her to what appeared to be a cave. In the mouth of it was an arm sticking out reaching for something. Christy felt her knees beginning to buckle. The friendship bracelet she had made for Chenalle was tied around the wrist. Deeper inside the rest of her sister’s body lay. Chenalle held out her cell phone she had on her when their mama dragged her from their home that night. The screen was lit up. She pressed the button and watched the still picture begin to move. It was dark but she could still see parts of Chenalle. Then their mama. She had that same deranged look on her face like she did the day of the funeral. She even had the same twitch. In her hand was a bloody knife.

Silence fell. Even the wind, trees and wildlife no longer made a sound, it was like they were holding their breath. She stared at her sister. Her body numb and trembling. All she could say was, “I’m so sorry. It should have been her instead.” Before she could take those words back Chenalle was gone. 

               ———————

Penny sat on her bed, back against a headboard. She held a glass filled with Crown. Some of the liquid had spilled out. She had not showered for days. She swore they were plotting to kill her through the shower somehow. They screamed in her ears daily. She sloppily raised the glass with the liquid courage toward her lips; however the glass slipped out of her hand and onto the floor. “Chenalle?”

“Hi mama.”

“They killed you.”

“No mama, you did.”

Penny’s face turned from anguish to anger. She pointed at the thing that resembled her Chenalle. “No!” she said defiantly. “This is a trick. You came disguised as my dead daughter you sick bastards?!” Penny screamed to whatever entity that she could not see but knew they were around. They were always around.

“Those stupid voices in your head made you believe your boyfriend and I were messing around. We were planning a surprise birthday party for you mama. That’s it!” 

Her mama did not believe her. The evil clone of her daughter disappeared. Next thing she knew she was walking out of the house and into the woods, no control over her own body. Flashes of the trail flickered in her mind as well as the cave. It took a minute to recover her vision and notice her daughter,  Christy standing at the mouth of it.

“Why mama?!” she asked. Tears balanced on the rims of her eyes.

“I did -“

“It should have been you!”

A sliver of light flashed across Penny’s eyes. A knife was in her hand, the same knife she used to kill Chenalle. She stared at it. Penny never begged for her life nor apologized. “I did it to protect her,” she whimpered. Her daughters stood shoulder to shoulder. That was the last image Penny had before a dark abyss swallowed her life.

 

             ————————–

Daytime snuck in somehow. The sun attacked Christy’s vision. She stepped out onto open road obliviously.  The loud screeching sound of tires made her jump. 

An angry male voice yelled at her. “Jesus! What are…” The driver noticed the blood. “Oh my god are you ok?”

Christy could not speak. She would not if she could; it would make whatever just happened real. She stared blankly at the stranger, his voice sounding distant. He ushered her into his car, she did not protest. As they drove off, Christy stole one last look into the woods. She saw her sister standing amongst the trees; she had a peaceful grin on her face. Neither would have to worry about their mama again. Christy returned the smile.