Sinister Minds

Chapter 6. Guns and Straws

Tel reminisced on her days in the house. The nostalgia was almost overwhelming. She had good times, bad times, weak moments within these walls. 

Hope was also lost in it. Staring with a solemn expression. The house had always had a connection with them. They could feel it as it felt them, obeying every mental command. 

But now … he's quiet. I can't hear him. 

Hope's voice broke the eerie silence in the heart of the mansion. What was now a storeroom to the Dodvrans. "There's not even a whisper. Even here, nothing at all." 

Tel removed her white gloves and pressed her hand against the cool brick wall. 

"Are you sure that guard won't come in here checking? He did see us after all." Hope paced across the stuffy room.

Tellese closed her eyes, cheeks pressed against familiar walls. "He won't. He has no reason to worry about two serving maids."

"You don't know that." 

"I don't?" 

"Ah, yes," Hope's eyebrows raised in realization. "I forgot." 

Tel reached out with her mind, palm still against the wall. Surfing for Sadiq's sentience. Where are you? She wondered as she surfed. 

"Tel?" Hope's voice felt distant. There was just her and the empty soul she surfed. She called out. "Sadiq!" 

Tel thought she felt a stir, a negligible thing but she felt it, like the fading pulse of a man. She pushed further to encourage it, to— 

Hope dragged her from the wall. She hissed at her sister. "What!" 

Hope gestured with her eyes. They had unwanted company. 

"What are you both doing here?" The officer asked, his hand stroking the wooden frame of his rifle.

Hope stepped forward, putting on a meek and innocent face. "Good sir, we… we got lost."

"No one is allowed here. All maids know this. Or should I take you for thieves?" 

Tel shared a look with Hope. "No sir. We are new and not familiar with the place. You coul—" 

"New? How long? When were you employed?" He unhooked his rifle from his shoulder. 

Hope gave her that look again. He was too far away for her to put him to sleep. Hope wasn't that restricted but there was nothing hard enough in the room to knock him out. 

"I asked a question," he leveled his rifle at them, "but of course, you have no answer. Thieves!" He declared. "Hands where I can see them." 

Abruptly he jerked backwards and dropped his rifle, hands going to his neck as if grasping a string. Then Tel saw someone behind him. Within that time, Hope had rushed forward and smashed the rifle's butt on his nose. 

It didn't knock him out but broke his nose badly. Tel pushed her sister aside —Hope was already raising the butt for another hit— before she did more unnecessary damage. She grabbed the thrashing man by the arm and he slumped into unconsciousness. 

The strangler exhaled, his strings snapping back into their case. Tel smiled when she saw his face. 

Hope gasped. "You!" 

Both sisters patted their brother's head. The silly man had the nerve to tousle their hair in return, like they were his unruly daughters. 

"I'm curious what you did to the chef who owns the apron you're wearing," Tel said bluntly.