Celestial Sisters

Chapter 9: Answers and More Questions

Luna had an impeccable ability to block out painful memories, it was the only way she was able live in denial for the last six years. She simply closed her eyes, took a deep breath and distanced herself from the situation and the memory would disappear in the abyss of forgotten thoughts. She tried with great effort to do that little trick once again but each time she tried to close her eyes, she could see the crypt and hear Twyla's taunting thoughts. It really didn't come to her as such as shock that Twyla was not quite human, she always knew that, but to believe the her mother and her were also monsters was impossible. Luna and Celeste were the epitome of normal and they had always been very proud of that.

In her younger years, Luna remembered cowering underneath her bed as Twyla rampaged through the house- shattering porcelain vases and glass windows as she went. The Goodwin family had became well acquainted with the local electrician- Jerry Foster- and his friend Bill Hines, who was willing to replace their windows at a discount price. There was one time, after Jerry and Bill had left the house, Luna found herself nestled in her mother's embrace on the large cream sofa in their parlor room. Her mother usually tried to shield her from the walking disaster that was her twin but that day neither of them were expecting Twyla to escape the confines of her room. Once Twyla was safely slumbering in her bed, Luna finally allowed herself to relish in the fear that seized her heart.

Most kids were afraid of the monster under their bed or in their closet but not Luna. No, Luna was afraid of the monster who slept upstairs.

She remembered clinging to her mother's shirt, wrinkling the silk in her chubby little hands. Whimpers escaped her lips as she remembered the nearly possessed look in Twyla's eye as she screamed like a banshee. Her father called Twyla a devil child, and Luna, though she never truly understood what that meant, coined that term as well. Now, Luna understood. Maybe her sister wasn't possessed by a demon like Luna had originally thought but she was still a monster.

"W-Why didn't you tell me?" Luna's bottom lip trembled as she stared up at her mother through misty eyes.

She watched as the anger melted away from her mother's face. It was like Celeste peeled a mask off, and she was once again the sweet and nurturing mother that had protected her from Twyla's storm. Luna wanted her mother to protect her once more. She wanted to be pulled into her warm embrace and hear her mother's soothing voice as she whispered that everything was going to be fine. But it wasn't. Nothing was fine!

Reaching out, Celeste tried to grab Luna's hand but Luna flinched away. She wiped the tears that were welling in her eyes and took several steps back from both Celeste and Twyla. Her body was shaking.

"I wanted to protect you," Celeste told her. "That's all I've ever tried to do, for both of you."

"Bullshit!" cursed Twyla.

"You protected her! You threw me away." Twyla crossed her arms over her chest and leaned against the oak desk. Her hands quaked as she bit the metal hoop hooked through her lip.

"Twyla, I could not properly train you as a witch. You needed the guidance from my mother and sister. The longer I kept you home, the more destruction you would have done to yourself."

"Because you're weak! You're a pathetic witch who chose to live the life of a mortal and now, your life choices are going to bite you in the ass."

Luna watched the two, as her breathing slowly returned to normal. The shocking discovery of her new identity should have had her on the floor, panicking, but there was a small voice within herself, claiming not to be afraid. The news as terrifying and gut-wrenching as it was, was also familiar. Like one of the forgotten memories, surging to the forefront of her mind. I'm a witch, Luna told herself. She continued to repeat that learned knowledge until it vaguely sounded like it made sense.