My Sister, Skylar

Twelve

When Leigh awoke, she could hear screaming. Someone was shouting her name. No, several people were yelling her name. Where was she? Confusion and exhaustion swept over her, and all she wanted to do was keep sleeping. Then she realized where she was, and remembered what happened. The asphalt beneath her back was hot and uncomfortable, and the ringing and pounding in her head wouldn't stop. She forced herself to sit up, bringing around another bout of hurt. Standing shakily, she observed the scene around her. Ash lay on the side of the road, cradling something in her arms. Oliver sat across from her, his fingers flying over whatever it was she was holding. 

Six, on the other hand, was fighting Thirteen. Everything came rushing back to Leigh in a painful sweep. Six had jumped in front of Thirteen, sparing his life, so why were they fighting? She stepped forward, ready to use her Twist on him. It came, but the fire was weak and sputtering. It was merely a parody of the colours that had come spewing out before.  

"Leigh!" Shouted Ash over the din. 

Leigh turned her head and saw finally what they were holding. It was Madelaine. Blood made tiny rivers down her face and forehead, mixing in with the earth and staining the gravel. Her long dark hair fanned out around her in a tousled mess. She looked so still and peaceful, you would have thought she was dead. The shock registered, freezing Leigh to the ground. Then she reacted, ignoring the pain that made pins and needles all over her body and ran towards her friends. She fell on her knees so hard, the gravel ripped her jeans and made her bleed. Oliver was trying to dress the wound, sweat running in rivets down his forehead. 

"Damn it, damn it, damn it!" He shouted. Madelaine stirred. 

"Leigh?" She asked, her voice gravelly as she thrashed around, reaching for Leigh. Leigh reached her hand out, trying to comfort the fallen girl. Madelaine gripped it tightly. 

"Am I going to die?" She asked quietly. 

"No, no of course not. Oliver is going to save you, ok? Just stay still." Leigh replied, tears already pooling and dripping onto her cheeks, then onto Madelaine's serene and pale face. The injured girl nodded, letting her eyes fall closed. 

"No, no, no!" Oliver cursed. "Keep her awake, keep her awake!" He shouted hysterically. Leigh cupped Madelaine's face. 

"Maddy? Madelaine, can you still hear me?" Leigh held her breath as Madelaine moved. 

"Yeah... yeah, I can hear you. What's wrong?" She asked. Leigh breathed a shaky laugh.

"Nothing's wrong, we just need you to stay awake, ok? Just stay awake." 

Madelaine nodded, then let her eyes fall closed again. Leigh racked her brain. 

"Um, ok. Listen to me, ok?" She said. Madelaine's eyes fluttered open. "Remember when we decided we were going to run away from home? We made it out to the highway, and it was so dark and so cold, and the police found us later, huddled under a tree? Or remember when we discovered that creek behind your place, and we played warriors for hours? We had our own secret fort, and we always played some far-away fairytale game, because regular life was boring." Leigh had to take a breath, trying not to ramble or cry. 

"Or when we found that old book, and we thought it was some magic book until we realized it was a Spanish bible, but it didn't matter because it was so cool. Or when we first started seventh grade, I don't think I would have survived without you. Or when we found your dads old Walkman, and we played that thing to bits. Or when we had that stupid fight, over who was more like Kim Possible and who was more like Ron Stoppable, and you didn't talk to me for three days? Did I ever tell you those were the worst three days of my life?" 

Madelaine was smiling now, her fingers curled around Leigh's. "Remember." She croaked, her voice hoarse and unrecognizable. "When we first met Oliver, and I didn't want you to be his friend, because he was a boy and I thought you would get married and I wanted to keep you for myself." She smiled ruefully. 

"And remember when we jumped off that cliff face, and we both landed wrong because we were holding hands and we were sore for days after? Or when that bird tried to steal your ice cream." Leigh was laughing and crying now, thinking of all the fun things she had done with Madelaine in her life.

 Madelaine and she had been best friends for a really long time. Before Leigh had moved to Banff, they were pen-pals, and after that, real-life best friends. There was still so much to do, so much to say... she couldn't let her go just yet. They were supposed to die on the same day, and be buried next to each other mainly because Madelaine didn't want to be buried next to her crazy aunt, but also because they wanted to be together even in death. 

"Done!" Oliver cried, sitting back on his heels. "It's all I can do right now, but she should be ok." He said sighing. That was when they noticed the white tendrils. 

Leigh's eyes widened as the arms wrapped their way around her waist, yanking her away from her friends. Oliver and Ash were lifted off the ground, pulling them away from Madelaine. She was lifted gently, support for the back of her head there. Leigh struggled, but it was fruitless. Six was out cold, laying on the side of the road. A white aura surrounded his body, making Leigh wonder if this was Thirteen's doing. Thirteen's eyes were blank white, no pupil left. He raised his hand making the group rise further off the ground. Leigh felt her insides writhe. Thirteen snapped his fingers, and they were in a completely different place. 

The room was nothing more than a huge grey concrete square box. The light seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere all at once, and Leigh could feel a huge suppressing feeling to her. Fear fluttered her heart like a bird locked in a cage. What was this feeling? Thirteen yelled, sending them all in separate directions. Leigh braced herself to hit the wall, but she didn't have to. The grey room's walls opened to reveal a long dark hallway. Leigh watched in horror as each of her friends were blasted in a different direction, down a different hallway.