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Season 3: Episode 1, The Birthday
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𝕸𝖊𝖑𝖎𝖓𝖔𝖊 tiptoes out of her bedroom, making sure to close her door quietly. She moved down the landing but stopped when she noticed her older sister Jennifer's bedroom light was on and the door slightly ajar.
It was already 9:15pm, and Joshua Parker insisted that his 5-year-old daughter be in bed at 9 or else they'd be put down in the basement again. Mel hated it down there.
She peeked through the door to see her father with a book in hand reading to 6-year-old Jenny, who lay on his chest. It made a wave of jealousy wash over the siphoner. Her father never did that for her. Even when she had asked once, all she got was a harsh smack, so she learned never to ask again.
Why did her daddy love Jenny but not her?
"What are you doing awake?" A voice hissed beside her, and she jumped slightly.
"I'm hungry," Mel whispered as she started up at her eldest brother, who began dragging her back to his room. Melinoe hadn't been allowed dinner that day because of an accidental siphoning incident involving Maxwell. "I just wanted something to eat."
Malachai placed the girl onto his bed, and she pulled her knees to her chest. She heard a slight ruckus, so she lifted her head to see Kai pulling out a box from his cupboard full of treats like chocolate, sweets, pork rinds, and a few healthier options on one side, whilst the other held more adult items like cigarettes and a lot of small white packets that she had no clue what they contained.
"Here." He handed her a packet of chocolate chip cookies, which she happily accepted, and they shared the packet silently until Mel spoke once more.
"Why does Daddy not like us?" Kai couldn't help but wince once he saw the look in her eyes. Melinoe had such innocence. She had only ever wanted her father's love, yet he refused to give it to her because of her abilities, so instead she received abuse for trying. And despite how many times he hit her, yelled at her, or threw her into the basement without food or water for days, she'd always try again, hoping for just a fraction of his attention.
"Our father doesn't like our siphoning abilities, Melly."
"He doesn't like us because of the way we were born?"
Honestly, Kai had never liked the day his parents came home and announced they'd had another set of twins. But the moment he looked into those babie's eyes, identical to his own, something told him he'd protect them no matter what. Sometimes he felt like he had failed.
