Faults

Chapter 16: Taylor

When a guard opens the door to my cell and tells me to get up, I'm hit with surprise. I haven't left this cell since I got here and if today's the day I do, well, I'll be damned. "I'm finally leaving?" I ask.

"As far as I know," the guard replies as he leads me out of the dungeon.

We reach the door and the guard quite literally kicks me out. I land on my ass on the dusty path that leads to the wretched place I was just stuck in. I stand up and rub my tailbone, beginning my walk back to my home. It's been eight months. I've been counting.

Aydin is in for it now.

I burst through the door when I get to the cottage and find Aydin sitting at the kitchen table. "Taylor?" he gasps, visibly shocked.

"I'm home, dear brother," I snicker.

"Archie let you out?" he asks, scooting his chair back from the table.

"It would seem so," I respond as he gets up and starts walking away. "I see he didn't tell you. What happened to him being your valiant protector? Looks like he's failing."

Aydin doesn't respond and makes a bee-line for his room. I walk up behind him swiftly and grab the back of his neck, pulling him into a chokehold. "Did you think I'd let this go that easily?" I ask, gripping his neck tighter.

He gasps and sputters as I increase the pressure, silently threatening to crush his windpipe. Lighting three of my fingertips with small flames, I bring my hand up to his left cheek and slowly drag my blazing fingers down it. After eight months with no way of cutting my nails, they're terribly sharp. Perfect for getting back at my brother.

Aydin opens his mouth to scream but nothing comes out. I squeeze his neck tighter and watch as his eyes roll back into his head. I finally reach the end of his cheek with my fingertips and grin, satisfied.

Letting go of him completely, I step away and allow him to fall to the floor. He frantically gasps for air and brings a hand to his cheek which is now starting to bleed. He glares at me, still trying to find the air to speak. All I do is laugh as I walk into my room.

Soon after I shut the door and lock it behind me, I hear Aydin crying out in what is presumably pain. He bangs on my door, hoarsely screaming at me to let him in.

I do nothing of the sort.

Tough isn't it, Aydin? You've gotten what you deserve. After all you've put me through, especially these past eight months. Eight months. Two-thirds of a year. It almost makes me wonder if my revenge is over yet. Is what I did enough payback? It'll do for now, it's not like I can't easily overpower him.

I wonder what my classmates are going to think once I come back tomorrow. Will they respect me? Fear me? Welcome me back? I suppose we'll find out soon enough.

Right now, I'm looking forward to a good nap. First thing's first, though, I need to wash up a bit. I head into the bathroom and gaze at myself in the mirror. My reflection displeases me. My hair is well past my shoulders, making me look quite like my brother again. My skin is sallow, my cheeks are sunken in.

I open a drawer under the sink and pull out a pair of scissors. My skin is the least of my worries, it'll look healthy again once I get back to eating normally, but surprisingly I don't feel very hungry. I raise the scissors up to my hair and begin snipping away, wanting to get rid of the one thing that could still make my brother and I look identical. After I finish chopping off my overgrown locks, I put the scissors back in the drawer and begin washing my face. When I'm done, I head to my room.

It's finally nap time.

※ ※ ※

In my classes, it's almost like nothing has changed. Aydin is staying as far away from me as possible. Emmie and Caitlin are still giving me attention but I'm not enjoying it as much. And that's linked to the one thing that really has changed. That being what I focus on during class.

Archie.

I keep thinking about what went on between us and I can't get over it. A rarity for me, truly. My "romantic" adventures often only last for a night. It's hard to believe I enjoyed my time with Archie so much, but what's even more difficult to believe is Archie's change in demeanor after finding out I was lying to him.

I've had months to mull this over, repeatedly thinking of why he reacted the way he did, and I still haven't come to a conclusion. He felt something, didn't he? He should put the lies past us and come back to me. It's obvious that what he felt for my brother wasn't very strong, so why drop me?

For some reason, though, he went running back to the loser that is my brother. I'm better than Aydin, aren't I? Stronger, faster, overall superior.

He'll see that eventually.