Suicide Sisters

25

Kiya settled into her window seat, her heart a little lighter than it had been just hours before.

The plane's cabin hummed with the familiar sounds of boarding: the rustle of bags, the gentle chatter of fellow passengers, and the occasional laughter of children.

But amidst this symphony, a piercing wail sliced through the air. A fussy baby, no more than a year old, sat next to Kiya, his tiny face scrunched up in distress.

Fortunately, Kiya had her noise-canceling headphones snugly over her ears, blocking out the cacophony. Instead, she was immersed in the soothing sounds of her favorite playlist.

As the opening notes of "Protector" blared in her ears, she couldn't help but sing softly to herself, lightly tapping the armrest she shared with the baby's weary mother. The mother, clearly exhausted and desperate, had already tried everything to calm her teething child.

Yet, Kiya's gentle voice seemed to weave a spell, coaxing the baby into a quieter state, as if the rhythm of her melody was a lullaby only he could hear.

The mother, taken aback by this unexpected serenade, pulled out her phone, capturing the moment. She had exhausted every trick in her maternal playbook, and now here was this young girl, seemingly unbothered by the chaos, bringing a sense of calm to her distraught child. Kiya didn't notice the recording, lost in her own world, her thoughts drifting like clouds outside the window.

As the song shifted, Kiya found herself humming instead, enjoying the vibrations that danced in her throat. It was a comforting sensation, and she let it envelop her as she thought of Zed, her brother, and Zed's eccentric ways. She was heading to stay with their grandmother, a woman who had always been a source of warmth and wisdom.

Yet, Kiya felt a tinge of apprehension; she didn't want to be defined by her past or come off as a burden.

"I am not my past" she repeated silently, a mantra to steady herself, until the tears that threatened to spill subsided.

With a flick of her finger, she opened her messaging app, her heart fluttering at the sight of Zed's thread.

__
Crybaby Ki 🚩| Baby?

Zeddie🎭| Wassup

I think your clinginess rubbed off on me, I miss you already

Ima call the pilot

Zedadiah
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—

Kiya chuckled to herself, shaking her head at Zed's antics. He always had a way of making her laugh, even from afar. Just as she was about to type a witty retort, a new message popped up on her screen.

Zeddie🎭| he can't turn around. He said FaceTime me

Her laughter bubbled over.

"This man is insane" she murmured, shaking her head as she prepared to FaceTime him. She angled the camera to face the window, catching a glimpse of her dad through the gap in the seats. He playfully kissed his teeth at her, drawing a smile from Kiya.

"Phat" Zed groaned, his thumb hovering over the camera lens. "I'm fucked bout you"

"Yeah? Lemme see" she laughed, her heart warming at the sight of him. He finally shifted his thumb, revealing his off-kilter expression, eyes wide with mock seriousness.

"I got your name tatted" he grinned, turning his head to show off the red ink behind his ear. "I miss you."

"Zedadiah" Kiya muttered, baffled. They had only been apart for seven hours, and already he had done something so drastic. "I have no words."