Vanessa had lived a normal childhood until her tenth birthday when she got a visit from the Grim Reaper. And they didn't stop. The threats didn't stop for ten years, that plus her own mother despising her didn't help much either.
It's only when she...
"Your gonna die one of these days you know," it says, voice raspy and...cold. "I can tell you when if you like. It is my expertise after all." Whatever it is, it's teasing me, why is it here? It's always here! This always happens!
"Just go!" I scream, covering my ears with my hands and shutting my eyes. "Go!"
The skeleton grins at me; and it's not one of those friendly grins, I'll tell you now. It wears that long dark robe it always does, carrying in it's boney hand, a long stick with a curving blade on one end. A scythe.
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"Get out!!!"
"Vanessa!"
My eyes shoot open as I shoot up in my bed, feeling the wetness of my sweat move down from my forehead. The coldness I had felt on my skin before has disappeared.
"Vanessa!" My twin brother runs to my side from the door. He sits on the edge of my bed. "You okay?" His robust eyebrows furrow in concern.
"I..." I swallow. "I saw him again..."
Avery rolls his eyes, looking annoyed suddenly. I feel hurt. "Not this again, Vanessa." He rubs his temble.
"He's real! He was here!" I cry. "Why won't you believe me?"
"Because that's all mythology and it isn't true. Now get out of bed. You'll be late for school." Avery stands up and leaves my room, closing the door behind him. I stare at where he just sat, furious and upset.
"No one believes me..." I mumble.
I feel the common goosebumps form on my skin, shivering as the long shadow in the corner appears.
"Go away..." I whisper, hugging myself.
It quivers before vanishing. "One of us..."
~•~
"Sit up, Vanessa!"
My posture straightens immediately, reacting quickly to the sharp tone of my mother's voice.
"For goodness sake, child. Can't you do anything right?" She scolds me. She looks across at Avery who wears his neat school uniform, grey pants, a white shirt with a red tie and a blazer, of course he didn't forget the tie. "You see. You should be like Avery, he's perfect. At least act like a lady, Vanessa."
She hadn't always...disliked me. I refuse to use the word 'hate'. It's too strong. She blames me for our father's passing. I don't understand why. I didn't ask for that accident. But no, oh no, Vanessa was there, of she weren't, everything would have turned out right.
I almost roll my eyes.
"I'm sorry, mother. I'll do better..." I say in a low voice, staring down at my plate.
"Don't mumble at me, child."
"I'm sorry, mother," I say again, in a louder voice.
