What Lies Behind the Mask

Chapter 4

Gillie gasped under her breath, but it was enough to make Siren turn the doorknob sharply and swing it open with as much force as she could. She looked to her sister, who's already porcelain skin seemed to be significantly paler. Placing a hand on her back, she shoved her towards the door. "Gillie, what the hell are you waiting for? Get your ass in gear and move!" Gillie shook her head, and ran out the door.

"Siren, come on!" She yelled from the front yard. Siren's mind was racing too fast for her to her her sister's cry. Who the hell's in the house? And how the fuck did they get in here? Her thoughts suddenly shifted. How long have they been there? Have they been watching us? These questions were interrupted when she finally heard Gillie yelling from outside. "Siren, please, come on already!"

She sighed to herself. "Gillie, just run. Go to our place in the woods and wait for me there. I promise that I'll meet you there."

"WHAT?!" her sister shrieked. "Siren, no, what are you thinking? Come the heck on!"

"Gillie no, I forgot something here I and I'm not leaving without it,". Gillie opened her mouth to protest. "No," Siren interjected, "and I'm also not allowing you to get hurt because of me. Please Gillie, I need you to trust me and run. I'll be there soon.....I promise."

"O...ok," Gillie said, barely audible to Siren. A tear ran down her cheek as she turned and ran, her legs carrying her as far and as fast as they could. Siren simultaneously breathed a sigh of relief and felt a twinge of guilt, but she quickly pushed it aside. If lying was what it took to keep her beloved sister safe, then it was worth it. She quietly shut the door, listening for anything that might give away the position of the intruder. All that met her ears was silence.

She was immediately suspicious. It had sounded like someone was rushing at them from upstairs just a moment ago, yet now everything was quiet. But she was positive that someone was still in her home; someone that didn't belong there. As she climbed the staircase, her thoughts didn't stop. Why would they (no he - she knew who was here for her) make such a big show of his presence in the house, but not attack? There was something strange about her mysterious opponent. She smirked to herself. She'd been training, waiting for this moment since she was six. This guy was good, she'd give him that much. But she was a hell of a lot better. "You wanna play cat and mouse buddy?" she muttered under her breath, "Fine, but I hope you have a good hiding place."

Siren moved over the floorboards of the upstairs with feline subtlety. She moved steadily, transferring her weight evenly into each step, and distributing it over the floorboards. She slowly made her way over to the section of wall that separated her room from her sister's, and plastered herself up against its surface. Her ears strained in the quiet, listening for even the slightest sound. A shuffle on the right; her room. A thud on the left; Gillie's. Great, Siren thought, I guess this isn't going to go as smoothly as I planned.

Silent as death, she reached into her pocket and carefully pulled out her pocketknife. She maneuvered the blade from its closed setting, and held the weapon down at her side. The blade gleamed, and reflected the golden light of the setting sun. It can't really be that dark already, can it? Siren reached to her right , and quietly turned the knob, opening the door just a fraction of an inch. Looking inside, she could see nothing but inky black. The shades had been drawn. But there was definitely movement inside. She heard footsteps softly hitting the wooden floors. You're gonna have to do better than that, pal, she thought bitterly.

Taking great care to make no noise, she edged the door open further; just enough to let herself slip in and let no light in behind her. Siren gently hit the ground on the heels of her hand, catlike and graceful, and simultaneously used her leg to shut the door behind her. She waited; for shoes crashing to the ground as they made her way towards her, or a voice, ringing in her ears as it spoke. But to her satisfaction, neither came. Siren groped around at the floor, blindly grasping for whatever object she could reach. Her hand came in contact with something solid, so she picked it up, and threw it against the door as hard as she could. Immediately, she crawled as quickly and quietly as she could to the opposite side of the room, just as she heard footsteps passing her. She froze for a moment whenever the tall figure passed her body. When she got to the wall with a window, she threw the curtains open with force, allowing light to spill into the room, bathing everything in a mix of red orange, purple and pink hues.