On Your Own

4B

You feel sickness envelop you. A vile, vicious thing. You can't believe Evelyn would do this. Kendall jogs with all the ferocity of an Olympic athlete without any of the speed.

"Call Rev?"

You nod. Your mental image of Rev is of someone who would cast herself in the movie of her own life, if only because she knows she'll be the one writing, filming, and producing as well. She also keeps a flash drive of it in case she somehow worms the topic into conversation. So many embarrassing conversations.

She's also your sister.

"Hey!"

Kendall sheepishly slows down as a rundown truck pulls alongside the sidewalk some time later. "Oh, hey! We were just heading over to Evelyn's house."

"Really, Kenny? What a coincidence. I was going anywhere but there!"

She laughs like she's the funniest person in the world. Kendall seems to take an intense interest in the ground. He's got the biggest crush on Rev, but she's already in love with dream-destroying. Some people are just married to their work.

"I hear you've been busy."

She gives a bitter grin.

"I hear you've been dead," she replies.

You pause to reflect on this statement.

"That's unfortunate."

She raises her eyebrows and presses her chin in the heel of her hand, fingers sprawled across a face caked in make-up.

"I suppose you need a ride?"

"I suppose you're using my car."

Rev twists her winding black hair and attempts to disguise a not-quite-saccharine snort.

"Remember when we went to the beach?" she begins.

"What does this-"

"Shhhhhhhhhut up. Do you remember? When we were little?"

"No. You're like a million years older than me. Why should I-"

"Well, then you'll have to take my word for it. When we looked across those rolling waves, you got it in your little brain to jump in the water."

"Let me guess. I almost drowned or some shit and you saved me."

"No. Not exactly. You see, the thing about this lovely patch of sand was that there were quite a few people there. There were tons of children and parents, all pleased as punch to get a day out in the sun. The poor little kid that you were swam joyously among those brats as I sat in the scorching sun, reading a novel. The day went on. It went on some more. I looked up from my book and saw dozens of cheery toddlers splashing among the sand. Listen, I never used to keep much in my brain back then. Nothing except the most important bits. My mind's all cluttered now, but then I was pure as snow. I grabbed the hand of a child with hair and eyes that matched mine. The sun was in my eyes, screaming kids in my ears. No one said anything, so I took that chubby thing back to the truck and drove all the way home."

"Huh. Yeah. Ok."

"So I shouldn't have to take you to Evelyn's house."

"Why is that?"

"I've obviously saved you from your wildly neglectful guardians. So you owe me."

"Doesn't this conflict with your story of saving me from snakes when I was an infant?" you question.

"The snakes were metaphorical."

"And doesn't this make you the neglectful guardian? And a kidnapper?"

"Listen: this isn't about complex moral dilemmas. This is about a guy helping a sister out."

"I thought you're not supposed to be my real sister?"

She sighs exasperatedly. "Please don't make me go near that bitch."

Kendall speaks up. "You know what happened. We need to go there. You don't have to come."

"Kenneth, I thought you knew better than to speak. Thought you knew better than to try and separate me from this lovely beast."

She spreads a hand outside her window and runs it across the scratched and battered exterior of the truck. Kendall's dull, earthy hair falls away from his vindictive face.

"This is serious."

"So am I," she responds.

A flicker of indecision flickers across his face before he starts jogging along the sidewalk again. You treat Rev to a glare of disappointment and run after him. You hear her cackling behind you.

"Good going there, my friend," you dryly observe.

He just sadly shakes his head.

"You know she wouldn't give up."

You know all too well.

And so you walk and it's normal somehow.

You see Evelyn waiting for you as you arrive, hands clasped over the apartment's railing. She looks at nothing.

You also see a flash of movement in your periphery and begin to feel sick again.

You position yourself directly below her and look up. She looks down.

She killed Alpha.

You know despite your gnawing need to be something, anything, you're just a shadow. You don't matter in his absence.

You know this because when he died it was you, but it wasn't supposed to be.

"Come craawwwllling back, huh?" Evelyn starts to drawl.

"Nah, you messed it all up!" a voice rings angrily behind you.

You hear cacophonous percussion reach its peak and a red stain flowers on Evelyn's shirt.

You turn.

It's Rev.

What.

This world has now ended.