Photographic Memories

Prologue

Luna is sick again.

Just yesterday, she was snuggled in her mother's arms watching a late night soap opera. These moments were rare, as the only episodes that Luna normally watched were her own.

Today she was reduced to nothing but a shriveled up girl in her bed, her hair sticking to her sweaty face.

It's just a fever, her mother kept saying, but Luna could not grasp reality enough to know just who her mom was talking to, or if she was even talking at all.

Luna's mind was slowly being filled with the voices once again. This time, they were shouting at her. It's not a fever, they hissed. You're sick. You are going to die.

Luna smiled smugly. "You don't scare me. That's exactly what I want."

The hold that the voices had on her began to dissipate, as a familiar face across the room materialized. Her head was pointed down, a book in her hands. Turning a page, her monotonous voice rang out. "Mom. She's saying stuff again."

"Hey, sis," Luna said quietly.

The girl didn't spare Luna a word, or even a glance. Luna's head followed her sister as she walked out of the bedroom, calling their mother. "Mom. I said she's saying stuff. Can I go to Gina's now? She said she would pick me up if something like this happened again."

Luna wiped the sweat from her forehead and frowned. She couldn't tell if the moisture on her cheeks were tears or more perspiration.

Once again, her sister was leaving her.

She sat up as her mother scolded, "No, you need to be with your sister. Gina is not part of this family. Our business is none of hers."

The monotony of her sister's voice bled into whining. "But Mom-"

"Go sit with your sister while I talk to the doctor. That's all I'm asking, I will be there in ten minutes, alright? Please, just stay with her."

The sounds of stomping were the last thing Luna heard, as she closed her eyes and drifted back to the voices.

Back so soon?

"I just want you to leave me alone."

Her sister's voice invaded Luna's mind. "You want me to go away? Fine, I didn't want to be here anways."

Luna opened her eyes quickly, rubbing her face viciously. "No, sissy stay, I wasn't talking to you, please-"

"You're telling me to stay? Even when you're not having an episode, you hate me. You already have a fever, I don't understand why you feel the need to take even more attention."

"I don't want attention, sissy. If I have it, you can take it. I love you."

Her sister gave a sardonic laugh and rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest. "You're just crazy. All you've done is ruin my life, even when you're not acting like a lunatic-"

"I am not a lunatic!" Luna shouted.

"Then stop acting like one."

Vibrant colors rapidly appeared in Luna's eyes, her breathing becoming fast, ragged and heavy. She hates you, Luna. It's not the fever that will kill you. It's her. It's her. It's her.

"She won't!" Luna screeched, sitting up and shoving herself off her bed. Her head was screaming at her, the vibrant colors still blurring her vision.

"Luna! Mom! What's she doing?!"

The voices told Luna exactly where to go, as the colors in her eyes were ailing her eyesight. She ran out of the bed room, down the banister, and into the kitchen. Luna could see her mother in her peripheral vision going after her, but she was not quick enough.

The voices were screaming at Luna now. She pressed her hands to her ears until she found the place the knives were hidden.

Hurry up! She's coming! If you don't do it, she will do it first. Hurry up!

"Luna" was the very last thing she heard before she stabbed herself in a place that would finally silence the hell that she had been living in.