Following the River

Chapter 22

Chapter 22

The evening sky spilled over her head like splatter paint. The pastel colors flickered in her soft eyes, but she blinked the scene away.

She continued to walk on, not quite knowing which direction to go in. She was by herself now. She gazed at her birthstone and knew that it was the exact color of her eyes. A deep sapphire.

She hated how she was almost identical to her sister. If they were nothing alike, then why did they have to look the same. That's why she had died her hair blonde and cut it really short. She remembered that day like it was yesterday.

Somerset gazed into the tiny mirror in the bathroom and smiled. Constantine came up beside her, her eyes looking very strange without the makeup that she usually wore. But of course she wasn't wearing makeup at this age, for they were only seven.

“See, sister? We don't look the same.” Somerset told her as she smiled. “Do you like what I did with my hair?”

Constantine frowned. “Not really. I liked looking like sister.”

“Why?” Somerset asked with confusion in her voice. Constantine lowered her head and sighed.

“I envy sister. She is a few minutes older and has friends. Friends like sister.” Constantine gazed up at Somerset, then extended her hands to show Somerset what she had made. “Sister, I made these for us. Do you like them?”

Somerset took the strange headband from Constantine's grip. The headband was made of silk and two cat ears were sewed to the top. They looked like Constantine had bought them because they were made so well. But Somerset knew that Constantine always was good with arts and crafts. Somerset had no talent at that kind of stuff.

“Wow, Constantine, these are so cool. I love it!” Somerset put it on her head and examined herself in the mirror. Constantine stood on a step-stool and gazed at herself, then at Somerset.

“We look the same again.” Constantine said in a high-pitched voice. Somerset shrugged.

“I guess we do, don't we?”

“Sic, nos. Sum libenter!” Constantine shouted, her smile bright.

Somerset gazed at Constantine with confusion. “Where did you learn that language?”

“What language?” Constantine stopped smiling and narrowed her eyes.

“Was that Latin?”

“Mother told me how to speak some Latin. See, Somerset? We are not the same. I can speak two languages and you can only speak one.” Constantine said with pride.

Suddenly, Somerset knew there was something wrong. Mother isn't alive anymore. Our foster parents do not speak Latin. Constantine, are you okay?

The memory faded and Somerset broke her gaze from the stone. She took off her headband and flipped it over. The note was still there. There was a tag with some writing that said: To: Somerset. I had stolen the silk and stuffing from Sonia's pillows. Do not tell her, it's a secret. From: Constantine.

Somerset smiled, remembering how she yelled at Constantine for always breaking everything that Sonia, their foster mother, had. Constantine just shrugged and said, “She should understand that I like cutting things.”

The forest moved around her as she walked along, her memories filling her head. She smiled when she saw Cat walk in as Constantine and Somerset stole some of Sonia's makeup. Cat frowned and screamed, “Why did you do such a thing?! You forgot to invite me.”