Covens and Curses DISCONTINUEDD

Chapter 1 - Sickness and Sacrifices

Copper's pulse roared in her ears. Her mother's face was streaked with tears, her eyes bright with obsession and fear.

"Did you hear me?" she shouted. "Get out!" She backed up against the wall, her breath coming in short gasps. 

"Mum-" Copper started weakly, before being interrupted again. 

"Don't you dare call me that! You are not my child!"

A pale face poked out from behind the door-frame. Paisley, Copper thought, defeated. Please, I know what you're going to say. I know what you're going to try to do. Please Paisley, just don't. Even as she thought it, she knew it was no use. Her twin would never listen. Her small, determined face came out from behind the door. She was slight, her limbs long and thin, her hair colourless and falling in her face. Her eyes were large and tearstained, overwhelming her other features. Paisley. Lovely, sweet, dying Paisley. And it was her fault. 

Copper shook her head, giving in to her mother. She couldn't have lived in this house for much longer anyway, the guilt crushing her from all sides. She had to go, and quick, before Paisley could follow. 

"Paisley dear, go back to bed. You're not well sweetheart." Their mother said, smiling at her favourite daughter as she tried to usher her out of the room. 

"But mum, Copper-" 

"This doesn't concern you darling" their mother continued, her voice as sweet as honey. Copper walked towards the doorway where Paisley had been standing, heading for her room. Her mother flinched back as she passed. 

"Copper?" Paisley questioned, following her, "Please don't go. It's not your fault, you know that! Mum just doesn't understand... Copper? Copper listen to me."

Ignoring her twin, Copper opened her wardrobe and took out the packed backpack that hung inside it. She had known this day would come, but hadn't wanted to believe it. Hadn't wanted to leave her sister. But that was selfish. Copper took a deep breath. If she stayed, her twin would only get more sick. She needed to go. For Paisley. Slinging the backpack over her shoulder, she went to walk back out of the room, only to find Paisley blocking the door. 

"you're not leaving," she choked through tears. 

Copper shook her head. "Paisley..."

"No! Don't you dare say you are doing this for me! I don't want you to do this for me! You leaving won't make me better, Copper," Paisley said, hands shaking. 

Copper gulped back the hollow feeling in her stomach. "Paisley, I can't stay in this house." she whispered. Paisley shook her head, staring at the floor.
"Then I'm leaving with you," she said, her pale face set with determination. Darkness threatened to creep up over Copper's vision, but she pushed it back savagely. She knew that face. That meant the decision had been made. No one was going to change her mind now. Pushing past Paisley, she ran back into the kitchen. Her mother was there, a look of savage delight and triumph on her face.

"Copper! Don't leave me here!" Paisley screamed through tears, running towards the door. " Copper!" 

Copper ran and was on the street in seconds. She took one last look back to see that her sister hadn't given up. She was still running towards Copper, until suddenly she stopped. Her body doubled up with coughs, and a fine spray of blood appeared on the hand in front of her. Copper hesitated. No. She thought, closing her eyes against the tears that threatened to come. I'm doing this for Paisley. This is all for her.

"I'm sorry Paisley," she whispered, and without another word, she turned on her heel and ran.

* * * 

Copper slowly opens her eyes, shifting on the uncomfortable tiles beneath her. Was it all a dream? But no, it could not have been. If it had been a dream, she would not be sleeping on the faded tiles of a train station.

Paisley.

She misses her as if she's missing a part of herself. Some vital organ that she can't live without. A headache begins to form, pounding dully behind her eye. She would have to live without her. When Paisley was near Copper, she got sicker. That's what everyone said. Copper was a disease, slowly infecting all those she met with it. Her sister was sick. Her dad had left. Her mother was on the verge of insanity. But her mother was also right. That was why she had left. And that was why she could not go back. An overwhelming sense of tiredness overcame her, and this time, she willingly fell into the darkness.