The Gate

20.Monster Meeting

Lena Matthews

"Does sunlight hurt?" I asked, opening the blinds. I turned around to face Carter, who wasn't responding.

"It's not that bad," said Carter.

"Cool." I said, shutting the blinds automatically. "Should we go downstairs?"

Jessica had bought me a green dress and a scarf, but I ended up taking the scarf off after a few minutes. It was way too itchy. I didn't understand how Mom was able to wear one all the time. Paranoia was a powerful motivator.

I also managed to sit still long enough for Jessica to braid my red hair neatly over my right shoulder. The entire time, I had stared at my reflection calmly. For the first time since learning about the Forbidden, I felt safe.

Staying inside the Reynolds house felt like being inside a bubble. The world seemed to end at the front door, with my family felt thousands of miles away, not a few minutes.

I had undergone a million tiny revelations in the span of a few hours. As I walked down the stairs, I already felt exhausted. But today was important, and I couldn't let my guard slip for a second. This was my trial, and I was about to fight like my life depended on it. Because it probably did.

I caught a glimpse of Rosie's photo by the mantle. It felt like she was staring into my soul from her tiny frame of existence. Rosie was always staring at me in this house, telling me that I was an imposter. Whenever I caught Rosie's eye, I had to remind myself that her old photos weren't some twisted mirror.

"Okay, I think I figured it out," said Jessica from the kitchen. She was staring at her laptop screen with an intense focus. Over her navy blazer and skirt, she had on an apron that felt very out of place. As I got closer, I realized that she was busy working on chocolate chip pancakes.

"Do you need help?" I asked.

"I said I figured out." Jessica promised, heating up a pan. "I just haven't cooked in a while. This kitchen is here for decorational purposes."

Jessica used a ladle to pour batter over the pan, and watched it carefully. From the way she was glaring at the pancake, it looked like she was plotting some kind of revenge against it. She grabbed her spatula and attempted to flip the pancake, but only ended up folding it in half. Jessica's eyes flashed a bright red as she stared at the pan angrily.

"Let me do it." I volunteered.

"That would be great, Ivy." said Jessica, relieved. "I actually need to do something. Carter, can you drill her on the case?"

I turned my focus to the large bowl of pancake batter and adjusted the heat on the natural gas stove. For some reason, I put my hand over the flame to check for heat, but couldn't really feel anything. My palm briefly brushed over the fire before I took it away and set the pan down.

"Did you just touch the fire?" Carter asked.

"No." I answered, pouring a pancake.

"You're lying." Carter pointed out. "Is there a weird fire thing with your family? Because I didn't ask about your sister last time, and-"

"If I tell you, do you promise to keep it a secret?" I asked.

"I'm sure my secret's a lot worse." Carter reasoned.

"I'm Forbidden." I said.

"What?" Carter exclaimed incredulously. He ran around the counter to stand next to me. His speed created a small tornado in the kitchen, and I had to hold onto my glasses to make sure they didn't fall. Carter's eyes were alight with excitement at the prospect of gossip.