On That Winter's Night.

5-Lily's Tale.

The two girls walked in the snow in silence for a few moments. Then the first question popped into Katherine's mouth: "Where have you been all these years without us?" For a moment, Lily was quiet. Katherine silently cursed herself. Why did she have to begin her relationship with her sister by asking that difficult question? Only the lord above had seen what Lily had been through! However, Katherine's worries soon faded away when Lily reached over and hesitantly gave her shoulder an affectionate rub. Then she answered: "I've been on the streets, mostly. I have no friends to speak of. So I've basically been alone." She wiped a few tears from her eyes then tried to smile.  "Do you want to hear my backstory Katherine? It isn't really a happy one, but if it was, we all would be happily sitting around the living room fire right now."

"You can tell me. I am your sister after all. You can tell me everything if you're able." Katherine encouraged, trying to conceal the note of desperation in her voice. Lily exhaled slowly, then narrated her tale:

Flashback.

 I came into the world, full of life and excitement. When I was four years old, I was diagnosed with some kind of mental health problem. Mild autism I think. I've always had my own unique way of looking at the world. But our parents struggled to cope and they struggled to accept that my conditions were a part of me.

One evening, I went out alone to meet with some nice teens who didn't live that far away. We all bonded easily and we had a great time, but then, I'll admit, we did get a little bit rough and overexcited. But it was honestly a lot of fun. Then it all came crashing down when some mean girl barged in and in a way, set me up so that it looked like I was hurting one of my friends when I wasn't. I'm positive that mean girl knew our parents were coming because then she started saying all this nasty stuff and when they came, the mean girl jeered: "Your daughter's a freak! I think it best to abandon her and leave her for dead." 

I never saw her again, but our parents got more controlling as time went by. I think they were afraid of something or someone and I reckon they still are now. Anyway, it was unbearable. So unbearable, I began to consider suicide. However, that plan changed dramatically when my relationship with our parents began to change for the better and pretty soon, Mum announced she was pregnant with my sibling. Yes, Katherine, it was you!  

When you came into the world, we were so close. I taught you how to count, I remember teaching you how to read and I also remember how you learnt to walk. For a long while we were one happy family. Then came the one night that changed everything.

I don't really remember it, but I do remember that our parents were very, very scared.  Next, everything was gone and I was forced to live on the streets. However, that's in the past now. Now I've found you, my sister. I've found you."

Present Day.

Katherine was speechless for a little while, the sad backstory that had just been described to her racing through her mind. Everything fitted. Everything. Every controlling decision that their parents had made to keep Katherine herself away from meeting new people-had been to prevent the two sisters from finding each other. Just reflecting on all this made Katherine's head ache, but her blood boiled a little. It really was clear she didn't know Mum and Dad very well. At all. And that hurt more than any pain she had ever felt.