Agent Martinez

Chapter 11

Not edited

Don’t get too close

It’s dark inside

It’s where my demons hide

It’s where my demons hide

~Demons, Imagine Dragons

Hayley observed her sister who was staring out the window, lost in her own thoughts. “So, umm, what are we going to do?” She finally asked, breaking the awkward silence.

It took Alexa a moment to respond, but she finally managed to rip her eyes off the frosty snowflakes which were slowly descending from the cloudy sky. “We aren’t going to do anything. I’m going to do everything, and you’re going to stay here, safe.”

“What?” She protested. “I want to help!”

Alexa turned around and faced the younger girl, fixing her with a frosty stare. “Do you see those snowflakes outside?” She asked.

Hayley nodded wordlessly, not knowing where the conversation was going.

“Do you know what happens to a snowflake when you touch it, Hayley?”

“It melts,” she replied quietly.

“Exactly, and when it melts, it’s gone.” Alexa smiled ruefully. “Forever.”

“But there are so many more,” Hayley argued. “They’re all the same. Replaceable.”

Alexa shook her head in disagreement. “No snowflake is the same, and no snowflake is replaceable. Once a snowflake is gone, it will never come back. Millions more will fall, some looking the same, but never will they be that one snowflake that once fell that year in that month on that day in that second.” Alexa sighed softly, a few strands of her brown hair falling into her eyes. “And Hayley, you’re exactly like that snowflake. You’re just as delicate, just as irreplaceable. Once you’re gone, you’re gone. There’s no chance of you ever coming back.”

Hayley tried to absorb what Alexa had just said. Gulping softly, she asked, “Why does it make any difference to you? Why do you care if I live or die? You haven’t even seen me in years.”

Alexa studied her, taking in the striking resemblance she held with her mother. Although Alexa wanted to hate Hayley for having been able to lead a normal life, unlike her, Alexa couldn’t. Hayley was the only family member Alexa knew of, and she’d be damned if she let petty jealousy ruin their relationship.

Hayley watched as her sister’s eyes harsh eyes softened. “I care because you’re my sister. My only living relative, and I’ll be damned if I let anything happen to you. If anybody ever tries to hurt you, they’ll have to go through me first. No way in Hell are they getting to you without killing me first.”

Hayley jumped forward and hugged Alexa, squeezing her tightly. She snuggled into her sister, ignoring her stiffness. It was obvious she wasn’t used to much affection. Hayley couldn’t help but wonder what had made her sister so hard. What or who had eaten her and spit her out like this?

“That won’t be necessary,” Hayley mumbled, enjoying the comfort her older sister brought. “Nobody is going to hurt you. I won’t let them.”

Alexa couldn’t help the bitter smile that overcame her face at that sentence. “What about those who have already hurt me?”

Hayley looked up, directly into Alexa’s eyes. “You can’t do anything about the hurt, but you can stop being miserable.”