Wow! Part 10 already! So fast!
Tam had practically stalked home, Linh trailing behind him, trying to comfort him. Kendra, shielded by her own shadows, slipped into the door after them.
Out of sight. Out of mind.
She tried not to dwell on what they just discovered, but she could feel the metaphorical ground crumbling beneath her feet either way. Panic choked up her throat, but she shook it off as she continued climbing the stairs, a step ahead of Tam and Linh, who were still arguing at the base of it.
Who was she? Why was she here?
Another step. Her legs burned and screamed, but she kept going, mind teeming and numb at the same time. She could barely fight off a panic attack crawling up from her lungs like bile.
How was she here? Does anything she does matter?
She reached the top landing, the half-packed bags still piled at the end of her bed. The ache in her chest came back, stronger than ever.
It wasn't going to last anyway.
She started throwing her clothes into her bags haphazardly, trying to keep her hands busy and her mind clean. It didn't work. The traitorous voice wrapped around her mind despite her best efforts. She briefly thought about grabbing a pair of scissors. Guilt wrapped around her heart as she quickly dispelled the idea.
It always ends like this.
She could hear the twins coming up the stairs. She grabbed her bags and the rest of her unpacked stuff and scrambled upstairs, where she had been studying for the past few days. Her heart wrenched. She had just been getting used to Foxfire, to being a normal elf. She was actually good at multispecial studies. She wouldn't have any of it anymore.
None of it mattered anyway.
I'm sorry, she thought, choking back a gasp as she shut the trapdoor, I'll be out of your hair in no time.
She levitated a bookshelf on top of the trapdoor. She couldn't let them see her like this.
They're going to hurt you, now that they know what you are, the voice continued whispering, and you would deserve it.
Kendra looked out the window. She could levitate down and run away. It was close to the ocean. The water could carry her somewhere.
Or you could jump.
Kendra heard the door to the room downstairs open, the arguing voices carrying in. Abruptly, they stopped.
Kendra squeezed her eyes together, curled under her desk with the rest of her bags.
She'll go after they fall asleep.
"Kendra?" Linh shouted tentatively.
Wontcha listen to them? She sounds concerned. It's all your fault.
"Kendra? Where are you?" Tam shouted.
"Could she have left?" Linh fretted. Kendra could hear her pacing.
Flight-risk. Flight-risk. Flight-risk. Kendra could hear her former social worker saying. Was she even real? Or was she something else the Neverseen planted into her brain?
"Kendra?" She could hear them knocking on the trapdoor. She tried to muffle a small whimper, but it came out before she could suppress it.
"She's up there," Tam said, a quiet curse under his breath, "She barricaded the door. I could levitate up there."
"No!" Linh quickly rebuked.
They don't even want you anymore. What's the point?
"Kendra?" It was Linh knocking at the trapdoor, "Can you hear me? Just- uh knock back if you hear me."
Kendra's traitorous hand reached out and pressed it against the trapdoor, imagine Linh's hand on the other side.
Within a week of living with them, Kendra had learned that Linh was incredibly touchy. She ran her hands through Kendra's hair, held her face in her hands, and draped her arms over Kendra's shoulder when she studied. Kendra imagined holding her hand through the wooden door.
One last time.
"Kendra," she paused, and Kendra's thoughts ran wild in her mind, anticipating the horrible things she was about to say to her.
"Kendra, I know this isn't great news for you," What did you think? Kendra snarked internally, "And I know it's hard to handle this. But we're here for you. Really."
Are you? Or are you just saying that so you can lure me down and beat me into a pulp?
Kendra couldn't imagine Linh beating up anyone, but then again, they just said they fought a criminal organization, and if she was created by said organization, doesn't it make her justified in beating her up?
"Listen, I'm going to be honest," Uh-oh, Kendra thought, "We didn't ask for a sister. We didn't ask for anyone. We were pretty scared when Sophie asked us to move back here for you. Neither of us likes change very much, and you were a huge change to our lives."
She took a deep breath and continued, "But you weren't a bad change. Quite the opposite. You're a great friend. A great sister. And I know this is hurting you. And I know you're scared. We all are. But just know that, that even if you hurt us or something, even if the Neverseen made you, even if you were supposed to be born bad, which you're not, you'll still be our sister. We'll still love you all the same. No matter what you do.
It's a long tunnel, I know, and I know that sometimes it feels like the tunnel is never going to end. But trust me, there is light at the end of it. We'll get there together ok? We'll drag you along if we have to. We'll carry you to the end. Right, Tam?"
Kendra exhaled, heart twisting into all sorts of emotions.
"Happy shadow thoughts, okay? We'll deal with this in the morning." The steps creaked as Linh climbed down the stairs.
"Oh, and by the way," Tam piped up, throat a bit rough, "Come down and sleep on an actual bed. I can't imagine the wooden floors being nice to sleep on." He retreated as well.
I've slept on worse,Kendra wanted to joke, but her voice caught in her throat.
She heard beds creak as Tam and Linh settled down below her. Whispers continued for another few minutes before they stopped entirely.
After an hour, after Kendra was absolutely sure they had fallen asleep, she crept down the ladder. Tam and Linh were on their beds, sleeping peacefully. A piece of paper and a stuffed penguin were left on her bed, its small, glass eyes peering up at her innocently.
I hope you feel better in the morning,Linh's handwriting was scrawled across in neat little loops, meanwhile, here's Mr. Wappy to make you feel better :)
Kendra crumpled to the ground as, for the first time in years, tears slipped from her eyes.
A/N: Hey, remember when I said I didn't imagine Tam and Linh understanding? I lied. They would definitely understand considering their parents stopped loving them due to the things they did. They definitely wouldn't let that happen to Kendra.
Mr. Wappy does exist in real life. He is my well-loved stuffed penguin. His name stands for Weaponized Assult Penguins Protect You. I think I wouldn't have been able to go through all those difficult nights without him.
