PANDORA

by Rebecca Hamilton

  I sniffled. “I don’t know, Lex.”

  “Come on,” she pleaded with a smile. “We’ll have so much fun!”

  Biting my lip, I asked, “What about the nightmares?”

  Alexa smiled. “We can stay up all night!”

  A giggle escaped. “Maybe . . . ”

  “That’s a YES!” exclaimed Alexa. She pulled me up out of bed and jumped up and down. “Now come on! Let’s pack,” she squealed.

  ***

  The next morning, the alarm went off at eight o’clock.

  “Time to go!” shouted Alexa from down the hall.

  She sure is excited to go.

  A moment later, she came bounding into my room. “Are you ready? Our suitcases are in the car and I packed a bag full of snacks and drinks! Eek! I’m so excited!”

  Forcing myself out of bed, my feet brushed against the carpeted floor. “Okay, but first, let’s check on MamÁ y PapÁ .”

  She flipped her expertly braided hair over her shoulder. “They are doing much better. They both slept through the night without any . . . um, any interruptions, if you know what I mean.” Reaching down, she inspected her perfectly polished toenails. “Plus, I’ve already brought them their morning dose of medicine, made sure they drank a glass of Gatorade, and gave them each a bowl full of crackers.”

  A smile crossed my face. “You’re the best, Lex!”

  “I know,” she said, returning the smile. “Now come on. Get dressed.”

  ***

  After saying goodbye to our parents, Lex and I loaded in the car and got on the road.

  “Only three and a half hours till a stress free girls’ weekend,” squealed Alexa. “We’re going to have so much fun!”

  A smile tugged on the corners of my lips. My sister’s enthusiasm was contagious. “Yeah, yeah we are.” Rolling down the windows and turning up the stereo, I let the warm summer air blow across my face. This break from reality is just what I need . . .

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Alexa

  We pulled up to the cabin around noon. I took a long sip of my monster-sized Coke. The sweet carbonated substance slid down my throat and quenched my thirst.

  “How did you find this place?” Abriana asked as she eyed up an old wooden sign reading, Half Moon Lake.

  I shrugged. “I found it online.”

  Abriana frowned and looked around. “It’s pretty secluded.”

  Hell yeah, it is, I thought with a wicked smile.

  “Are there any other cabins on the lake?” Abriana asked.

  Forcing a sweet smile, I looked at my sister and tugged on my long braid. “Of course there are!”

  Abriana’s brow remained furrowed as she looked around our surroundings.

  Walking around the back of the car, I opened the trunk and pulled out one of the bags. “Come on. Let’s get unpacked.”

  ***

  A few hours passed and we had managed to unpack, blow up two plastic floats, and set out some carrots and dip for a quick snack.

  “Want to go to the lake?” I asked.

  My sister twisted her ponytail as she looked out the window. “Yeah, that sounds good. We can bring our food down there. I just need to make a drink first.”

  I reached for two cups in the cupboard. “I’ll make the drinks. You go change.”

  Abriana threw her arms around my neck. “Love you, Lex!”

  I returned the embrace. “Love you, too, Bri.”

  Abriana continued to squeeze me tightly. “I think this is just what I needed.”

  “I’m glad you’re happy. It’s been too long,” I said, shooing her away. “Now, go get changed! It’s time to lay out!”

  As my sister made her way to the bedroom, I pulled a water bottle partially filled with a red liquid. I licked my lips as I dumped the antifreeze into a large cup. I quickly filled the rest with fruit punch and several ice cubs from the freezer.

  I rinsed out the water bottle, added dish soap, and rinsed it out again. That should be good.

  Without warning, a hand clamped down on my shoulder and a scream escaped my lips.

  “Oops! Sorry,” apologized Abriana. “I didn’t mean to scare you!”

  My heart thumped wildly in my chest. “It’s okay.”

  “Is this mine?” she asked picking up the drink.

  “Yup,” I responded with a smile. “Just one more thing.” I pulled out a bottle of vodka. “Wasn’t sure if you’d want any of this?”

  Abriana bit her lower lip and tugged on the towel around her neck. “Hmmm . . . I don’t know, Lex.”

  Arching an eyebrow, I gave my sister a playful smile. “Maybe just a little bit?”

  She debated it a few more seconds before finally nodded. “Okay, okay. Just a bit though.”

  Tipping the bottle, I added about two shots to her drink.

  “Whoa! That’s enough,” she said reaching for her cup.

  “Sorry,” I said, giving her an apologetic smile.

  “Where’s your drink?” she asked.

  I grabbed the empty cup and filled it with ice. Nothing like a little liquid courage... I poured a shots worth in and then topped it off with fruit punch. “Perfection.”

  Abriana picked up the carrots, dip, and our drinks. “You go change, I’ll bring the drinks and food down.”

  “Thanks, Bri. You’re the best.”

  ***

  Taking my time, I changed into a hot pink and orange bikini. I stared at my reflection in the mirror. Picking up my towel, I slung it around my neck. Why can’t I be as pretty as Abriana? Shaking my head in anger, I spun on my heel and left the bedroom. Time to take care of that brat once and for all!

  I walked out the back door and down to the sandy beach surrounding the quaint lake. What a lovely secluded place to commit a murder. Secluded seemed like an understatement. There were two cabins, both barely visible on the far end of the lake. Even if they were occupied, our fellow vacationers would never see us.

  I plopped down next to Abriana. “You look relaxed.”

  “I am,” she responded.

  “How’s your drink?” I asked.

  “Super sweet,” replied Abriana. “But good.”

  I bit my lip, forcing the wicked smile to stay at bay. “I’m glad you like it.”

  Abriana took another sip and then stood up. “I think I might grab the tortilla chips. Do you want anything else?”

  Yeah, to kill you! But that will have to wait just a little bit longer.

  “Lex? Do you want anything else?”

  “Sorry,” I said, shaking my head. “Nah, I’m good.”

  She gave me a grin. “You are such a space cadet sometimes!”

  I dipped a carrot into the dill dip. “Hey, now! At least I’m a cute space cadet.”

  Abriana grinned. “See you in a minute.” She took a step toward the house and stumbled. “Whoa.”

  “What’s wrong?” I asked, my voice dripping with concern.

  “I guess that drink was stronger than I thought,” she replied.

  Standing up, I put my hand on her shoulder. “Here, you stay. I’ll go get the chips.”

  Abriana threw her arms around me for the second time that afternoon. A moment later, I felt a hot tear drop on to my shoulder. “I meant what I said earlier,” she sniffled. “I love you so much. I’m so lucky to have a sister like you!”

  I wrapped my arms around my sister’s petite frame. “Love you, too, Bri. Love you, too.”

  ***

  After I returned with the chips, we sat in silence and enjoyed the peaceful surroundings. The occasional fish surfaced, leaving an expanding ring in the otherwise calm water.

  “Want to get in the water?” I asked my sister.

  She turned her head to look toward me. “I don’t know.”

  “Come on,” I said standing up. “Get in with me!” I walked over and pulled Abriana to a sitting position. She reluctantly stood and walked to the edge of the water.

  Abriana dripped her toe into the water. �
�It is pretty warm.”

  “Here,” I said, picking up the two floats. “Let’s get in.”

  Holding her arms out for balance, Abriana giggled. “I feel a little tipsy.”

  “It’s nice to hear you laugh.” Too bad it will be the last time you ever do . . .

  “It feels good,” she admitted.

  With a fake smile on my face, I took a step into the warm lake water. “Let’s just stay near the shore. It’s pretty shallow here.” Reaching down, I splashed some water over my legs and picked up a small rock with a sharp edge. Clutching it in my hand, I kept it out of sight.

  Abriana stuck her foot in the water and wiggled it around. “It is warm.”

  Pulling the float behind me, I headed deeper into the water. Once the water hit my knees, I maneuvered my body on top of the float.

  Following suit, Abriana lowered herself on top of her matching float. Paddling her hands in the water, she made her way toward me.

  “This is too nice,” I murmured.

  “It is pretty fantastic,” said Abriana.

  Reaching over, I grabbed on to the edge of the plastic on my sister’s inflatable raft. “I might never want to leave.”

  “Me either,” murmured Abriana. “Me either . . . ”

  ***

  Twenty minutes later, Abriana had fallen asleep. I had managed to paddle us to deeper water without waking her up.

  I studied my sister’s face. I bet you’ll look just like this in your casket. Without another thought, I took the rock I had clutched in my hand and began rubbing it against Abriana’s plastic float.

  Finally, the hiss of escaping air became audible. I quickly pinched the rip and tossed the rock into the water behind us.

  “Abriana, wake up,” I said gently.

  She didn’t respond.

  I let go of the rip for a moment and shook her shoulder. “Abriana,” I repeated. “Time to wake up.”

  “Mmmm,” she murmured. “What do you want? I’m sleepy.”

  Arching an eyebrow, I let out a giggle. “I need to tell you something important.”

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Abriana

  My eyelids felt heavy. “What do you need to tell me, Lex?”

  “How do you feel?” asked Alexa.

  “Huh?”

  “How do you feel,” she repeated in a nefarious voice.

  My head swam as panic crept up the back of my throat. What’s wrong with me?

  She giggled. “Do you feel dizzy? And perhaps a little nauseous too?”

  My chest felt tight as I tried to make eye contact and my surroundings started to swirl into a blue green blur. What’s going on? Am I sick? Did I catch the flu from my parents?

  Alexa giggled, interrupting my anxious thoughts. “It should have kicked in by now.”

  I rubbed my throbbing temples. “Alexa, what the hell is going on? What should have kicked in? Did you do something to me?”

  “I did,” she responded. Her voice took on a hardness and distance that left tendrils of ice in my veins.

  The air whooshed out of my chest. “Wh-wh-what?”

  Licking her lips, she growled, “Let me start at the beginning.”

  My body trembled violently, allowing water to splash over the side of the float. The warm lake water settled under my body, soaking my suit.

  “First, I needed someone to help me . . . So, I found Easton one night outside of a bar downtown. He was so cute and sooo stupid,” Alexa sneered, followed by an evil chuckle. “It didn’t take much convincing, just some cash, and a couple of hours in bed. He thought I was going to come up the next day and tell you it was all a practical joke.”

  Teeth chattering, I struggled to speak. “Wh- wh- why would you do this to me, Alexa?” My head buzzed in horror and confusion. The words pouring out her made no sense, yet looking into her icy eyes, I knew she meant every word.

  “Ohhhh, Abriana,” she said, rolling her eyes. “Don’t you get it?”

  My chest rose and fell rapidly. I tried to sit up, but Alexa slammed my body back down on the inflated raft. I must be having a nightmare! There is no way this could be happening!

  Without warning, Alexa let go of the float.

  Hissssssssssss.

  My breath caught in my chest and I spluttered, “What are you doing? Is there a hole in this thing? Alexa, stop it!”

  Alexa paddled further away as the hissing sound grew louder. “You’ve always been so perfect, Abriana. You’ve always gotten whatever you wanted.”

  Confusion set in and then pure terror. Oh, my God, this isn’t a nightmare! She’s trying to kill me. My own sister is trying to kill me! I swallowed and tried to take a deep breath. “Alexa, whatever has happened, it doesn’t matter. I forgive you. I promise.”

  She threw her head back and laughed. “I don’t want your forgiveness,” she hissed.

  “Please,” I pleaded. “Please stop this!” I looked over my shoulder, desperately hoping to see someone on the shoreline. When no one appeared, I debated screaming until my lungs burst.

  “I’ll drown you if you try to scream,” said Alexa as she examined her nails. “After you die, I’ll take your place. I’ll be the prettiest and the smartest! MamÁ y PapÁ will finally love me!”

  Tears ran down my face. “They already love you!” With my head spinning, I could barely get a grip on her words. Knowing my sister had orchestrated everything, sent a fresh wave of tears.

  Alexa laughed, her body shaking the float and sending a small wave my way.

  A sharp pain spread across my chest. “Lex, I love you, too. Please, you don’t have to do this! We can fix things. Whatever you need me to do. I promise, I’ll do it!”

  As she threw her head back and continued to cackle, I could feel the air escaping beneath me at an alarming speed. As my body sunk down into the deflating float, my body continued to quake in fear.

  Completely ignoring me, Alexa continued to look at her nails. “After your funeral, MatÍ as and I will finally be able to be together.”

  My arm flinched. “What?”

  “He’s too hung up on you right now. Luckily, I took care of that with a little text from your phone.”

  The fear turned to rage and adrenaline kicked in. I had to get away from her NOW! I threw my body off of the float and began to kick my legs and propel my arms forward. I needed to swim to the shore as fast as possible and call 911!

  “Abriana, are you really going to try and get away?” called Alexa. “You need to know, I’m not going to let that happen!”

  My arms and legs flailed in the water and I struggled to keep my head above surface. What did she give me? The dizziness made it difficult to focus on the shoreline.

  “I’m coming to get you, big sister,” Alexa growled.

  I could hear the water splashing behind me. Goose bumps snacked up my neck and terror streaked through my insides like lightning flashing across a summer night’s sky.

  “Why don’t you just die peacefully? Everyone will be so much better off,” Alexa snarled.

  Gasping for air, my breathing became labored. Keep going! Just keep going! Taking a dangerous risk, I looked over my shoulder. My breath hitched in my chest as I scanned the open water. Where did she go?

  Suddenly, I felt a tug and a sharp pain in my ankle. Spinning around, my eyes met Alexa’s. Her nails were digging into my ankle.

  “Let go of me!” I screamed, moments before my head went under water. Struggling, I twisted and turned, trying to break free.

  Curling into a fetal position, I grabbed Alexa’s hand and kicked at her body. I felt my foot make contact with her flesh. With my air supply running dangerously low, I forced my head above water and gasped for air.

  Before my lungs could suck in enough air, Alexa grabbed me by the hair, pushing my head under water. Scratching at her arm, I desperately tried to pull away from her.

  Bubbles escaped from my mouth as I screamed out in pain. Unable to fight, I let my body go limp. This is it . . . This is my last
chance. Pretending to be dead, I floated lifelessly until Alexa gave me one final push down toward the bottom of the lake.

  Crouching down, I let my feet touch the sandy floor of the lake and I pushed up with all my might. As I approached the surface, my eyes narrowed in on Alexa paddling back toward the shore. Steering clear of her, I surfaced about ten feet away. I sucked in gulps of air and headed to the shore.

  “Why won’t you just die?” Alexa screamed as she threw her body into the water.

  Desperate to get away from her, I kicked furiously.

  “Come back here, big sister,” growled Alexa.

  I continued to push my body to the limit. You’re almost there! Don’t give up!

  A moment later, my feet brushed against the bottom. Standing in knee-deep water, I sprinted toward the beach.

  “Not so fast!” Alexa screamed as she pulled my shoulder and jerked my body backward.

  Hitting the water hard, I struggled to rip her hand off me. Before I could stand back up, Alexa threw her body on top of mine, placing her hands over my nose and mouth.

  “Can’t have this look like a murder,” she hissed. Her cheeks were a deep shade of red and her dark brown hair was plastered across her face.

  My arms felt like lead as I tried to shake my murderous sister off, but she refused to loosen her vise grip. Fight back or die, I repeated over and over to myself.

  “Just give up,” screeched Alexa. Her lips were pulled back in a snarl as she slowly drained the life from my body.

  “Leave me alone,” I screamed at the top of my lungs. Then, with one final surge of energy, I kicked my leg up toward my sister’s face. A sickening crack followed by a guttural scream filled the air. A moment later, everything went black.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Abriana

  A crushing sensation settled on my chest as a scream escaped my lips.

  “Abriana,” came a familiar voice, “Abriana, it’s okay.”

  My eyes fluttered open and immediately landed on a large man wearing a crisp white lab coat. “Detective Lock, is that you?”