Escapes (part 2)

Chapter 7
A Cat’s Territory

(5th day, Saturday Morning)
Late that night the door wasn’t heard opening or closing.  Not a sound was made as Cat dropped a black bag in Animal’s corner and once again fell asleep face first on the rug floor. 
         A sleepy eye awoken from its dream as Cat stood over Ginger.
“Are you comin?”
“This early?”
“We’ve got to get to the top before sunrise, or it’s all in vain.”  As the two sisters walked down the stairs, they saw most of the guests asleep, but Animal was already up working in her corner with more interest than ever before.
“Hey Animal, you want to come?” Ginger asked.
“No.” There was a slight pause as Animal looked over her shoulder to the sleeping hostages. “Why don’t you take Kristen and Michael though?”
“Can we take Alison too?” Ginger asked in excitement.  Cat stood for a while before looking at her sister in the corner.
“Are you sure dad will let us?”
“Dad’s gone for the weekend, had to patch up a few things for the trade off.  As long as you’re back before Sunday, it’ll be ok.”
“Alright, we might as well take Tom too.”  Ginger ran over to her hostage and shook her awake.
“Alison, you get to go on the mountains with Cat.”  In a sleepy mode, Alison was released from her bonds and lazily followed Ginger to the door.  “Wait here.”  The excited child ran to the others and woke them up in a similar fashion as Cat got a few more water bottles and lunches. 
“We’re gone Animal,” Cat yelled behind her as she threw her bag over her shoulder and exited the house.
“Try to resist the urge of hurting Dick will ya?”
“I’ll do my best Ginger.”  The lazy guests simply followed however seemed to be knowing what they were doing out the door as Animal stopped her work to lean back in her chair.  Ya know, she hadn’t had a bit of fun in a while.
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The blackness of night engulfed any view that struggled to be seen.  The once hated heat was now cold and bit threw all forms of protection.  The new comers huddled together for warmth as they walked.  Cat’s speed increased heavily after she glanced at her clock.
“Cat, can you hold on? Its freezing,” Ginger pleaded.
“If we don’t reach the top by sunrise, it’s all in vain.”  The pace of the group now quickened in fear of being left behind in this bitter cold.  Michael looked around the best he could to try to find out a hint of where they were, except for knowing they were in a desert, but the earth was still sleeping in its blanket of black.  Soon the journey was felt at an uphill walk.
“We’re on the mountain now,” Cat called back, with not so much as a hint of hard breathing, like the rest of the group.  “Few more hours of this, if we can keep the pace, and we will accomplish our goal.”  Cat obviously had been on this mountain many times and knew exactly were she was going without even seeing the ground.  At least the large rocks blocked some of the wind, but the night could chill on its own.  The pressure of the sky was a warning to all who entered that they were in a new world. 
“Here,” Cat said, a little out of breath, “Here’s some gum. It’ll help your ears from popping.”  A blue spilt across the horizon as the climb went on. “Almost there,” Cat encouraged.
“You’ve been saying that for an hour,” Kristen whined.
“But this time it’s true.” Cat smiled as she turned back to her morning routine.  They soon came to an abrupt stop.  “Okay, this is where the slope gets narrow.  Either we all hold hands or we all just are very careful.  Which one?”  The crew took one glance over the long cliff.  Its shadow stretched far, and the ground didn’t seem too pleasant anymore.  They all threw their pride away and held hands.  First you could walk in a straight line, and then they all turned their backs to the wall and scooted across the two foot bridge before a long fall to death.  Once the terrifying moment was over they all turned around a large rock to the top of the mountain. 
Up here the mountain did a very odd thing, it looked like someone had taken a knife to the top and cut off the point.  A large circle was the floor with a view of many more mountains surrounding it.  Most were all larger, but from this view they could swear they were on the top of the world.  Cat easily walked to the death dipped edge and hung her legs over the side.  Ginger soon followed her elder sister and did the same.  Just then the sun started raising its bright head over the long, straight horizon of the desert.  The sky blushed pink and purple from its presence and the darkness hide from its glory. 
“Surely the power of God is quietly revealed,” Ginger whispered.  Cat smiled and rested back on her hands, “See Ginger, I escape to a paradise.”
“Most people do Cat.  Mother, Father, Dick, Animal, they all do.”  She turned to her sister, “No one ever escapes somewhere worse.”  Ginger turned back to face the sun, “But it still doesn’t make it alright.”
“Why not Ginger”, Cat said with a little of annoyance in her voice, “Why can’t anyone leave for a little to enjoy themselves”, she shrugged, “to get away from rules and limits.”
“You can’t escape from limits, they are the rules that are never broken without punishment.  A rule is simply a warning, and it is foolish to think yourself higher than a warning.”
“Whatever,” was her sister’s response as she got up to visit with the exhausted hikers.  Ginger sat and watched a new day spring to take life as an old one died again.  More than half of the star had awakened the earth and in a finial stretch, Ginger unpacked breakfast.  The meal was more breathed in than eaten and the containers were packed away. 
“Well, we got to go before it gets too hot.” 
         The walk down hill took oddly longer than the one up.  It was about noon when Animal swung over to the other side of the mountain. “We’ll get to the other side were we’ll have shade for the rest of the day.  First I want to show you something.  They all turned another corner to see the dark opening of a cave.  A moment of hesitating fear lingered before all fled behind their fearless leader into the welcomes shade.  There was a sound, once they entered.  It sounded like….water? 
“This is the one and only spring for miles,” Cat announced.  The small spring was about a foot wide of a steady flow of water entering threw an unknown source.  It went from one wall to the other and disappeared into the right wall.  An unusual flower stood beside the spring, supporting its life on it.  Behind that the grey walls of the cave went black into a tunnel.  The sore hikers set down their luggage with not so caring throws. 
“What’s back there?” Ginger asked.  When she pointed her head, Cat’s head followed.
“I’m not quite sure,” Cat turned back to Ginger with a sneaky smile, “Want to find out?”  Ginger stood immediately from her spot, “Sure”.  She looked back to the others, still on the floor. 
“No thanks,” they all said. 
         The two sisters easily jumped over the spring and headed into the cave.  The dark silence lurked in there.  The flash light flickered a bit before their eyes adjusted to its light.  The tunnel still stretched on.  A growl was heard from the back of the cave. 
“Cat let’s go back,” Ginger panicked.
“No no, let’s see what it is first,” Cat foolishly urged on.
“Curiosity killed the cat, Cat.”
“Good thing I’m not a cat then, hu?”  The noise was heard again, only louder.
“Cat please!” Ginger pleaded. 
“Just until I know what’s back here.” Cat loaded her gun just in case.  As she was doing so Ginger saw two yellow eyes escape from the darkness of the cave.
“Cat! Get out of the way!”  Ginger pushed her older sister from the monster’s reach, having herself severely injuring her leg in the process.  Cat flew to the ground as her gun escaped from her hand.  She took a quick turn to see why her baby sister was now screaming.  She saw a large tanned body on top of her crying sister.  The cat’s mouth was moving all around for the chance to sink into its delivered meal.  The first thing Cat could get in her hand, she threw at the beast.  It happened to be a rock.  The cat’s head perked up from its distraction to see Cat charging it.  She held a sharp rock in her hand and pierced it in the side of the velvet animal as they both tumbled off Ginger.  The cat easily rolled on top of the intruder and pin her down to the ground.  Its claws sank deep into Cat’s side as she screamed in pain.  Then, for the first time in a long time, Cat made a mistake in the wilderness.  The mountain lion took its opportunity and bit hard into Cat’s shoulder, tearing a bit of flesh away from its rightful place.  The elder sister’s eyes relaxed from the wince of pain, as did her body.  Her breathe was hard and started its way to stopping. ‘Not like this’ she thought ‘Not in my own escape’.  A blast was heard as dust flew from Cat’s side.  The weight of the cat was lifted as it ran back into its dark hiding place.  Cat glanced over and saw Michael with the gun in hand as a small stream of smoke escaped it.  She then looked over to her bleeding little sister as her sister looked at her threw pink eyes and whispered in a dying voice, “Paradise?”  Both girls fell limp.
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         She awoke to a painted sky. ‘Was is dawn or dusk’  She noticed she was in a pair of sweaty arms and looked up to see breathless Michael running from what was left of his energy, before she fell limp again.
         

Chapter 8
Broken Ginger, Angry Animal

         Animal talked an unknown voice into the hooked up phone.  Her now deep voice echoed, “I want fifty-thousand dollars, in a bag, in a cave, on Mount Cast. Bring it, drop it, and leave.  You will get your actors when you have left the state.”  The phone was hung up and set on the counter. 
         Animal walked back into the living room from the kitchen.  The news was on and she leaned on a wall as she watched.
“Breaking news.  It appears that Jane Wes could be more of an opponent than an ally.”  Animal’s eye browse wrinkled at this news. “We are informed that even the scientists that receive Jane Wes’ work don’t even know who she is.  It appears that her cures/experiments are delivered to them threw a very secretive deliverer.  Users are furious with this discovery,” the shot went to a large crowd in front of the lab.  A man yelled, “What if she’s a terrorist who plans to poison us?”  A woman yelled in a very worried voice, “How do you know if it is safe or not to take her medicines?”
“We have tested all her medications and are sure that they show no harm,” a scientist placated as he tried to comfort the crowd. “How could you not tell us you didn’t know?” another man screamed.  “Who ever she is,” the news anchor continued, “We know she’s got a lot of explaining to do.”  The TV went blank as Animal turned it off with expected discus.
         The clock struck nine p.m. and Animal paced back and forth.  ‘Were could they be’ she thought.  Just then the door burst open, as Michael held Cat in both arms and Tom held Ginger.  Alison and Kristen ran behind them in a frantic mood.  Ginger was set on the couch, while Cat had to endure the rug floor.  “What happened?” Animal asked in a worried anger.  Cat’s side and shoulder were bleeding heavily while Ginger’s leg lay uncontrolled on the couch. 
“There was a mountain lion,” Michael started in between breathes. 
“Alison go in the kitchen to the half bath and bring out the first aid kit,” Animal interrupted.  Michael continued, “Ginger’s in bad shape and Cat’s in worse.”  The aid kit was delivered and Animal went to work right away on Ginger’s leg. 
“What are you doing?” Michael asked, “Cat’s the one bleeding like life is gone.”
“Cat has endured injuries before, Ginger has not.  If you’re that scared, clean her up and get her ready to be doctored.  I’ll get her when Ginger’s done.”  Michael did what he was told with the help of Tom while Alison and Kristen helped Animal.
                   _____________________________________________________
Cat’s eyes awakened to her twin sister petting her head with a damp rag. 
“Hello sist-,”
“I thought you said you would keep her safe?”  Cat sat in silence, not knowing what to say.  “Ginger can’t walk now cause of you.  How could put her in a dangerous situation like that?” Animal said in a harsh, low voice.
“Well she could have turned back,” Cat replied defensively, as she raised a little off the bed but soon fell back, grabbing her side.
“That gives you no right.  She’s younger; I thought you could watch out for her.  That’s what you’re supposed to do when you’re given the care of a child.”
“Like you know anything about care, no one’s shown any care in this family since birth.” Both voices her low, stern whispers so as not to disturb the house hold.  “Just because you’re the only one who protects her doesn’t mean she’s yours.  Ginger is at the mercy of everyone else in this family just like us.”  Animal’s face grew hard, but Cat hadn’t seen her sister’s fury like the others and continued.  “And I know you don’t like to admit you’re scared Animal, but face it, you are.  That’s why you burry yourself in your work. You keep getting on to me and mom for running away, but you’re exactly the same.”  Cat received a slap on the face for that remark. Animal’s eyes burned as her hands shook out of desperation to beat the light out of her sister. 
“No Cat,” she said in a barely controlled whisper, “I’m not like you or mom.  I’m here when Ginger needs me, fear is not a question when I get between her and father, even if it means taking my own life.” There was a pause as Animal looked into her sister’s eyes, “I don’t leave her to die,” another pause was taken as Animal looked in sorrow at the ground, revisiting long, hard times, “like me.”
As she said that, her arm was raised as she stabbed her sister in the arm with a needle.
“What did you do to me?” Cat panicked as she tried and failed to sit up.
“Relax, it’ll help you heal faster.  I would use if for Ginger, but it doesn’t work for bones.  You’ll be sore for a few days, but it won’t feel as bad.  Either way, be careful.”  Animal stood and headed for the door.
“Animal,” Cat called back.  The teenager stopped at the door.  “Thanks, it means a lot you still care about me.”
“I don’t care about you Cat, I care about my last dose and I mean it.  If you move around too much the chemicals will wear off, and I don’t want my last shot to be a waste.”  Animal held nothing but hate in her voice, and Cat felt nothing but.  She threw her head to the side as her sister left and looked at her dark room for one of the first and last times. 
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         The noise of the commotion was not ignored.  Dick sat in his room and smiled to himself as his imagination took off on ways to harm his hated sister.  ‘The only way to get to someone who’s tough as stone,’ he thought, ‘Is to hurt someone who isn’t’ He smiled to himself as the morning sun arose to its new date along the horizon.  “Enjoy it while you have it Animal,” Dick smiled to himself, “It won’t be hear for long.”

Chapter 9
Innocent Sacrificed

(Sunday morning)
The morning’s silence was awakened by Animal as she looked in her twin sister’s room.  “Darnet!  I told her not to move around!”
“What’s wrong?” Ginger called from her and Animal’s room, down a long hallway to the left of Cat’s room at the dead top of the stairs. 
“Cat’s gone, and I need to go get her back.”
“Why?”
“A long story, just listen, I don’t know when I’ll be back so take care of your self and don’t move around too much.  Your leg can’t stand it.”  The clock struck twelve as Animal walked down the stairs she looked at the prisoners, “You’ll have to go without food for a while but I’m sure you can do it.”  With that she grabbed her small back pack at the door and left.                    ___________________________________________________________
         Ginger slept most of the day with the exception when the door opened and closed to let her parents in.  Ginger head arose to see her mother and father enter their room at the end of the hall way.  Both were tired and weakly slumped into their room.  After that Ginger uneasily went back to sleep.
         Little did she know there was more mischief than only her parents.  Dick and Donkey quietly slumped down the halls.  Both had gotten into father’s drinks while he was out and both made a bit of noise wandering down that hall.  Ginger innocently stirred in her soft bed with the interruption of her dreams. Finally she gave up and her small eyes opened slightly.  The first thing she noticed was the unbearable pain her leg was sending her.  Her eyes shut once again in pain and opened to see the shadow of the two large males in her dark room. 
“What’s going on?” she groaned with tired curiosity.  The boys cracked up at her words.  “Are you drunk?” Ginger now sat up from her bed despite the rebelling in her leg.  “You two should go to bed, you’re going to hurt someone.”  The boys failed at laughing even harder at this, making their chuckles now escape from their noses.
“We can only hope.”
         The boys moved in now and Ginger sat up even more to feel the pain grow.  Dick grabbed one arm while Donkey grabbed the other and the small child was lifted from her bed and dragged along the floor.  Ginger’s whelping cries were heard all around the small house as she begged to be set free.  Her leg was hitting everything in the hallway and the pain of it was inflicted worse upon the crying child.  “Let me go,” she begged even more, her voice starting to loose its volume.  Dick ‘accidentally’ stepped on the injured leg, causing the sown skin to rip and open, allowing her blood to leak threw.  Her cry was loud as the unbearable pain whipped her to no mercy.  Cries echoed to the tormented hostages as each tried their hardest to escape their bonds, but no one could stop the two boys from beating their friend.
         Ginger was now in their room as she continued to cry for help and mercy.  Beyond her control she was forcibly thrown to the hard floor by the older boys and kicked once more in the leg.  Once again both boys grabbed either one of young Ginger’s arms and tried to lift her off the ground despite her useless attempt to push them away. 
         Just then Ginger saw a stream of hope.  Their in the doorway stood her mother. 
“Mother,” she pleaded, “Help me!”  Despite her instincts, the pale woman just sat their.
“Mother!” Ginger screamed in disbelief.  The boys were now looking at the woman at the door.  Her face was white, and her eyes were huge with fear, but her presence had a darkness to it as the small light from the hall outlined her skeleton in black.  Every muscle in her body was tensed to their maximum and her face held the wrinkles of worry, but she still just stood there.  Knowing the woman’s past the boys continued with their revenge on Animal and Ginger screamed louder and threw herself around to try and stop the event. 
         The unbearable action caused the traitor to once again put her hand on her mouth and run from the vial abuse again.
“MOTHER! HELP ME, PLEASE!” Ginger yelled before her voice cracked up and she was thrown to the bed.  Gentile tears ran from her eyes down her soft cheek as the sound of a child’s gentle cry escaped her in soft clumps, and she whispered despiratly, “Please”. 
         
Now it was clear, to everyone in that lonely house, that no one would help this poor child.
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Despite her useless struggling, Ginger still fought the two savages as they took her out of their room and into the hallway.  Tears never stopped escaping the abandoned child as she was lifted up against her will and tossed over the balcony, in one last attempt to get back at Animal, with no care from the two that caused her so much pain.  Her small body fell limp and hit the ground at full force. The light left her and she fell unconscious, and there, her used body laid in display for all to see her shame and loneliness. 
                   ________________________________________________

         “Ginger,” Animal’s voice once again broke the silence of the morning.  She ran to her little sister, dropping her hiking bag on the floor and held her in her arms.  First things first, Animal laid Ginger on the coach, resting her head against Alison’s lap.  She walked over to her chemical corner and got out a shot.  After sticking the needle into her sister, she started sowing up her leg once again. 
         When the job was done and Animal’s heart rate had slowed down, she asked, “Who did this?” in a calm voice that could barely hide the anger behind it.  She already knew the answer and the minute the name was sounded she would unleash the monster inside her and brutally beat whoever did this.  The room fell into silence.  “WHO DID THIS!” she screamed, patience failing to hide in its captivity.  The room was in fear, but none said a word.  Animal started shaking with her rebelling anger.  “WHO!” she said, this time getting up to slap Alison across the face as her cage was open and rage was unleashed.
“Dick!” Kristen screamed out, but as soon as she did she noticed her mistake.  Animal’s dark green eyes went as cold as ice.  Her angry face grew stern, then, her entire body relaxed and her neck released her head lightly.  Breath came back to her and her muscles relaxed from their positions, but her eyes didn’t give off any signs of relaxing.  Instead, she was thinking, and for Animal to think instead of using pure, instinctive, force was a very bad sign, especially when she has reason and motivation to kill.  She would stop at nothing to inflict the pain she felt upon others.  Someone would pay for her pain, and may death take him first before the wrath of Animal got him.


Chapter 10
Pleasing Punishment

         That day was spent with Animal taking care of the prisoners and Ginger, but all wondered what she would do to Dick who hadn’t been seen that day.  Animal was not one to let things go, and for her sister to be harmed was a new level of anger to Animal.  Her brain wouldn’t rest this time.  Everything was a weapon, and all were aimed at Dick.  His death hovered over her, but she knew Ginger would disagree, and to hurt Ginger again was out of the question.  No, she had to ease her mind and not completely destroy her hated brother, but how?  Her imagination jumped with the question.  For the first time Animal could hardly sit still.  The level of excitement of payback both scared and excited her like an eager hunter on its first kill.  Either way she would ease her restless spirit, and her brother would know the consequences of his crimes.

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Darkness covered her as she slithered up the stairs unnoticed.  Despite her nerves she remained calm and steady.  She reached the top and with the silence of a hunting cat, made her way to her brother’s room.  The escaping light from the crack at the bottom of his door lured her, taunting her.  She opened the creaking door slowly.  Dick turned to see his sister, her shoulders tense, her legs relaxed, and her dark eyes narrow on him.
“Aww,” he foolishly mocked, “Did I hurt someone?”  Animal gave a pleased halfway smile. ‘Yep’

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No one heard a word the entire night, but it was a dog’s continual growls that awoke them from their uneasy sleep.  Kristen woke to a red faced boy, hanging by his separated ankles attached to the balcony on her immediate right.  One eye was swollen with a hideous black purple, with few spots of green.  He could not see out of that eye and the other was surrounded by puffy reddish rim.  The eye inside that one was awkwardly rolled to the upper corner of his eyes. His hands were tied behind his back with a tight rope as on his ankles.  His shirt was missing and his pants legs were ripped to shreds, as if an animal had sharpened its claws on them.  The rope twisted the mutant spun around to show deep cuts all along his back as dark, thick blood ran down it, to his neck and off his face.  Blood was also smeared over his swollen lips, making him look as if he was a savage, just after a fresh kill.  Tied around his bruised neck was a steak that the dog below constantly jumped for.  The dog was Dozer for he wore a silver chain and his large body jumped for the meat. Kristen gasped in horror as the animal reached a bit of the bait, and when he fell Dick screamed in pain as the small fishing wire tied to both him and the steak tightened around his neck.  The dog lost his grip and Dick rose up again in pain.  Animal came down like she always did, although this time her hands her in her dark pockets.  The eyeliner was heavy around her darker green eyes, as the black surrounded the emptiness inside.  She looked at her brother with no mercy, or sorrow, or even hate, for her desires were fulfilled.  No, her eyes held one thing, pride.  Her head was high as she looked at her work, but a smile did not open on her face.  The dog’s needs for meat where meet as it again grabbed the steak and lifted its moaning owner down before letting go, sending its abuser lunging back up to his endless torment.
“Please,” Dick’s voice was in a pleading whisper so as not to anger his master.  “Please, help me.”  Animal now had all control of the house aside her dad, for her lower opponent had fallen into her mercy. 
“Give me one good reason.”  There was silence.  Animal mockingly cocked her head to the side so she could hear any noise out of her silent brother.  A sly smile amused her face as she turned around to the audience behind her, opening her arms out wide, “Anyone?” She now strode around the room and looked every silent being in the eye, “Does anyone have a reason we should let this murdering lust lover out into the world ever again!” she shouted this time.
“Because he’s your brother,” a timid voice sounded.  Animal turned to her sister and stared.  The elder sister was deep in thought, but that was all she let out of her.  Her hands went back in her pockets and she looked up to nod at the sealing. 
“Maybe,” she said, “maybe.”  She walked over to her brother as she pulled a knife from her pocket.  She looked down at the persistent dog, consistently jumping for his prize.
“Hey Dozer,” she said, talking to the dog, “Do you want that meat?”  She reached out and grabbed the steak with her hand and slowly pulled down, tightening her own brother’s air passage.  Dick winced in pain.  The dog took its opportunity and sank it’s teethe deep into its meal as he started to jerk his head to get it free.  Dick screamed the cry of a dead man, right before Animal took the knife, jumped high in the air, holding her brother for support, and cut the rope at her brother’s ankle.  Dick went down with a thud as the animal continued desperately to get the steak off its post.  Dick struggled to his knees, then his feet taking the steak away from the dog and kicked the animal right in the face.  In his howl of hurt the dog let go and ran up stairs. 
Dick turned in humiliation to the audience, a steak still tied around his neck as his hands were tied behind his back, still covered in blood and bruises, and looked over to his conqueror.  She mostly stood on one leg as the other was slightly bent, both hands in her pockets.  Her black, shirt with cut off sleeves mocked him with the words vanquisher on it in red letters.  Her sly smirk was placed on her face as her eyes beat, mocked, and laughed at her inferior rival.  Dark brown strands of her hair had escaped their bonds and now hung freely welcomed over her cruel eyes.  Dick took one last look into those dark eyes, which held less mercy than a lion’s, before he tucked his head down in humiliating defeat and slumped up to his room.



Chapter 11
Disturbing discovery

“Animal,” Ginger spoke in a whisper.
“Ya?” her sister had worked hard with her chemicals since early this morning.
“What do you do with everything you work on?  I mean with the chemicals?”  Animal took a slight pause as she stopped from her work and sat up straight in her chair to think.
“Most of them are failures, which I put away from my studies.” She went back to work.  Ginger nodded her head then looked up at her sister again.
“Any harmful?”
“Some, but if so, they’re so weak are immune system can handle them.”  Animal looked over at her sister on the coach, she looked so helpless and weak, so useless in her condition.  She always was on the inside but now it shows on the outside, a physical reminder to Animal of her failure to protect her baby sister, and she hated her brother for that.  But, something was different about her.  Did she look a little pale?  “I bet you’re hungry, let me go get you something.”  As she got up Dick came running from his room, he spoke with a crack in his voice and looked at Animal as if she were the grim reaper coming to take his soul, “Donkey’s HIV positive.” 
         Animal’s eyes opened wide with surprise and rage, then looked at her sister on the couch to see her glance at everyone in the room to try to get what will happen to her now.  Animal’s thoughts turned to anger, “Dick!” she screamed as she approached her brother.
“I’m sorry Animal, I didn’t know!” he pleaded.  The oldest sister grabbed him by the shirt collar and yanked him a little off his feet, “Did you do this?”  Dick’s face grew a little disgusted, “No, I wouldn’t do my own sister.”
“Why not? You sure are sick enough!” Animal screamed as she threw him to the ground.  She grabbed a needle and took some blood from her sister before returning to her desk to find proof of the disease. 
         By that time father and mother both came from their room.
“What’s this racket so early in the morning?” he looked only at Animal because she was always the only brave soul to talk to her father.  Animal now looked at the results the blood sample shared.  She looked over to her brother in disgusted hate, “Dick’s friend gave Ginger HIV.”  Her mother put her hand on the banister to steady herself as she looked at her daughter.  Ginger remembered her ignored plead and finally knew why her sister hated her mother so much.  For the first time Ginger’s warm, blue eyes turned to ice as she gazed at her traitor.  If she died, in her eyes it would be her mother’s murder.
         Her father thought for a while as Animal grabbed a needle to take more samples for a cure.
“Animal,” her father spoke softly for the first time, it scared the household, like the calm before a storm, “I want you to take Ginger to the back and shoot her dead.”  Animal turned her head and stood up straight as the yellow light from the lamp both hide and lighted her distressed face.
“What?!” She surprised herself with the level of sound but didn’t care, “I can help her, I can find a cure!”
“Do as I say you filthy maggot!” her fathers tone injured his daughter’s bravery but didn’t kill it, “Ginger can be spared.”  The room grew silent with surprise, this man was so selfish, he would kill his own daughter just because in his eyes she wasn’t important.  Animal looked again at her weakened sister.  Ginger’s eyes pleaded once again for the gift of life, only this time for her sister’s mercy.  Flash backs of so many times her mother turned her back on her arose from there restless graves.  Animal was NOT her mother nor ever will be.  Her face grew stern, and her body tensed with the arrival of a new found bravery. 
“No.”  Her father looked at her with his small eyes opening, an almost yellow showing threw.
“What?”
“If Ginger dies,” Animal took the needle of loaded blood and stuck it in her own self, “I die.”
“No!” her father yelled, as he ran over and grabbed his daughter’s arm tightly with both hands.  Animal winced in pain but continued, “You may be able to get by without Ginger, but you can’t survive without me.”  Animal was bordering complete power over the house, but the last opponent wouldn’t go down without a fight.  “I stand the trade offs, and I risk my life to get money for you,” she pointed at her father, then her mother, “and you,” and now at Dick, “and you.”  Her tone softened, “I get beat every night by your hands father, and I still risk my life for you.”  Her dad slapped her hard with the back of his hand across her face and she fell to the ground.  “You may want to kill me now, but I’m the only one who can save me and your way of life!”  Her father then did an unknown thing, he stepped down to let Animal go to her work as he entered his room for an early morning drink.
         Animal took a deep breath and looked at Dick warning him to leave.  The coward did, he now knew the meaning of Animal’s warnings, and their costs.
         Animal walked over to her sister and sat on her knees by the couch.  She patted the dark strands of hair that escaped their bondages, much like her own.  The motion soothed the girl as Animal asked, “Do you trust me Ginger?”
“I trust you,” the young child responded before the strain of sleep fell to to great a burden. 
         No one saw, that lonely tear run down Animal’s cheek.  That tear that escaped her was as black as night from the frustration and loneliness of her own mind.  It was the only one that left the stone wall of a protected heart.  It escaped from the only weakness in this demented child’s being.

Chapter 12
A thread of life

         Ginger sat in a cold sweat on the couch.  Alison’s hands where untied to soothe the hot head in a blanket of cold.  Ginger was now as close to death as a ghost, and Animal wasn’t far behind.  She continued to work on the cure with the help of Tom while Kristen prepared the meals, and Michael was taking the dog out. 
“HIV attack the white cells, they attach themselves to them, get inside, and have the cell produce more viruses,” Tom explained to Animal. 
“So what if they attached themselves to a cell that wouldn’t reproduce?”
“I guess they would die with the cell.  But how could you make a white blood cell that couldn’t reproduce?”
“I don’t know, but could we simply improve one so it could handle the virus.  You know, hold it and destroy it while it’s inside?”  Tom thought for a while, “I don’t know what you can do Animal, you’re the genius.”  Animal then turned to her chemicals and paper work and start on something.
         Just then Dick came down in tears.  Everyone looked at the virus that caused this.  His voice cracked and he burst into tears as he cried, “Fi Fi just died.”  The breath in the room was sucked out before Animal worked harder on her cure.
                   _____________________________________________________
         Animal placed a hand on her acing head, she had been working for long, nonstop, painful hours for this thing and was just about to take the tempting rest before her empty thoughts were interrupted by Tom.
“Hey Animal, look at what the cells are doing,” his voice held excited hope as he stared into the microscope. 
“Let me see,” Animal pushed Tom out of the way as Michael made his way to the lab.  In the telescope were many white cells, some you could see the murdering virus’ destruction on them, and some held the virus but still remand strong. 
“Well, could they cure, or reproduce?” Tom asked eagerly.  Animal placed her head on her hands.  She thought for a long while, “Maybe.  Watch them for a while and see if they begin to split.”  Tom did what he was told as Kristen brought some hot tea over to Animal.
“You look tired.”
“Forget about it.  How’s Ginger?”
“She fine, but you need this too,” she pushed the tea closer to the dieing Animal.
“I said forget about it,” Animal yelled as she hit the bottom of the tray, spilling the hot liquid all over Kristen.  Michael picked helped his friend pick up the mess and they both walked back into the kitchen.  Animal wiped her eye with her hand like she was trying to wipe away the situation.  Her breathing was heavy as she looked over to her sister in Alison’s lap.  Ginger’s head lay on her knees as the rest of her body rested on the couch.  Her head was turned to her sister’s and her eyes where closed with sleep.  ‘She’s counting on me’ Animal thought.  ‘I can’t let her down’. 
“I think I see one about to split,” Tom informed.
                   _______________________________________________________
Ginger’s coughing was unbearable to her loved ones around her.
“Hold in there Ginger, Animal’s almost at a break threw,” Alison soothed.  The phone rang and soon after Dick came back down stairs, again in pathetic tears and a uncontrolled voice, “Donkey just died.”  He then burst into a whail, and Animal went and picked her weak brother up by his shirt collar again.  She dragged him into a dark hallway and bitterly threw him against the wall, “Listen you insolent portion of a man.  If Ginger dies,” she pulled him forward then pushed him hard back into the wall, “you’ll die.  Do you understand?” Dick weakly nodded before he was pushed back into the wall and fell to the ground.  Animal left him in a lost state as the dark hallway mocked his loneliness.
                   ________________________________________________
Ginger’s light was fading fast as Animal stuck the solution into her arm.  The blood circulation took it as its own and it was released into the rest of her body.  Animal did the same before she collapsed on the floor beside the couch, her head in her arms.

         A long, nervous time passed before Ginger stirred awake.  The dark color once again returned to her as she looked at her sleeping sister.  This was the first time she had seen her sister asleep.  She was so peaceful, so unbothered by the world’s troubles.  She finally looked relaxed, and Ginger smiled at this.

         Animal awoke to the repetitive breathing of the young child in front of her.  A big smile escaped its bondages at last and gleamed for the world to see its emotion.  “Ginger,” Animal said hopefully as both sister’s hugged each other.  Then the smile faded on Animal.  She let go of her confused sister and the brown center of her eyes grew yet again.  Her eyeliner was off, but black was still surrounding those hatful eyes. 
         Tears blurred Ginger’s vision.  “No Animal,” she whispered.  The older sister pride restored her once again as she stood up straight and her body tensed once again as she looked with cruel eyes at the entrance of her brothers room.  “Not again,” Ginger whispered to herself more than anyone.  Things were once again back to normal in this distorted house hold

Chapter 13
A brutal end

         “Breaking news, we just got word that the people are out of control with Jane Wes.  Whoever delivers the medications was ambushed today and this is the picture we got,” the picture showed a brunet pony tail flying back behind a rock while a tan, brown pant leg was off the ground.  A small piece of a tan elbow was showing, but nothing to give away her identity.  “The terrorist in question is being pursued somewhere in west Texas.”
“Um,” Ginger grunted, “They can give thousands of people life, but they’ll still kill you in the end.  Hu, Animal.”  Ginger turned back to Animal in the door way of the kitchen.  She looked a little angry, but why?
“I don’t think those so called grateful fans could ever catch her.”  She turned back into the kitchen with a little more of an attitude than expected.  Threw the kitchen window she saw Cat, limping back, holding her acing side in pain as she trudged on.  It was still bleeding since the shot Animal gave her had worn off.  Animal took a deep breathe of nerves, and ran to open the front door for her sister.  They both entered into the living room.
         Their father came down at that time, with mother by her side.
“What’s wrong?” he said suspiciously, looking at his second oldest daughter.
“Animal,” Cat gasped out of breathe, “Animal there’s no time……..they’re coming.”
“Shut up you fool!” Animal hissed, but not before her dad had heard.
“Who’s coming?”
“It’s out of control, the people don’t trust anymore.”
“Shut up,” Animal warned under her breathes, but Cat just kept going.
“Don’t you see Animal,” she took her sister’s collar and shook her hard, “They’re comin’ after you, they’re comin’ after Jan Wes!”  Animal stopped all forms of a struggle and first looked at her ignorant sister in hate, then at her merciless father in worry.  The room fell deadly silent for a moment as everyone took in what just happened.
“You,” her father began in disbelief, “are Jane Wes?”  There was no answer.  “Jane Wes?  The BILLIONARE!!!!?”  Cat saw the furry in her father’s eyes for the second time in her life, and like the first it scared the honor out of her.  She violently threw her head back in the way she had come, to listen for the pursuers.
“And you,” Father said and he moved his attention to the other twin, “You helped in this!?”  Cat’s look was death taking.  She moved back as her dad moved forward, passing his first daughter up.
“Animal, SAVE ME!” she screamed.  Animal gave up on caution and threw herself on her father’s back.  Her father grabbed her arms and she flew around the room, still holding his air passage.  Finally she was knocked to the ground on her back as her father stood above her.  He threw a vital kick to her side and she screamed and rolled over in pain.  He picked her up again and hit her head by the cheek.  She fell to the ground and looked at her stunned twin.  Not more than a horse whisper could escape her lips as she begged “Save me.”  Cat was unconsciously moving to the door and then she finally hit it.  Animal knew her thoughts, and the dark brown in her eyes consumed the green almost entirely.  Her cold look was seen before, but never by Cat, and it turned her legs away from her sister.  Before she could think her body did it for her and she was half way to the mountains before she knew it, but she didn’t stop, she ran away from her troubles for her last time.
         Animal was again lifted to her feet and hit in her stomach.  She screamed in pain and fell to her knees.  Father’s foot beat her in the back and she fell to the floor.  Like a wild kitten, she was picked up by the back of the neck, despite her struggling, and was thrown head first into the half circled tabled in front of the couch. 
“No,” Ginger yelled, once again throwing herself in front of her older sister, staring death right in the eye for the last time.  There was no caution in Father’s touch as he instinctively grabbed Ginger by both arms and threw her against the glass covered table in between Kristen’s chair and an unoccupied one. 
         Ginger had never felt this kind of physical pain, as her eyes stained with blood.
         Again Animal was beaten, and again she looked at her mother threw blood brown eyes, as the green framed its presence.  Her neck was grabbed and she was thrown to the brick around the fire place.  Her body couldn’t handle much more of this, for the first time in her life Animal realized she was going to die. 
         Then she looked at her bleeding sister.  She had tried everything to save her sister the emotional and physical pain she felt, but she had failed.  Threw hope lost eyes, Ginger sorrowed with her sister.  Her once happy blue that surrounded her pupil, that surrounded her being, was now darkened with the pain that entered.  Her eyes now showed a small rim of brown around the darkness. 
“NO!” Animal yelled as she threw herself up and swung hard at her father.  She hit him square in the noise and he stumbled back in surprise at this.  He was bleeding a dark color from the sore spot.  Animal took her advantage and kicked him, now in his stomach.  As she was going in for another hit her father grabbed her arm and twisted it back.  A crack was heard as Animal screamed in pain.  She fell to the ground as her arm fell limp at her side.  No longer would it serve use to her.
         Dick came down the stairs to enjoy Animal’s death as Mutt came in from the kitchen.  Seeing his master on the floor and both Dick and father over her, he decided to go for the enemy that didn’t hurt him last time and charged at Dick.  Dick fell to the ground with the beast on top of him.
“Dozer!” he yelled as his dog ran in to save his master.  By mistake Dozer dove his teeth into Dick instead of his real opponent. “You stupid dog!” Dick yelled in pain and hit his dog for the last time.  Dozer flew wild in rebellion as sank his teeth in the flesh of his master’s throat.  Dick screamed in pain and fear as his dad tried to get the monster off his son.  Mutt took the weakness and attacked father.  Father screamed in frustration and with the Doberman on his back, painfully moved to a drawer and grabbed a gun.  Once Mutt had been thrown off he was sent to his death with a bullet.
“NO!” both Mother and Animal yelled.  Mother ran over to Dick as Dozer jumped off his lifeless corpse while Animal ran to Mutt’s.  Out of sheer instinct Father gave a sigh and shot Dozer in the heart.  Animal looked at her dead friend with tears threatening their arrival.  ‘My only companion as dark as I am’ Animal thought, anger boiling inside her ‘I will kill whoever did this’.