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Carmilla held her sister close. “I thought we’d have more time.”
“I know darling, but Maman wants you back by her side. We’ll be together again soon enough, I promise. Next time, Pompeii.”
§~§~§
She kept her promise.
They walked the ruined streets of the city drunkenly musing about what must have happened to the blood that was once trapped in the petrified bodies. They briefly considered breaking into the secret cabinet where they kept the erotic artwork, but decided instead to create their own.
Carmilla fell in love with the freedom.
She held her sister close. “I thought we’d have more time.”
“I know darling. But we have all the time in the world. Next time, Morocco.”
§~§~§
She kept her promise.
They explored ancient cities and botanical gardens that tempted them to stay forever, as well as a diverse population that taught them things they never could have imagined otherwise. Later they would look back and be thankful they got to appreciate the city before it was torn asunder by war and colonization.
Carmilla fell in love with the culture.
She held her sister close. “I thought we’d have more time.”
“I know darling. But we have all the time in the world. Next time, Paris.”
§~§~§
The second she was free from her coffin, she headed for Paris. She knew Mattie would come for her.
She kept her promises.
They caused trouble at the Eiffel tower, though if you were to ever ask either of them about the fire they would just laugh. They made it their mission to see as much of the creativity that inhabited the city as they could. They both agreed they had never felt more alive.
Carmilla fell in love with the art.
She held her sister close. “I thought we’d have more time.”
“I know darling. But we have all the time in the world. Next time, America.”
§~§~§
She kept her promise.
They watched with bated breath, like everyone else around the country, as a man took the first steps on the surface of the moon. They were riveted for hours, clutching each other desperately as they watched things transpire that their generations could never have even dreamed of accomplishing. They didn’t regret spending so much time transfixed.
Carmilla fell in love with the stars.
She held her sister close. “I thought we’d have more time.”
“I know darling. But we have all the time in the world. Next time, Saigon.”
§~§~§
She kept her promise.
They painted the town red, figuratively and literally. The streets ran red with blood, and the air was filled with their raucous laughter. By the end, they were in such a state that they almost got themselves in some very big trouble, but neither of them had ever had more fun.
Carmilla finally felt secure enough to fall in love with having a sister like Mattie.
She held her close. “I thought we’d have more time.”
“I know darling. But we have all the time in the world. Perhaps next time we’ll take you back home.”
§~§~§
She kept her promise.
But it wasn’t supposed to be like this. This wasn’t supposed to happen, she thought to herself. She was blinded by the light that erupted from her sister’s shattered locket, deafened by the sounds that filled her ears. Icy terror filled her veins as Mattie began to collapse. She reached for her instinctively with shaky hands, and they fell together to the floor. She could hear herself screaming, What do I do? Tell me what I do!
But there was nothing, they both knew that. She could see it in the way her sister was looking up at her, eyes half closed and struggling to stay open, the impish spark that had always resided there already disappearing. Mattie was speaking, but how was she expected to listen when she could feel the life draining out of her as she spoke? She could feel her sister’s body shuddering with effort as she used her last breath to warn her. Mattie hadn’t killed all those people. Mattie hadn’t done anything. But she was the one on the floor fighting death to stay in her sister’s arms just a little bit longer.
When she finally felt her sister go limp, the first tear of many began to carve its way down her cheek. It burned her skin, made her feel like someone had set her on fire. Mattie’s last “darling” hung in the air and assaulted her ears. For a moment she didn’t move. She couldn’t. If she moved, surely she would come apart at the seams. Because the one thing that had held her together all her life was gone. She couldn’t see, she couldn’t hear…she couldn’t even force herself to breathe. She felt like she was drowning and she wasn’t sure she wanted to be saved. She was made of nothing but a white-hot murderous rage that threatened to tear her apart from the inside and leave her splattered on her mother’s walls. It burned through her, filling her hollow heart and every empty space inside of her, every space left vacant now that her sister was…movement to her right startled her. She was standing up, the one who had done this. She would pay for it; she would pay for what she’d done. But first…it was time to say goodbye.
Carmilla didn’t feel anything anymore.
But she still held her sister close as she whispered once more, “I thought we’d have more time.”