9 THE FIRST SIGN (SCRIBBLES)

*SOPHIA'S POV*

"OH MY GOD!! Are you out of your mind!?" Elizabeth exclaims after seeing me. Her eyes are glued on my naked body but I didn't. care. I embraced her knees while I kneel on the floor. Water trickle down and soaked the carpet.

"Elizabeth... please help me!" I begged.

"Help you? Do you see what happened to me?" She pointed at her nose, still wrapped in a bandage. She glared like I'm the ugliest insect she has ever seen. Even though It was just mere words and a spur at the moment, I still feel responsible for her injury.

"I really am sorry about that" I replied with sincerity. I still have not let go of her legs no matter how hard she wriggles them.

"Really??..and now what? Do you expect me to forgive you that easy?" she yells and grabs my hair, making me wince a bit.

"Elizabeth stop. It hurts" I can see her smirk. She's definitely enjoying this sight. Was it so wrong to ask for my sister's help?

In that moment, I can see her lifting her right hand while her left still has my hair in a tight grip. I am ready to take the blow. Hoping that perhaps she will forgive me and eventually help me in my despair... and so I closed my eyes and waited.

After a few seconds, I felt her loosening and she became quiet which was very odd. Curious, I slowly peeked and a blinding blue-ish light greets me. I squinted as I try to adjust my sight.

"Elizabeth? what is this?" I ask. I removed my hand from her to cover my face.

"...bod.. your... light..." she responds with heavy breaths in between. I can't make up whatever she's trying to say.

"I don't understand you" I replied still shut eyed.

"Dad!!" She suddenly shrieks, breaking the silence and I jolted at the sound. Quickly as I can, I scamper through the floor to find my bed and get the blanket to cover myself. My back is now rested against the wall. Then, Dad's heavy footsteps in the hallway resounded as he run towards my room. My door was slammed and a loud thud echoed inside.

"Dad!!" Elizabeth calls out again. Her voice sounds rough and wobbly.

"Shhh...Calm down Elizabeth.. you're going to be fine"

"Daddy? What's wrong??" I interjected. It pains me to hear my sister whimper. I don't even know the cause of it and yet she's hurt. We hate each other but she's my family and more so, we are twins. I can't just ignore her.

"Open your eyes Sophia." He responds softly.

"But I can't Dad, the light is hurting my eyes. Turn it off!" I disagree to his request.

"Trust me. Just open your eyes honey."

Without any second thoughts, I peeked again.. now between the space of my fingers. The blurry figure of my sister and father was presented to me. The blue-ish light seemed to have faded as well.

"Sophie. Do something for me. Please call Officer Stones." He demanded.

"Dad, what are you doing? Tell me what happened to Elizabeth!" I panicked. Still unclear, I can only picture out my sister now kneeling on the floor, stiff like a rock.

"Listen to me Sophia. If you're not going to follow my instructions, you're sister might die."

"What do you mean?! Why would she die Dad?"

"Just call Officer Stones!" He yells. His thunder like voice penetrated my ears.

"Please honey" he continues, now sounding more calm.

I crawled up on top of my bed and snatched my phone then scrolled through my contacts. When I saw Mr. Stones' name, I hurriedly dialled.

"Hello Sophia?" a modulated muscular voice answered.

"Mr. Stones? Dad needs your help!"

"Put me on speaker" he instructed and I followed.

"Derick, what happened?" Mr. Stones asks my Dad directly.

"The first sign Arthur!. Elizabeth is in a bad shape. Bring your ass over here" Dad's composure disappeared. Their usual formalities did not matter at the moment.

"Okay. I'm on my way. Just make sure she's biting onto something." was Mr. Stones last statement before hanging up the phone.

"Bring me a cloth and put on your clothes."

"Dad, why is is your arm glowing?" I ask ignoring what he just said.

"Look at your self Sophia and you'll understand better. Now, get me some cloth."

"There is someone..no, something inside the bathroom Dad. I'm too afraid to go back there"

"Don't be scared Sophie. It's not going to hurt you while you are in that state."

I wanted to know what my Dad meant. Still wrapped in my blanket, I drag myself towards the bathroom after giving a handkerchief to him. I haven't had a good look at Elizabeth's face since earlier but I trust that my Dad will be able to take care of her.

Carefully, I tiptoed on the bathroom floor. Shattered glass is all over. Bottles of shampoo and Conditioner scattered all around. It's a total mess.

I focused my gaze on my reflection in the mirror or rather, what's left of it. Using my arms, I leaned on the sink and studied the woman I see in front of me.

The first thing I noticed are the scribbles on my neck. It looked like ancient writings tattoed on my skin. Staring at it, the texts appeared on my shoulders then to my arms and now, instead of looking at my self through the broken glass, I decided to glance at my own body.

The burn I had on my left arm formed an image like a moving picture. A sword engulfed with a thorny rose vine can be seen where the flower sits at the top of the pommel. Horns emerged beside the grip and a worn out looking wings spread across, just behind the fuller.

"Dad? What is this?" I ask after what I witnessed.

"I got this Derick" a woman confidently says as she approached me. Her olive eyes reminds me of someone - Nathalie Stones.

"Mrs. Stones? Why are you here?"

"I'll answer all your questions Sophia.. but for now, wear these."

She handed me a plain white shirt and some baggy shorts along with a black bra and underwear.

"Come out once your done and by the way, call me Mrs. Anne" she says before leaving me behind.

After a couple of minutes, I went out just like she said. Dad is now sitting on my old couch with Mr. Stones while Mrs. Anne held my sister on the bed.

"Is she okay?" I ask as I observe my twin.

"She's okay now Sophia" Dad answers. I sigh in relief.

Mr. Stones stood up and walked towards me. He then pulls my left arm gently.

"Wow, this is unique!" he exclaims

"What do you mean?"

"You are born different Sophia" Mrs. Anne answers.

"Now Sophia, read what is written there" Dad commands me.

"Dad, I don't see any writings"

"Look closely honey"

I bring my arm near my face to carefully check the image and another surge of blue-ish light envelopes the surroundings but it didn't hurt this time .

Like an embossed imagery, an eye emerged on the guard and a scripture appear on the blade. Reading the message out loud it says,

"FILIA PECCATOR ET INGENIOSUS"