Chapter 6 Best things come in two

I held the collar wondering if it was Mel's. I can't believe I forgot to ask her about it. I walked down the path, reaching the end. At the end of the path was another mirror held by a tree. This one was shiny with child-like painted roses but a gate lay in front of it. Thorny vines tied around the gate, holding it shut tight. I grabbed at the bars in the gate pulling at it but to no prevail it wouldn't open. I just held onto it. Today felt too much for me. "Mama" I called, opening her door but she wasn't there. I didn't see daddy either. The clock read two o'clock in the morning, which is later than he would usually work. I crawled up into their bed and lay in his spot. It smelled of him, I wanted to lay there forever. I wanted to be sitting on his lap, watching tv, and him asking how was my day at school or with mom. I just want him to talk to me, please. I'm still your little girl. I haven't grown, I promise. I wasn't able to sulk for too much longer before I had to be grown. "Mama" I sat up in the bed and there she was. Her make-up was messy, her eyes puffy, and her clothes a mess. "My sweet, Minaa~" She held a smile but I knew she wasn't okay and I knew what was next. She stumbled her way to me and fell onto the bed. "Where is he, Mina?" she asked me, I could see the tears. I need to put her first and me last. "I think he is still working," I told her as she took another drink. This is the first time I've seen a different bottle. It was clear and the liquid inside was dark and yellow mixing with purple. "Bullshit!" She yelled as the bottle slipped from her hands. "You and I both know what he's up to" I watched the bottle roll off the bed and shatter. I hated that I wished it was me, I hated that I didn't want to hear her words for a second longer. "Mina!" She yelled at me, causing me to flinch. She was upset, she was mad. "Not my sweet Mina" I watched her hands. "Don't you act like him too" I can see her hand ball up into a fist. "I was listening, Mama!" I spoke quickly. "You promise?~" Her drunk tone is coming back in. A smile crawled back into her face.

She grabbed me by my waist pulling me into a hug. "That's right, you're my little girl" She petted me as I held back my tears. "You'll be just like Mama" She laid back falling off the bed and down I went with her. "Ah…ah.." I bite my bottom lip, taking in shaky breaths. I got glass in my hand, which wasn't a small piece either. My hand shook as I sat up on my knees. I could hear my mother's soft snores. I need to clean, I need to move her before she's up again, I need to before she sees what I did I-

"Hey! Let go of that!" I feel someone grab my hand. Pain hit me, making me fall to my knees. I now realized I have grabbed a hold of the thorny vines on the gate. I didn't dare let the tears fall as they begged to be set free. "What are you dumb?" The person said to me. "I-i" My voice was shaky as the tears finally fell. "Fuck" I hear them whisper to themselves. My vision blurred. It was too hot, my head hurt, my hand burned…It was about four in the morning as i washed my hand. Checking for more glass as I see the front door open. "Welcome home, Dad" I used to call him papa and daddy but he told me not to, that I'm too old for that. I don't believe that. "Mina?" He seemed confused. "Why are you still up?" He sat his work bag down. The tie he wore this morning was gone. His suit was messed up and unbuttoned. There wasn't any more glass. "I was doing the dishes" I lied, "I'll go to bed soon" He patted my head not seeing the bloody water paint the sink. "Well, good night" He kissed me on the head. I can smell the sweet perfume on him. "Good night…Papa" I said, closing my eyes.

I woke up on a soft bed. It was warm but cool. I didn't have my scarf on anymore. "You're up" I look over to a boy. He looked like Mel. Dark purple somewhat blue ears and tails, and his hair was a gray-purple one you would find on Halloween decorations. He held the collar. "Can I have that back?" I asked him, sitting up and noticing my hand had been cleaned and bandaged. "No, this is my sister's" He's eyes were the same as Mel's, that blue color. "Why do you have it?" He sounded bitter "Mel sent me" The words slipped through my mouth smoothly. He went quiet. The air felt thick. "She…sent you?" I nodded, he had a rose tied into his hair like a hairpin.

"What's your name?"

"I'm Guillermina but you can call me Mina"

"Zack"

How weird. "Thank you for fixing my hand," I said as the room fell quiet again.

"Where are you going?"

"To the queen's party"

"She'll kill you" He walked away heading to a door that lay on his left. "Do you see what you're wearing?" He left the room I was in. The room was covered with plant life, it was very colorful. There were 3 bookshelves and all of them were overfilled. "Here" He held out a glass bottle to me, one that you think witches use. "What is it?" I held the bottle gently. "It will kill the vines on the gate" He had a look on his face, one of worry I think. "Are you okay?" I wondered as he played with his fingers. "You'll come back here, won't you?" His voice was filled with sorrow and a touch of loneliness. "I mean you don't have a reason to but I feel bad that I know what will happen to you and can't stop it" He leaned against the desk that was in the corner of the room. He opened his mouth to speak once more but I cut him off. "She doesn't blame you" He stared at me. "She blames herself but I don't think either of you guys are to blame" I stood up from the warm bed. "You don't blame us..?" His voice was weak. "No, you guys didn't do anything wrong"

I held my hand out to him "Would you like to come with me?" I gave him a sweet smile "Mel wouldn't want me to…"

"I think your wrong"

"You don't know anything about her and you never will. And you don't know anything about me, you know nothing"

"...you remind me of someone…" We locked eyes for a second. "He didn't like being alone and I don't think you do either." My voice was soft, I didn't want to say the wrong words. I feel him take my hand, my cheeks feel warm. "Did Mel tell you that?" I can see the small smile form on his face, the same small smile. I stared at him. It felt as if I was staring at Mel. I didn't even know her and yet my heart ached as if I knew her for years. I nodded and he let out a small chuckle as he led the way. Zack's house was cozy and warm. You could say it was a loving place…"Wake up, Mina" I fluttered my eyes open to meet Zach's brown ones. We lay in Mel's bed and the sorrow held me so warmly. "I'm sorry," I told him, sitting up in the bed and rubbing my eyes. "It's okay but you should be heading home soon" His voice sounds so sleepy. "Really?" I wonder why he told me that. I groaned softly as I got up off the bed, looking out to the window. You could see the stars and the only light was from the moon, the streets matched the midnight sky. "Do you want me to walk you home?" He asked me, as he dragged himself out of the bed. "It will only make it worse" I place a coat over my shoulders. "I'm sorry I fall asleep" I patted his head, "It's okay"

"Good night, Zach"

"Good night, Mina"

When I looked up from the ground I saw we had reached the gate. "Throw the bottle" He let go of my hand, standing to the side of me. I threw the bottle as hard as I could at the gate, watching it shatter against it. The thorny vines began to melt from the gate as it slowly squicked open. The painted red roses on the mirror began to blossom around the frame of the mirror. I stepped forward, realizing I was the only one moving.

"This is as far as I will go Mina" don't say that. "I can't go back out there" He turned away from me. Not again, Please don't. "So goodbye, Mina" I grabbed onto his black sweater. My hand shook, "Won't you walk me home, Zach" My grip tightened.

"Please can you walk me home?" I looked up at him "I don't want to be alone again" How stupid I must have looked begging someone I bearly knew to stay with me. I wished he walked me home that night. "Okay" He held that same smile again. "I'll walk you home"