“Kiara, don’t do this!” I shouted as I ran down the hallway of the old house. She walked after me, head down, eyes never off of me. Somehow, even though I was running, she kept the same distance away from me.

“But I want to,” said Kiara, her voice one tone, a tone I had never heard in her voice before. “I promised him I would do it.”

“Promised who?” I shrieked as I turned a corner and found her standing right in front of me.

“Chip.” She blushed and giggled, sounding three years old, and not at all like her laugh. “Chip promised that if I did this he’d make me his queen.”

“His queen?” I asked slowly, backing away, not taking my eyes off of her.

“Don’t try to run.” she said, and I whirled around. She was right behind me. She was only inches away, staring into my eyes.

“What do you mean, his queen?” I asked, not daring to move.

“His queen.” she said. “He would let me live in his black castle by the Black Lake.”

“The Black Lake??” I exclaimed, hysterical. “Kiara, there’s no such thing!!”

I ran, ran from her.

“Sister.” said Kiara, stopping me as I rounded another corner. “You should have known better.”

“Known better than what???” I shrieked. I no longer had any calm, the only thing going through my mind was that I needed to GET AWAY from Kiara.

“Known better than to run.” she said, as though it were more obvious than life itself.

I screamed and sobbed and ran. I ran through rooms and hallways and down and up stairs. Every time I turned a corner, I expected her to be there. When she wasn’t, I kept on running, running, running.

At last I saw the exit. I wanted to kiss it.

I rushed out to the door. I threw it open, and screamed as I saw that she was there, waiting.

“Thank you for letting me in.” she said. “Now HOLD STILL.”

“Kiara.” I sobbed. “Kiara, please.”

“Chip promised!” she said. “And I promised him!”

She pulled out a knife. It was long and sharp, and its sinister blade gleamed in the cold light of the snow that was blowing in from the out doors.

“KIARA!” I shrieked, loud enough to shatter glass. “Kiara.” I said, again, quieter.

“Don’t worry.” she said as she shoved me to the wall. “You’ll see Mother and Father soon enough.” She raised the knife.

“Kiara?” I asked, just before she brought the blade down. “Where is Chip? Where does he live?”

She grinned, and leaned in, as if she were about to tell some big secret.

“You wanna know where he lives?” she whispered excitedly.

I nodded.

“He lives in my head.”

All I could do was scream as she slammed the knife into my chest.