Sister

  Word Count: 627

  Emily gazed at her sister lying there in her casket, allowing the flood of memories to engulf her. She died on the battlefield and a hero’s funeral was being held in her name. But, all Emily could notice was her sister’s brown hair resting on her shoulders. So similar to her own; her cheeks, her nose were all so similar, yet so different. 

  Being twins, they shared their birthdays, their bedrooms, clothes, everything. They had always been close, which confused Emily as to why her sister, Laura seemed so unhappy with her. 

  “ I’m just trying to help you.” Emily declared, frustrated beyond belief. “ I’m always trying to help you. Why don’t you understand?” 

  “ Why don’t you understand that it is not what has always happened between us?” Laura spat back at her sister. “Tell me Emily, do I embarrass you in front of your friends? Are you really protecting me, or simply trying to groom me into another you?” 

  “ Of course no-” Emily began, but paused as she realised that a little of that might be true. Emily was more popular, she had more friends, boyfriends, yes. But Laura was not going to guilt her into thinking that she was hurting her. Laura simply did not try hard enough, did she? She was just content with being mediocre in all her endeavors. That was the fundamental difference between them, thought Emily. 

  She tried to speak again, but Laura found her answer in her sister’s silence, and she looked away shaking her head in sadness. 

  “ I only wanted to help, not to make you feel worse about yourself.” Emily finally uttered. 

  “ I don’t feel bad about myself, Emily.” Laura hissed, clenching her fists and shocking her sibling. “You always assume that I do.” 

  The tension between them grew further after college when Laura announced her rather impulsive decision to join the army. 

  “ The army? What in the world are you thinking?” Emily could not believe her ears; the sister she had helped throughout her life was now going to leave her. 

  “ What I am thinking does not matter. This is my decision.” replied Laura in a quivering voice. 

  “ You can’t just decide something like this on your own. You need to be here with me, do you hear me Laura?” 

  “ I don’t need to be with you, Emily. I need to find my own path for a change.” 

  And today as Emily gazed at her sister’s morbid blue lips, her pale cheeks, Laura finally realised that it was Emily who needed her; whether it was to simply talk about insignificant issues or feel better about herself. She finally knew, now that it was too late, that she, herself, had not been the shadow trailing her sister, but Emily was the structure built on the foundation that was Laura. 

  Endless questions reeled around Emily’s mind as well. Even as she was getting into her tailored funeral gown earlier, she could not help but wonder whether her sister was really gone. Was it even possible? After all, she had never known a world without Laura. 

  She had warned her, implored her not to go. But, her sister was so obstinate. Emily felt tears prick the corner of her eyes as she reached out her hand to take Laura’s for what seemed to be the last time but found herself only stroking her cold skin. 

  But now, look what that got her, Emily thought to herself. She should have listened to me. She must have realised that I was right. And her tears no longer bothered her as a familiar feeling washed her over. Her chest rose in triumph, knowing that her beloved twin, the poor sister she loved so much had known that she, Emily, had been right all along.