Always together

What did I wish for?

I wished for that dice on the table to move; the photo frame on the wall opposite to me to fall; or the windows to open on their own and strong currents to gush in, even though currently there was no sign of wind.

That's some weird wish I have, you would say. But that small yet nearly impossible wish held so much significance in my life.

I just wanted a glimpse, some small sign that she was still here somewhere; that she was not truly gone.

We used to watch horror movies at night. There was something so exciting about seeing something so unbelievable that I secretly hoped I would be one of those unlucky witnesses too. Seven, or maybe eight years ago, I would not have thought that the one I wanted to see would be her. But after all, we both had promises to keep.

Now that we were sixteen , a lot of things had changed in my life. The one who said she would always be there for me totally disappeared.

And so did my hope and happiness, that things could change for better; she took them all away when she left me, forever.

She had promised we would always be together, stand up for each other and work as a team, best friends.

I wish our last days as a team could be different. None of us realised how bad things had become until... Until I was left all alone. She wasn't exactly responsible for it, neither was it entirely my fault. I guess we were both equally to blame.

There's only one hope now, that there has to be a glimpse, a small sign indicating her presence. That she's not truly gone. An inexplicable incident that could explain she kept her promise.

When I know that, I could sleep peacefully again.

''Tckk... Tckkk...'' The sound of plastic hitting the floor.

The dice had fallen near my bed. How did I not see it moving? The dim streetlights were enough for me to make out the objects in the room clearly.

To slightly shift its position was one thing, but here someone had picked the dice up dropped it near my bed. They, or perhaps She, might be just standing here, or maybe sitting on the bed. My breathing hitched, I couldn't help but smile as I thought of the possibilities.

"Prish?" I croaked. I was wondering whether I actually said that or only in my head.

I exhaled audibly and spoke a bit louder, so anyone present in my room could hear, but not my parents who were snoring in the room across. "Prish? Are you here?"

A chill ran down my spine and I felt uneasy. The temperature had dropped, probably below zero. I shivered despite being wrapped in the warm thick blanket.

"Suchaa wee-uh nem. Donta thin?"

Such a weird name. Don't you think?

A hushed female voice slurred, like the wind blowing through a cluster of trees. Darkness concentrated in front of me and quickly took the figure of a tall slender girl with short hair.

"Wav- whaa.." I was struggling to find a reply. She was here. I didn't know whether to be frightened or glad.

"Dissh.. Tiss difcul to cumnceh, I shusseh glae to meetoo... Buh am agry."

Dish.. It's difficult to communicate. I should say glad to meet you.. But I am angry.

"Whuh? Wh-Why?" I was confused. Why was she angry with me? What did I do wrong?

I stopped myself from thinking about those last days. No, it was not my fault, at least not entirely. Besides she couldn't know, and I didn't plan on telling. The past was in the past. I had to stop thinking about it too, Fake everything, what if spirits could read minds? I shuddered involuntarily.

"Yu seh wi aa mo then sistuhss .Wi aah best frenss. Faw-evah. Fawye - VAH!" she shrieked.

You said we are more than sisters. We are best friends. Forever. FOREVER! It was like a thunder clap causing me to believe that this spirit was something sinister, not my sweet twin sister.. Prisha.

Or maybe it was her, the new one, the one who led to this mess. Not the one I wanted to remember, the one I loved, the old one who promised that we would always be there for each other, always together. The one who had disappeared years ago.

"What, are you s-sus-saying, Prish? " I squeaked, visibly trembling now.

"Aw-wayss the tyubigh yu wuh, Ae-mean aa."

Always the tubelight you were, I mean are. She made a horrific sound which was probably meant to be a giggle in ghost language.

"Miss Ido-tic, lemme repeeht. Yu. Seh. We. Wuh. Best. Frenss. Faw-evah! Aw-wayss t-geethrr.

Miss Idiotic, let me repeat it. You. Said. We. Were. Best. Friends. Forever. Always together.

Donta gedit? Annai harly even live. Sistee yuhsso less. We-ahto do sso many thinks t-gether; finshcool, weh saeessae thuh fayway parry, college , I caan remembrr all buh-ther wassomuh chore. Iivan jokinly seh once thah we wuffinda pairof adentecel twin bos tu marry. An-it wubbeaa disast but funny tunot wegawter change." She stifled a ghost laugh. "We ad sso muchudu..... Tgethr! Buh yuaah sossel-fish enAARTESSS!

Don't you get it? And I hardly even lived. Sixteen years is so less. We had to do so many things; finish school, wear sarees at the farewell party, college, I can't remember all but there was so much more. I even jokingly said once that we would find a pair of identical twin boys to marry. And it would be a disaster but funny to know it we got interchanged. We had so much to do..... together! But you are so selfish and HEARTLESS!

"No no. Whaterysay– "I started but she ignored me and continued. Could she read minds? If yes, then I won't think about what had happened but only say to myself that she was the one who broke the promise. Why the hell was she blaming me?

"Yu wantuh mom-daz luforyo sef, yu wantedevy ones tenshuh, yu ated whenai ousshine du." Her ghostly slur was a bit difficult to understand but I dared not ask her to repeat. "SSOYU KILLED ME. YU KIDMI! Yu, killd me, thauta finch, laikitwas theesiest join duh WUUHDD. Yusti don shoa-shre of RERETT!"

You wanted mom-dad's love for yourself, you wanted everyone's attention, you hated when I outshined you. So YOU KILLED ME! You killed me WITHOUT A FLINCH , like it was the easiest job in the WORRLDD. You still don't show a shred of REGRET!"

Really? Yep, I didn't. I felt sad, because she was gone, not because I did the final deed. It's not like she had no hand in it all. As I had said, we were both equally to blame.

She continued her rant, "Yu murde yoron ssistuh, yobes fren?"

You murdered your own sister, your best friend?

This wasn't the time to blame. I knew both were guilty. But this, was the time to question. How did she know? It was so carefully planned, executed, and my acting skills? There were just Wow. But she knew! She knew and now I was doomed. Or was I? Her words had sparked something in me.

"Whasso silen, Dissha darli? Yu thinkiow I know? O c'mon. Amyo, wass, yo twin sistuh, I know yu bettedan yoself. Aftrry det yo rinosen monicud fool mawndah, no me." Why so silent Disha darling? You thinking how I know? Oh come on. I am, was, your twin sister. I know you better than yourself. After my death your innocent mourning could fool Mom and Dad but not me.