A Shadowlander's Dream: Book Two - Policy of Love
By Kathryn K Williams
Chapter 4
Kris shut off the shower and shook the water from her hair before grabbing a towel off the back of the shower door. She rubbed the towel through her hair and she stepped out of the stall as another girl gratefully entered the stall. She placed the towel around her neck, not caring much about others seeing her nudity, and moved through the small group of girls to the other half of the washroom, where she approached the line of sinks and gazed at the mirrors for a moment. Although they all had been replaced with new glass, she still could not get the image of shattered glass and blood out of her mind. It was hard to believe that only yesterday Kima broke free from those same mirrors and ran rampant through the dorm halls. Kris shook the thoughts from her head and picked up a small leather case that she had left atop of her clothes on the counter before entering the shower. She took out a comb and began to run it through her thick curls when she heard someone speak.
“You really are a Sister after all, aren’t you?” A voice asked coolly.
Kris spun around to see Alyson standing at the entrance to the showering area with a towel around her waist, her arms crossed over her tiny breasts. For the first time Kris noticed how built Alyson was, her arms and legs were long and thin, however not flimsy, they were the limbs of a girl who spent every morning practising swordplay and jogging and from what Kris had seen Alyson did just that. “Hmmm?” Kris was confused where this line of questioning would come from.
“That tattoo...” Alyson nodded at Kris, “That is the mark of Aigneis, isn’t it?” She inquired with extreme interest.
Kris suddenly realized that the girl was talking about the black winged tattoo on her back, “Oh that...” She turned back to the mirror and dropped her comb back in the pouch, “Aigneis doesn’t exist anymore. She died long ago.” She explained dismally, hoping that this conversation would end quickly.
Alyson stepped up to the sink at Kris’s right, “I’ve heard stories that Aigneis was the kindest of the Sisters.” Alyson continued while gazing at herself in the mirror, not noticing Kris’s anxiety over the situation, “That she actually held sympathy towards those she watched over and even tried to rescue a few souls.”
Kris dropped her hands to either side of the sink with enough force to cause a few girls to jump, “She was a fool who lost everything because of love.” All this talk of her former self was agitating Kris. It was as if no matter how much she ran someone would remind her of the mistakes she made in her life, “She lost her family, her friends and even her love itself. She was stupid. Now can we stop talking about this?” She demanded glaring at Alyson with angry and dismay in her eyes. Several of the girls around them were now, silently, staring at Kris and Alyson in anticipation of where this conversation was going.
“I think she was remarkable and brave.” Alyson stated proudly, returning Kris’s gaze, “And I’m happy to know I fought along the side of her.” She patted the girl on the shoulder then turned on the faucet and filled her hands with water.
Kris stared at Alyson in stunned bewilderment. Never has someone told her they were proud of her, not when she was Aigneis or even as Kris. Her mind played over Alyson’s words and she lowered her head in shame, she had no right to get angry with Alyson, the girl has never done anything to harm her. She turned back to Alyson with intent to apologize when her eyes fell upon the dark purple bruises upon Alyson’s wrists, bruises in the shape of handprints. Her eyes scanned along the girl’s arms to see the number of other partly healed cuts and bruises that marked them, and even more along the girl’s shoulders and neck. “Alyson...?” She stared at the girl’s wounds with even more befuddled expression on her face, “Did you get those while we were in the woods?” She inquired not able to remove her eyes from those wounds. Somehow Kris knew that it was impossible for the girl to have got all those cuts yesterday for some were slightly faded and other fresh. Did Alyson really venture into the Alleys and Woods alone at night like the rumours told? Was she really brave or completely suicidal?
Alyson followed Kris’s gaze to her arms and stared in disbelief at them, as if noticing the wounds for the first time. Quickly she wrapped her arms around herself and glanced up at Kris. There was a confused fear in Alyson’s eyes and she opened her mouth as if she was about to speak when the door to the washroom opened behind Kris and Alyson’s eyes abruptly shifted to anger and hatred. Kris spun around to see Kima enter the room with a small stack of clothes in her arms. Every girl in the room stopped what they were doing to gaze upon the new arrival.
Kima gave a feeble smile and small wave to the girls, “M... morning...” She stammered, nervous of the thick tension that emitted from the room. Rumours of Kima’s attempts to seduce Natalie away from Alyson had spread rather quickly through the dorm and very few of the girls took kindly to someone trying to steal another’s lover away.
Alyson’s eyes scanned over the girl and a snarl began to emit from her throat, “I gave those to Natalie.” She growled, pointing at the baggy tiger stripped pyjamas that Kima currently wore.
Kima glanced upon the clothes, then back to Alyson, “I’m... sorry I forgot to buy some pyjamas.” She explained nervously, “Natalie said I could use these. I... didn’t know they were a gift from you.”
“As if you would really care if you did know.” Alyson’s glare intensified, “All you care about is yourself. Always playing with Natalie’s heart.” She growled
“I’m not!!” Kima waved her free hand in protest, “We are just friends. She doesn’t...” She lowered her head, remembering how Natalie was not in their room that morning, “She doesn’t love me.” She admitted regretfully.
Kris turned away from the argument to look at herself in the mirror, clenching her fists to her sides, “What about Jenn?” She finally muttered.
Kima turned to Kris in shock, “I...” She bowed her head in shame, “I didn’t mean to cause you all so much trouble.” She scanned the room to find many angry eyes upon her from all directions, “I... I’ll use a different washroom... I’m sorry.” She quickly backed out of the room and placed her back to the door. She took a deep breath and tried to hide how terrified she was just then. Why didn’t she fight back? Where was that courage she normally had? She pushed off the door and was about to search for another washroom when she spotted someone heading her way. Dressed in a pink nightgown, clenching to her change of clothes tightly to her chest and walking directly towards Kima was Kimberly, her twin. As Kima watch the way Kim kept her head down so her long red hair covered most of her face in an attempt to avoid eye contact with anyone Kima marvelled about how they could be the same person. It was hard to believe that she had come from inside the mind of such a delicate child as Kim. She wondered what it would be like if the two of them became one again. Would Kim ever accept Kima as part of her soul or would she forever be rejected? She shook her head and approached her reflection, “Hey there.” She greeted Kimberly, causing the girl to startle and stumble backwards.
“Kima!” Kim exclaimed apprehensively, her eyes darting around the hall in search of a means of escape, she was not even aware that Kima had been watching her all that time.
Kima let out a sigh and shook her head in dismay, “Why does everyone hate me so much?” She muttered more to herself then anyone else.
“Because you are mean, rude and selfish.” Kim stated bluntly and gave her twin a cold stare.
Kima stepped closer to her double, “I am you if you don’t remember.” She reminded the girl, “ If you would stop repressing your feelin-“
“I am not like you.” Kim snapped, “We are nothing alike.” She loathed the idea that this girl could have come from inside of her mind. The fact that she now had a physical form repulsed her.
Kima slammed her hand against the wall next to Kim’s head causing several girls in the hall to stop in their tracks and watch them, “This is the kind of attitude that has lost us Jenn.” She snarled angrily remembering the hurt look on Jenn’s face when Kim blurted out how she was not ‘disgusting’ like Kima. She moved in close to Kim’s ear, “You are like me and you know it. I remember the feeling of waking up in Jenn’s arms. Her fingers tracing up our thigh. You wanted Jenn’s fingers inside of you and you know it. You just can’t accept that you enjoy sex as much as I do.”
“Stop it!” Kim demanded, fearful of hearing more of what Kima had to say. She had been tortured by her mirror image for years now and Kim almost felt like Kima enjoyed tormenting her, “Will you just leave me alone?” She shouted mustering ever ounce of courage she could to face her double.
“Can’t you smell that?” Kima inquired softly, ignoring Kim’s pleas entirely. She glanced around the hall at the other girls that were staring at them as they headed about their morning routine.
Kim shook her head and blinked at Kima in bewilderment, “N... no...” She was visibly terrified; she did not like how unpredictable her other half was.
“The sweet smells of these girls.” Kima remarked longingly, “So tempting. I can almost taste it in the air.”
“I don’t know what you are talking about.” Kim declared in disgust of Kima even suggesting that she would be interested in something like that.
Kima’s eyes moved around from girl to girl, causing a couple to blush at the intensive way she scanned them over. She then softly closed her eyes, drew in a deep breath and licked her lips, “You know exactly what I’m talking about and don’t deny it. You were dreaming about her... I can smell it.” She backed away from Kim to see the crimson that covered the girl’s face, her double now left speechless. “A word of warning.” Kima continued, now in a concerned tone, “You might want to find a different washroom then that one.” She pointed over her shoulder at the washroom she had just left. “You may find you are not very welcome there. At least I wasn’t.”
Kim glanced in the direction of the washroom, “O… oh...” She stammered nervously.
Kima then moved in extremely close and whispered into the girl’s ear, “And you might want to hurry. She is starting to bleed.” She stated with a sly grin.
Kim pushed her twin away, “You are disgusting!!!” She cried out then rush passed the girl.
“Talk to you later.” Kima called out after her twin. Several girls were still staring at Kima and she gave them a small smile then headed back towards her room.
*****
To be Continued . . .
*****
Note: The world of the Shadowlands, Its stories, Characters and ideas are a copyright of Kathryn K Williams.
This story is based upon my manga of the same name. If you wish to view art from this series please visit my deviant arts site at: http://shinigami-shimai.deviantart.com/
For more of my stories visit my deviant hearts site at: http://www.devianthearts.com/viewuser.php?uid=159
Also if you spot any typos or other errors please contact me at katwilliams @ rogers.com
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