Finding a dead body wasn’t as surprising as Trea expected.
Actually, it wasn’t a dead body. It only looked dead because of the scratches on the face and blood everywhere. Also, it was a she. Trea didn’t mind either way, because she had seen a lot of animals fall off the cliff near the highway and used to try to nurse them back to health, only for them to die. She stepped back into the trees and started to draw in her sketchbook.
The sun was beginning to set when Trea heard the girl stirring. She held her breath as the girl leaped to her feet. Trea was wondering if she should step forward and say hello, but the girl darted towards her and yelled. Trea’s first instincts said to flip her over, so she did. As the girl lay on the ground, Trea saw a tattoo on the girl’s neck that spelled “Alexa”.
“Alexa?” Trea put her foot on the girl and asked, “Is that your name?”
The girl glared at Trea. “How am I supposed to know? I don’t even know where I’m at, and a ninja judo flips me onto my back!” she emitted. “It’s not like I remember anything.”
Trea looked questioningly at the girl. “Ninjas don’t do judo,” she replied. “Sorry, you have a tattoo on your neck that says Alexa, so that’s why I assumed Alexa was your name.”
The girl looked up at Trea. “No, I’m sorry. I overreacted. Could you please tell me where I am?”
Trea smiled and explained, “You’re on my family’s property. I’m pretty sure you fell off the cliff, but I’m not sure how. Do you want to get to the house to get cleaned up?”
The girl looked at her herself and winced. “Yeah… I don’t really like the look I have going here. Also, call me Alexa, it sounds pretty familiar.” Alexa took Trea’s offered hand and stood.
--
Alexa went into the kitchen and found Trea making dinner. She hovered over to the table and looked around. “You have a nice house here,” she prompted. “Do you need me to help you?”
“No, I only made soup. You can just sit down.” Trea turned around and set the bowls on the table.
They were sitting in silence when they heard a door open.
“Trea, I’m leaving,” a baritone voice spoke. Trea’s dad walked into the kitchen and took a double take when he saw Alexa. “Do I have two daughters now? You guys look alike!”
“Dad, stop,” Trea retorted. “She’ll be here until morning. Go to work and come back soon!”
“I’m off!” Trea’s dad walked out.
Alexa smiled. “Your dad seems nice. Is it just you two?”
“No, my brother lives with us, but he doesn’t come home often,” answered Trea. “Edward says he’s looking for a job to cash in more money, so Dad doesn’t have to work as hard.”
Conversation occasionally lulled and continued. It was early morning, and they had been eating a late dessert when they heard the door open again.
Trea stood abruptly and called out, “Edward! Are you home?”
A man that appeared to be in his late twenties stepped through the kitchen threshold. “Trea, make me waffles. I’m going to my room.” As he was going out of the kitchen, he turned around alarmingly fast and something fell from his jacket pocket. He snapped at Alexa, “How did you get here?”
Trea scowled toward Edward. “Why would you ask that? You just got here, and you’re already being so rude!.”
Edward grumbled, “I’m not rude at all. And actually, don’t make me those waffles. I’m going back out. I have something to do.” He stomped out.
Alexa whistled lowly as Trea went around the table. “He has quite the attitude, doesn’t he? Are you sure you both are related?”
Trea picked up the fallen item Edward left behind. She looked at the picture between her fingers for a while. Trea stared at Alexa, and Alexa looked back confusedly. “Is everything alright?” Alexa asked.
“Yeah… it’s nothing. Are you done with your cake?” Trea stood and put the photo in her pocket.
“No. Just give me ten more minutes, please.” Alexa continued eating as Trea began to wash the dishes.
“You know what’s kind of weird? Your brother looks kind of familiar,” Alexa said blithely.
A fork slipped from Trea’s fingers into the sink. “Oh, I’m sure it was–”
The lights flickered off, and Trea and Alexa were left in the dark. Trea ran to a cabinet and retrieved a camping lantern. As she was turning it on, Trea heard a tiny scream behind her. She whirled around and saw a masked figure attempting to drag Alexa out of the room.
Trea grabbed a kitchen knife and sprinted to the figure, but Alexa beat her to the punch. She used her cake fork to stab the intruder in the thigh. The intruder yelled out, and Trea striked him over the head with the rear of the knife.
“Whoa… what just happened?” Alexa demanded. “Why did he grab me? Why did–” She was interrupted by the rattling of drawers as Trea went to find a rope.
“Help me tie him up!” Trea blurted. Together, they strapped him to a chair, and Trea lifted the mask to find Edward’s bleary face looking at her.
Trea went over the the lamp and swung it into the back of Edward’s head. “Alexa, put the mask on him back on him right now. I’m going to turn the power back on.”
She went outside to the powerbox and found the switches turned off. There was a haversack below the powerbox, and she looked inside. Papers fell out of folders, but all Trea could see was a list with $28,000 written at the top in red ink. At the bottom of the list was a name: Alexa.
“What the heck? What was he doing?” Trea mumbled. She ran inside and called for Alexa. “Alexa! You were on a list he–”
Trea came across a gruesome sight. Edward was slumped to the ground and his face was riddled with blood and indentions. Alexa was continuously stabbing at his chest with a knife. She was heaving and her face was lined with sweat.
Trea backed away. “Alexa! What are you–”
Alexa rose to her feet with blood dripping down her shirt. “I remember now. He was paid to kill me, but he couldn’t actually hurt me because I look so much like his sister and mom. Your mom. I honestly can’t believe you’re the one that found me! My killer’s sister, no sorry, my almost killer’s sister. I killed him in the end. I won. I was pushed off a cliff and lived, while he can’t even survive knife wounds.” She rambled on, and Trea looked around for a weapon.
“Alexa, you need to put down the knife. Please, you’re going to hurt somebody!” Trea begged.
Alexa giggled. “I’ve already hurt someone, Trea! I bet I could do it again. Come here, I could practice on you. Did you know my name means defender of man? How about I prove everyone wrong?”
Trea tried to reason with her. “I helped you, and you killed Edward? Can you not see how wrong you are?”
Alexa stalked towards Trea. “You say I’m in the wrong, but your brother is the person to blame. I’m the normal one for wanting revenge. He was going to kill me for money that would go to you. Because you and dad meant so much to him, I would die. Technically, all of you have done me wrong, and I will be justified.”
Trea whimpered and fell to the ground. As she felt the cool blade on her neck, she heard the doorknob rattle. Alexa whispered amusedly, “It looks like I’ll be welcoming your dad. Send my greetings to Edward.”