"Are you sure about this, Sarah?" I asked for the fifth time. I was stalling, she knew it, I knew it, I knew she knew it. She just gave me a tired smile.

"Yes, Taylor."

"But, well…." I turned my head to survey the unfinished basement we were standing in. It was all the same, grey concrete walls. True to her word, Sarah had found a place that would contain nothing of interest. Nothing except for her, "You're the only thing I'm likely to be able to latch on to. You know that, right?"

For the first time in a long time, Sarah's grin faltered. It was only for a moment, but at that moment I saw uncertainty and a little bit of fear.

"It's okay, Taylor. You have to learn someday; why not today?"

I snorted. "Because you don't seem entirely ready for this?" It sounded like a question, but it was more a statement of fact.

Sarah simply sighed and shook her head. "And I likely never will be. Let's just get this over with."

I nodded. We'd been arguing in circles for far too long. I took a deep breath, let it out, then…

It suddenly struck me how beautiful Sarah was. Her blond hair cascaded down her head and settled on her shoulder in such a way that it was obvious she put a lot of time into making it just so. There were freckles on the bridge of her nose that made her look younger and could only be described as cute. Her eyes were the green of bottle glass and she held herself in an absolutely confident manner as if all the world was an open book to her. I suppose in a way it was.

Yes, Sarah was a beautiful young woman and shedding the false skin of "Lisa" had only improved her.

Ah yes, Lisa. A falsehood, a fiction used to hide and Lisa had hidden from many things. People, places, thoughts, guilt. That was the biggest one, guilt. Lisa had been guilty, Lisa hadn't understood, Lisa wanted to know. And she did know, she spent all her time knowing, but never once did she stop to know anything useful. Lisa was a puppet, a tool. She had thought she had become her own master only to have been being strung along the entire time.

It was cruel, really. She was given the solution to her problem but had in return been given more problems. That's what happened when you didn't work for your solution when they were just handed to you. You didn't know how to use them properly and only ended up in the exact same predicaments.

All this was the reason she never truly grieved and why the doubts would continue to haunt her at night-

It was only after Sarah hugged me back and began sobbing into my shoulder that I realized I had cut off my power and leaped across the room to pull her in and comfort her. I'm not sure what possessed me to do it, but I also found myself slowly stroking her hair. I was tempted to stop, to disentangle myself and begin apologizing, but I stayed my hand. If Sarah truly didn't want me touching her she wouldn't be sobbing on me and trying to hold me.

I slowly lowered both myself and her to the ground and there we sat for I'm not sure how long, but I knew it was a long time because by the end of it Sarah's had stopped sobbing and was simply holding on to me occasionally taking a huge breath. Eventually, she looked up at me and her green eyes said a thousand words. She didn't need to speak, I knew what she was asking.

I was nervous, no I was downright scared, but Sarah had willingly bared her soul to me it was only reasonable that I return the favor. I sucked in a long deep breath and then I began. "I had known Emma since I was a kid…."

Madison was very unsure lately. It was odd. Hebert had never really stood up for herself. She had started talking back, but she never really faced them head-on. Instead, she seemed to be… delaying them. She always seemed to say just the right thing at just the right time to make the whole group lose their balance, only for a moment, and then slip away before they got a chance to regain it.

If this had been the only thing happening then Madison likely could have dealt with it, but the others were starting to act… odd. Every day they didn't get a chance to "put Hebert in her place" as Sophia put it, they seemed to grow more and more restless. It was honestly a little creepy. They spent more and more time planning their next move, and it was getting to the point where their grades had started to slip.

Luckily, after that happened, they had come to their senses a little. They still spent far too much time just staring at Hebert. They looked upon her with such intensity Madison had begun to wonder if they secretly harbored feelings for the girl. It was a ridiculous notion, but the look in their eyes reminded her of the look her dad got when he smelled a meal cooking after a long day of work. People just didn't look at people they despised that way. Well, no one healthy did, anyway.

There was the crux of the matter. Madison had been slowly coming to the conclusion that her friends weren't well. In fact, if she took the time to look through past experiences, she was beginning to realize they hadn't been well for a long time. And if they weren't well, then what about her? Was she just as damaged? Just as deranged? These thoughts haunted her.

She had never been the one to come up with the plans, nor had she been the physical one. She had always just tagged along, always played her part. She had always been in the background, even during the big stuff.

It was at this point that it hit Madison that she was a hanger-on. She was useless. She never did anything, she was just there to watch things be done. She had stood by silently, never said a word. With this realization came revulsion. Was she really so useless? Was she truly willing to play "follow the leader" for the rest of her life, never willing to forge her own path?

Yes, came the answer, yes she was. The thought was utterly revolting. How could she so willingly let others rule her? It was disgusting and suddenly Taylor's words came back to her.

'I hope this is making you feel important.' Feel important, that's what she was content with. Feeling important rather than being important.

Madison tossed and turned the rest of the night and when she finally did rest her head it was thanks to the prick of a needle.

Sophia was angry. This was not news to anyone, as angry seemed to be her default state, but she was even angrier than usual. Hebert had been being uppity all month and she had yet to have the chance to rectify the situation. Every time they got close Hebert seemed to slip the net after insulting her betters. It was driving her crazy! It was for this reason that she had had more reprimands than usual over the past month, her spoiled mood was leaking into her cape life now and that meant that Hebert had started affecting her escape from her. It was infuriating!

Sophia stalked the halls of Winslow searching for Hebert and nodding with quiet approval as the prey scattered to make room, they at least knew their betters when they saw them, they knew when to cower in hopes of going unseen. So why couldn't Hebert?

As it turned out, it appeared she had finally gone into hiding again because after several minutes Shopia still hadn't found her. A smirk appeared on her lips at having finally scared the bitch back into her hole. Now, to find just where that hole was.

Sophia's phone rang pulling her out of her thoughts, she checked the caller ID to find it was Emma, ah her Magnum opus. It was hard work, but Sohipa was slowly Turning Emma into a perfect Predator, it be so much easier if Hebert would finally stay away for good and stop reminding Emma of who, and what, she used to be.

"Hey, there survivor, how's the cold treating you?"

The line was silent for several moments before a voice spoke, obviously distorted. "Hello Sophia, it's so nice to finally get a chance to speak with you." Even though the distortion the voice sounded smug.

"Who the fuck is this? Where's Emma?" Sophia demanded already sprinting out of the school to her nearest dead drop. Whoever was fucking with her was going to regret it that was for sure.

"Now, now, Sophia, you're being very rude."

"Listen here, you bitch. If you so much as hurt a hair on her head I'll-" Sophia snarled grabbing the hidden duffle and ducking into an alley.

"Calm yourself, Emma's right here and she's perfectly safe. Here I'll let you talk."

There was the telltale sound of a phone being passed before Sophia finally heard Emma's voice.

"Please, please I don't want to die." Her friend spoke in sobs.

"Emma, Emma listen to me, you'll be fine I'll come to get you, you just need to last that long you can do that, you're a survivor."

"Sophia? Oh god, please you gotta help me they have me tied up and M-"

Emma's voice was cut off as the ruffling sound was heard again.

"See she's perfectly fine, as of right now."

"You son of a bitch I'll kill you, I'll find you and I'll kill you." Sophia screeched as she quickly made her way to the rooftops.

"Oh, don't worry, there's no need to find me." That's when Sophia felt the prick in her thigh, she looked down to see a needle sticking out of her, she swore as fell.

Emma had gone to sleep in her bed only to wake up tied to a chair in a concrete room, she looked around confused only to try to launch herself back when she saw the blood on the floor.

"Welcome to the changing room." A soft voice drifted from the corner of the room. Emma snapped her head over only to see Taylor standing with Madison next to a large metal door.

"Do you like it? It's part of one of the most prestigious and exclusive clubs in the world." Taylor continued, uncaring of the panic in her eyes.

"Taylor? What the fuck is going on?" Emma screamed as she rattled the chains in an attempt to escape.

"We're going to see if you can change, Emma. In truth, I hope you do. I'd like to have my friend back."

Emma scowled. "Is that it? You think if you just freak me out a little I'll come crawling back to you like a lost puppy? Well, I'm made of sterner stuff than that!"

Taylor simply nodded, cold calculating eyes staring impassively at me. "Oh, I know. Madison, the cart."

Madison, who Emma had almost forgotten was there, was dressed in a simple white robe that flowed down her body stopping just before it hit the floor. She opened the door and walked out, closing it behind her. Moments later, Emma heard rattling as something was pushed to the room and Taylor opened the door to reveal a cart heavily ladened with various stainless steel cutting tools in an expertly laid out manner. She placed it next to Emma's chair and then left once again. Emma screamed.

Taylor grabbed one of the smaller knives and walked forward placing a finger to her lips. "Shhh. It's okay."

Emma leaned back as far as she could. "Please…"

Madison returned once again handing something to Taylor. Taylor then reached around the back of Emma's head and pressed something cold to her ear. Emma jumped whimpering.

"Please, please. I don't want to die."

"Emma, Emma listen to me. You'll be fine. I'll come to get you, you just need to last that long. You can do that, you're a survivor." Sophia's welcome voice came and hope bloomed in Emma's chest.

"Sophia? Oh god, please you gotta help me they have me tied up and M-" She didn't get the chance to finish her sentence as the phone was pulled away from her hand handed back to Madison, who once again left the room.

Taylor leaned back from her quietly inspecting the knife she had chosen.

"Please, please, I'll do anything, I'll be good," Emma begged, hoping to stall for time. Sophia would save her, Sophia always saved her.

Taylor looked down at her again with those cold passionless eyes. "No," She nearly whispered, "I don't think you will."

Taylor advanced on her and Emma once again began struggling against her restraints, it was futile and she knew it, but she had to try.

Taylor walked behind her and pause, blade pressed against Emma's back. "I'm going to try to change you, Emma. And to change, one needs to lose dead weight. There's a more delicate way to do this, but I have neither the time nor the inclination. So I'm going to start cutting and I'll only stop once you've changed, alright?"

"Please, please Taylor." Tears ran freely down Emma's face as she sobbed, begging.

There was a moment's pause before she felt the steel bite into her for the first time.
-

Brockton Bay Gazette

Local Track Star Found Skinned Alive!

BY: Rebeca Grass

Local track star from Winslow High School, Sophia Hess, was found skinned alive outside a warehouse at 8:15 AM this morning, She was found in a ditch with all the skin removed from her body outside Franklin Cargo in the West Apple district of the docks, this shocking discovery was found by Grace Holiday during her morning run….