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Alena

Life on the streets is never pleasant. It was the life I had before I was taken into the Minowa family.

A servant had carried me off the streets and to the Minowa household. Perhaps he'd felt sympathy for me and hoped the head of the house would feel the same. When the servant brought me, Mitsuko had been in the kitchens with the cook, learning how to bake a cake for her sixth birthday. The servant brought me in, gently setting me in a chair.

"Who's that?" Mitsuko asked, jumping down from a stool. "You're really pretty," Mitsuko admired, smiling softly.

I was in awe; the beautiful girl Mitsuko was calling me pretty? With her milky-white skin, pale pink lips, long, flowing raven curls and two different colored eyes: one brown and the other green, i considered Mitsuko to be one of the prettiest girls in England.

"What's your name, pretty girl?" Mitsuko asked.

I paused; hesitating. What was my name? Had I ever been given one? All my life I'd been called things such as girl, filth, beggar.

"I don't know," I replied, feeling ashamed and slightly embarrassed.

"Hm...I'll give you a name then. Oh--how about Alena?" Mitsuko suggested excitedly. "It means light just like mine does. We'll be good friends from now on, right? We can be like sisters! I've always wanted a sister, but all I have is Yue."

"Um...a-alright," I replied quietly. Mitsuko's smile was filled with nothing but kindness; it was a smile that made me want to smile as well. Perhaps now, life wouldn't be so bad.

It was this morning, the day of Mitsuko's tenth birthday, that silence dominated her world. When Mitsuko was five, she'd learned that the day of her tenth birthday would begin her reign of silence. It was a curse of some sort, for Mitsuko could cause the future to be one of chaos and confusion; she could destroy a whole nother kind of people. It was what the God of Fate had bestowed upon her; from now until her death, she would remain silent, for others feared her hidden power. It was not something I fully understood, but I wanted to protect Mitsuko. She was a good person who did not deserve to die.

Now it was late at night; Mitsuko's father wanted to talk to me, something concerning Mitsuko. He led me to a basement, one that I never knew existed. It was dark and poorly lit with candles here and there. I looked around in curiosity, wondering why we could not talk in the kitchen. He lit more candles and stood for a second watching the shadows. I turned to see what he was looking at and gasped in fear.

"Alena, I brought you down here to request something, something that only you can fulfill. You see, from now until her death, Mitsuko is in danger. You are the only one that can take her place if any danger should occur. In other words, you are to be her double from now until you are disposed of by Mitsuko's killers."

"I-I don't want to," I whispered. I wanted to protect Mitsuko, yes, but to die in her place would mean I couldn't protect her. Couldn't guards be brought to protect Mitsuko?

His face hardened. "We took you in, off those filthy beggar streets. Payment for such an act should result in something worthy of our hospitality. This is no choice; it is either you do your duty or die here tonight. Which shall it be?"

I swallowed. Which one was the right choice? But I already knew....I'd rather protect Mitsuko for as long as I could and then die, then die here and never be able to protect her.

"I-I-I'll do it," I told him.

"Good, good," he replied in satisfaction. He nodded to the shadows and beings stepped forward, shapeless with cruel eyes and maniacal smiles on their faces. They reached out, their hands neither human nor monster. They trapped me, holding me down. I watched in fear as Mitsuko's father handed one of the shadows a simple bowl and spoon.

"So you don't fear, there is only one thing about you that does not match Mitsuko. Do you know what that is?" No, not that, I thought. Mitsuko had two different colored eyes. Surely, surely he would not do such a cruel thing? What about...colored contacts? Was it not possible to have those?

"I know what it is you think, but if you were to have contacts, it would reveal to killers that you are a fake. Do not fear; the shadows shall be kind to you as this process goes, but screaming will help your chances of not being hurt as bad. Stay down here for a while until it heals; try to escape and the shadows will not hesitate to kill you. Do not reveal this to Mitsuko either." He left then, ascending the stairs. I watched as they disappeared and the only thing i saw was darkness.