To Live Another Day

“Look at all the people in there ” My sister Ashley sneaked at peak behind the curtain and gawked at all the people chatting, half of which neither of us even knew. “What if when I’m walking down the aisle and I trip?”
I laughed at the imagine forming in my head of that actually happening. One look on Ashley’s face though and I could tell that she was being serious. “Don’t worry” I said trying to hold my laughter in, “If your lucky you might just stumble a little”
I bursted out laughing again as she let out a frustrated cry. She started pacing back and forth mumbling things under her breath that I didn't catch. She suddenly stopped all together taking in deep breathes. “I can’t to this. I can’t do this...You know what? I’m gonna take a quick walk. Yeah that will clear my head, I just need fresh air” She was talking to herself more than me. With that she ducked under the Tent opening and out of sight. I made a pathetic attempt to fan myself with my hand as the California sun started to heat the small tent.

It got really annoying how Ashley always exaggerated over stupid little things. Everything just has to be perfect just like her. Her perfect blonde hair and blue eyes. Perfect figure. Perfect fiancé. Perfect everything, she gets treated like a freaking Princess. What am I? Basically the little sister that everyone thinks is ‘To much trouble for her own good’ or ‘Never going to follow into her parents footsteps’. My parents own four of the largest hotels in California, Riverside. No one ever asked me if I wanted to dress up and attend hours of boring hotel meetings with the representatives. No one ever asked me if I wanted to be up at seven in the morning to show up to fancy party’s with thousands of people I've never meet before. I hated the fact that everyone thought I was a snob because I’m rich, which is why I put my every effort into being the exact opposite of what everyone expected me to be. I got expelled from more than six private schools, I've started food fights, fist fights, and back talked to more teacher than I could count. Soon my parents gave up on trying to make me proper and learn the family business and turned all their attention on to my big sister.

Soon after, a servant came into the tent telling me it was time for the wedding to start. “Where is Miss. Ashley?”
I shrugged and looked up to the clock, she’s only been gone for ten minutes. “She just went for a walk, she’ll be back in a sec”
Not seeming convinced but didn't want to argue she nodded her head and headed back in the direction she came. My aunt Sally, cousin Kelly and I walked down the aisle, on a small white silk carpet. All around us were close to eighty people which most were our parents associates, and trees, planets, and daisies which were my sister’s favorites, surrounded us also. Up ahead Jeff, my sister fiancé, stood looking sleazy as always. I knew that he didn’t really love my sister and was only after her money which was normally the only reason why people got close to us. Since I was a bride’s maid I stood off to the left with the two others. As the music started indicating that my sister was coming everyone stood and waited. Waiting. Still waiting. People were starting to whisper and my mother got up from her seat in the first row and walked toward me.
“Where is your sister? ?”
“Why would you think I would know? All she said was that she was going for a walk” My mother gave me a stern look. “You were the last one with her” I rolled my eyes.
“Yeah mom that's it, I locked her up in a closet so I could have her...charming fiancé for myself” I said sarcasms and disgust dripping from every word. My mother stared at me as if trying to see if I was lying or not.
“I didn't ”
“Go find your sister now ” I sighed and began to walk away from the wedding wandering aimlessly around hoping to find my sister. After I had walked a good distance from the wedding I heard a strangled little cry coming from the garden in the back. “Ash?” I said walking toward the garden hoping she just fell and got dirt on her dress or something. “Ashley?” I said jogging. I was still a good way from the garden. I stopped when I saw the veil my sister was wearing right before she left. My eyes traveled to the same puffy dress now laying in the grass with a figure hunched over it. “Ashley ” The figure stood up straight and walked, well more like limped slowly over to me. In the light I could see it was a...a...I don’t know what the hell it was but it wasn’t a person. It’s face was a deadly grey with peeling skin and pieces already gone. Blood oozed from it’s mouth and was covered on it’s ripped clothing. I looked over to the dress to see blood covered it too and looking back at me with emotionless eyes was my sister. Her face looked like someone went at her with a chainsaw. Tears welled in my eyes and spilled onto my face as I looked back to the...thing. It was closer now. I closed my eyes and pinched my arm. This is someone’s sick idea of playing a prank on me. This isn’t real. I opened my eyes to see it was still coming at me maybe twenty five feet away. I closed my eyes and pinched my arm harder. This isn’t happening. This isn’t real. I opened my eyes to see it was inches away from my body, it’s foul breath hitting my face making me crinkle it in disgust. This is real.