"Holiday Tragedy" by Emily Ramos

Snow danced to the ground and a little girl looked out the window and waited expectantly for the noise of hooves on the roof. She lit the candle in the room with a flick of her wrist. The mages boarding house served two purposes, as a training ground for hosts of magic, and as an orphanage. Caroline happened to be both. Both her parents were killed in a car accident two years before.

The same accident had destroyed almost all of her older sister's left side. A strange revolutionary scientist had reconstructed her with steal and other metals. Bethany was made whole. But as payment, she had to work as the scientist's assassin, leaving Caroline to the boarding house completely.

Caroline sighed. She didn't understand why her sister was made partly out of metal, or why she'd had to leave her. It was a sad time of year, the holidays, for the little girl. Her life had been shattered at this time two years ago. The little girl's eyes drifted from the sky to the street, where snow was quickly gathering. A solitary figure came around the corner and halted.

"Bethany," Caroline whispered.

She grinned and raced out of her room, down the steps and outside. Bethany was not there, so Caroline followed the footprints. When she turned the corner she found Bethany jogging away from her. Caroline followed in excitement, trying not to make a sound to play with the older girl.

When Bethany whipped around, Caroline hid herself in the shadows, giving herself cat eyes so she could see better. She could see the fear on Bethany's face and wondered why her big sister was afraid. When Bethany continued on her way, so did Caroline.

The excited little girl followed her sister all the way to the subway station. Bethany whipped around again, this time pulling out her gun. Caroline hid again and shrank away from her sister. Guns were bad. With a glance around, Bethany raced down the stairs. Caroline followed without hesitation. When she reached the bottom of the stairs she stopped and threw her hand up in the air.

"Bethany!"

Bethany spun around. Her eyes widened and she pulled the trigger of the gun. Caroline threw up a shield of golden light, though she didn't need it, Bethany's aim was off. Tears of fear welled up in Caroline's eyes, but they didn't have a chance to spill. Another shot was fired, but from behind. It hit Caroline in the middle of her back and she fell to the cold cement.

*

Bethany fired at the scientist in rage, unleashing an entire clip at the man before racing to her sister's side.

"Caroline," Bethany whispered in shock.

Bethany angrily stomped away and to the train-tracks. The train was coming. She could hear it. When it was rushing past she leapt up on to it, holding on with her mechanical arm, they would all pay. Especially he who had given her this. Yes he would pay for making her lose her sister.

Bethany climbed to the back end of the train and jumped off. She followed the main tunnel back to a smaller one where the trains could not go. This was her home. The scientist had sent his assistant to find it. But he would not. The scientist must have known that. For no one can get past Bethany. Not even he who had given her this fate.