He looks back at me mid run. "YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE THE OLDER BROTHER. DO SOMETHING."
"I am," I say through gasps.
"I'm documenting your last moments."
They keep running. She keeps screaming. And I just laugh harder. For a moment, I forget about everything else. All the noise in my head, all the pressure, the fear, the things I can't say.
Gone. Just me, my brother, and a blue-haired banshee trying to kill us both. Perfect.
…
We sit in the wreckage of what used to be my room.
There are pillows everywhere. My comforter is halfway off the bed. A singlesandalis on my desk.
Daisy sits stiffly on the edge of my mattress, still soaking wet, radiating murder energy.
Jin slumps onto the floor, gasping. I half expect him to crawl under my bed and stay there for the rest of his life.
I pick up the bottle of shampoo from where it rolls near the door. It has glittery letters and a very misleading mermaid on the front.
"Let's see," I say, trying to sound casual.
"Color infused hydrating magic. Intense pigment. NOT for light-colored hair. Oh look, side effects may include dramatic family fights." I look at her, smiling. "Classic Jin product choice."
She doesn't move.
Just keeps glaring at Jin like she calculates which part of his body to start with.
"Daisy," I try, putting on my most reasonable voice. "It's just blue. Blue's in, right?? E-girls, fairies, um, avatar! Yeah, people love it!"
"Shut up, Rava," she says, deadpan. "I'm not an e-girl. I'm a victim."
Jin makes a squeaking sound. I sit down next to her, holding the bottle up. "You've got about seventy-two hours until it fades completely. And look on the bright side."
I gesture vaguely at her head.
"You kinda look magical. Like a vengeful sea witch." She whips her head toward me so fast I flinch. Her eyes narrow.
Then, slowly, she turns that death glare back to Jin.
He whimpers.
I laugh again. Her whole aura screamsI'm plotting your death in three stages.
Jin sitting there like a guilty gremlin only makes it funnier.
"You're both dead," she mutters.
"Maybe," I shrug.
"But at least we're dying together."
39) Cousin
Rava
I pick out a white shirt and leave the top buttons open because I am boiling.
