Hellen

I fought my siblings as they tried to stop me from fighting my twin as he continued to protest with explanations for the little “candlelight dinner” he set up for Charlotte. 

I continued to pull away from Sarah’s grip as I looked toward Charlotte. I communicated through my glance the best I could: Run. Now. 

She sprinted away, which didn’t seem easy, as she was in heels; even so, she ran like she’d been running in high heels since she could walk. 

The second that she disappeared through the trees, I shot Charles a scowl and a glare for a split second before I broke away from Sarah’s grasp and ran after Charlotte. 

“Wait!” I yelled once she was within my view. She halted and turned around. 

“Didn’t you tell me to—” Her eyes widened, and she turned and continued to sprint away. I opened my mouth to protest but shut it immediately when I heard my twin call out her name in an argument about her decision to flee.

I let out an exasperated sigh and left the woods in a huff. 

I walked toward the Turner mansion, but I eventually spotted downtown and made a beeline toward the bakery, where I spotted Charlotte, who was stuffing her face with pastries. I could tell that she hadn’t noticed I was there yet, so I crept up behind her. “It isn’t very healthy to eat ten pastries at once, you know,” I said in my British accent, which had been starting to fade from my American accompaniment lately. 

Charlotte jumped a foot into the air. “Woah!” She took a deep breath and gripped the table like a seasick sailor grips the ropes on a ship. “Why’d you creep up on me like that?” 

“You weren’t paying attention to me,” I answered simply, adding a smirk. 

Charlotte scowled at me. “You look like Charles when you make that face.” 

“I’m sad to say it, but I always look like Charles. We’re twins, remember?” 

“That’s true. You know he seems to be getting a better understanding of me being engaged. He managed to go a few days without going completely Romeo on me and trying to be romantic.” 

“That made me uneasy. When Charles ever seems to ease up on the Shakespeare quotes, then he’s always busy plotting something that we can’t prevent.” 

“Well, clearly. Didn’t you see that little picnic that he set up?” 

“Right, but chances are that there’s something bigger coming our way.” Realization washed over me. “Oh no. We’ve got to hide. I know what he’s planning.” I began to gather bread, muffins, and pastries from all over the counter. I found a sack hanging near the fireplace and loaded the food inside of it. I then asked urgently, “Where’s the wardrobe? I can’t deal with filthy clothes again.” 

“You know, we don’t live here. We just hang out here constantly.” 

“Oh, well, would you be a dear and lead me to where there is a wardrobe? I’m trying to rush, here!”  

I followed Charlotte as she led me to her home, which took about fifteen minutes. Her house was cottage-like and near a vast meadow on the edge of the woods. She opened the door, and we went to a small, tidy room with one bed. There was a wardrobe in a corner. I ran over to it and began looking through the dresses, selecting two gowns for each of us. I then folded them neatly and placed them carefully inside the sack. Next, I grabbed her by the forearm and pulled her out of the house. I turned toward the woods and ran through a gap between the trees.  

I continued walking through the woods until I found a large oak that looked like it would be sturdy enough to climb. I remembered that I’d been carrying that string from the ship everywhere I went, so I grabbed that and tied up my hair. I removed my flats and began to climb the tree.