The fall

Mackenzie is on top of her penthouse apartment, as near to the ledge as she could possibly be. The past few weeks have taken an incredible toll on her, she looks sickeningly pale, more like a ghost than a seventeen year old girl. Under better circumstances she is beautiful, with her curly red hair and brilliant blue-grey eyes. Usually she took exemplary care of herself, but today her curls were tangled and ratty, and her normally flaming red hair has faded as though it was a piece of clothing washed too many times. But it is her eyes that distinguish her most from her normal character. They used to laugh, they used to brighten the world. Now they are solid grey, tormented, dead. Because she knows the truth. She knows betrayal, agony, and pain. She knows that she has been forever altered, that the world doesn't care. She knows there is no God. But today what she doesn't know is whether or not there is hope. She wants to jump, to end this charade people call life, because she hasn't been alive in three weeks. She is a shell. Her soul fled long ago, an act of preservation because something so pure could no longer dwell in a body as dirty as hers. Because Mackenzie was raped by her sister's boyfriend. And she knows that she can never tell anyone. She'd never inflict this kind of pain on anyone, let alone her sister and best friend. Suddenly the door to the roof opens and she hears her name being called.

Audrey [sobbing]- Mackenzie! I thought I'd find you up here. I need to talk to you. Mack, I can't deal with it. It's Spencer, he- [her voice breaks]

Mackenzie looks up, this is the moment she has been dreading since that fateful night three weeks ago. She should have jumped when she had the chance, yet, oddly enough, her sister was the one thing that stopped her.

Audrey [looking completely broken]- Spencer cheated on me Mack. He had sex with some other girl. How could he do that? He told me he loved me, and he lied. I don't understand!
Mackenzie [whispers]- What did he tell you?
Audrey- I got off the bus and he was at the station, waiting for me. I ran up to him and threw my arms around him and kissed him because I missed him so much. But he wasn't responsive, so I broke away and asked what's wrong. He took my hand and sat me on a bench and he told me that something happened while I was away. He told me that he met someone else, and he had sex with her. He had sex with her! While he was still with me! How could he do that? He told me that it meant nothing, that he still loved me, that the girl he was with seduced him. He said she cornered him and just started making out with him and that he just couldn't stop. He told me he missed me so much, and that I didn't understand how much pain my leaving had caused him. But I don't understand, I was only at camp for three weeks! He told me everything, what she was wearing, what they said, and I just sat there and took it all in. I just sat there Mack, I couldn't think, I was frozen. Finally I interrupted him, and I asked him who she was.


Mackenzie backed away, panic written all over her face. So this was the way he was going to play it. She might have known.

Mackenzie- [even quieter] What did he say?
Audrey- He wouldn't tell me the name. But I'll find out. And when I do I'm going to kill that-- that-- slut! He told me she knew he had a girlfriend but she just wouldn't take no for an answer and he felt sorry for her. I don't know what to do! I love him so much, but this, this I don't think I can forgive. He told me I was the only girl he ever loved. He told me I was the only one for him. And I believed him. How could I have been so blind? What is wrong with me? I hate him! I hate him how could he do that!? This is the worst feeling in the world. I have never felt so betrayed. He said I knew the girl, but I don't know of anyone who would be capable of something as terrible as this. How could anyone be so cold, so heartless?

Guilt, shame, agony, Mackenzie wasn't sure which emotion was playing on her features right now, all she knew was that her careful mask had slipped away, and her sister was about to discover everything.

Audrey- Mackenzie, what are you thinking? Why are you so quiet? What's wrong with you? Why do you look like that? You look as if, as if...Did you know about this?

Mackenzie looked into her sisters eyes and read the betrayal, now, as ever, she knew she couldn't lie to her sister. They were two halves of the same whole. Regardless of what Mackenzie said, Audrey would know the truth.

Mackenzie [barely audible]- Yes.
Audrey- Who was it? Mackenzie you have to tell me I'm you're sister you owe it to me more than whoever you're protecting! It was one of your friends, wasn't it? That's the only reason you wouldn't have told me. Who was it? Was it Alison? I can't believe you'd protect Alison over me! What kind of sister are you? How could you not tell me? Aren't I more important to you than she is?
Mackenzie- It wasn't Alison.
Audrey- Not Alison? Then who could it be? Paige? Megan? Hope?
Mackenzie- No.
Audrey- Then who...NO!

Realization colored Audrey's face. It was soon replaced with shock, followed quickly by agony. This was a new pain, even worse than when she learned of Spencer's infidelity. This was a thousand knives stabbing her repeatedly up and down her back. This was someone cutting through her chest with a dull scalpel and ripping out her heart with his bare hands.

Audrey- How could you do this to me?!? YOU ARE MY SISTER! MY FLESH AND BLOOD! WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?
Mackenzie- No! It's not what you're thinking Audrey! I would never--
Audrey- Oh so you're going to deny it? You owe me the truth Mackenzie. And I'll know if you lie. Did you and Spencer have sex?
Mackenzie [consumed with guilt, the fear that it had been all her fault rekindled by the agony in her identical twin sister's eyes]- Yes.

That was all it took. Audrey, delirious with fury, lashed out and shoved her sister in her blinding anger.Mackenzie took one step backwards and balanced precariously on the edge for a moment. Then she fell.