A Sister's Worst Fear

"I don't know, honey. Do you really think it's a good idea?"

The words uttered by Sandra Hoffman to her husband, Gary Hoffman, involved someone very important to both of them: their nine-year-old daughter, Scarlett. A month prior, Sandra was nearly run off the road and badly injured, prompting Gary to hire a caregiver, Julia Simms, to not only take care of Scarlett, but also help Sandra heal. Their conversation centered on finding a replacement for Julia, who suddenly disappeared three days ago, and regarding Sandra's concerned statements, Gary gave this response:

"Sandy, she's your sister and Scarlett's aunt. I would think she'd love to help you out."

Sandra wasn't so sure about contacting her younger sister, Penelope Harris, to watch over Scarlett. The siblings were close in age (only a year and a half apart), but that's where it ended. There had been an estrangement between Sandra and Penelope for a long time, with the former--even to this day--wondering what had driven them apart.

"I don't know," said Sandra. "It's been about five years since Penny and I talked. I'm not sure about this. I mean, I'm close to 100%, I could handle things."

"I know you can, hon," said Gary, "but I still want you to be fully healed. Plus this could help mend things between you and your sister." One of the many things Sandra loved about Gary was his optimism and positivity, and with that, she decided to contact her sister at that very moment, and to Sandra's surprise, she received an answer.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Penny," said Sandra. "I just wanted to give you a call; it's been a while since I've heard from you. Listen, I need some help around the house, most importantly, with Scarlett. My last caregiver hasn't been seen in a while, and I'm still not fully healed from the accident..."

"I'll do it!" Penelope said, cutting off her sister mid-sentence, with Sandra being surprised over Penelope's agreeable nature. "You will?" asked Sandra. "I don't know what to say. Thank you!"

"We're sisters, Sandy," replied Penelope, who flashed a very giddy smile on her face. Her cheerful nature was shown on the following morning, when she appeared at the Hoffmans' house and greeted Sandra. The sisters hugged following Penelope's arrival, as each one was glad to see the other, but the person who was happiest to see Penelope came running downstairs and into the living room.

"Aunt Penny!"

Scarlett approached her aunt and gave her a big hug, with Penelope being very elated over looking at her niece. "Oh, Scarlett, sweetheart," said Penelope. "I'm surprised you recognize me; it's been so long. And you've gotten so big!" Scarlett giggled as Penelope gave a longing look and gaze at her niece; a gaze that went noticed by Sandra, though she brushed it off as part of her sister's happiness over seeing Scarlett, which was followed by Penelope driving Scarlett to school. Penelope continued admiring Scarlett from afar as she dropped her off, and later that evening, both she and Sandra did something they hadn't done in five years: talk and bond.

"Thanks so much for helping out with Scarlett," said Sandra.

"You're welcome, Sandy," said Penelope. "And I just want to say...I'm sorry that we haven't really kept in touch for so long. It's just..."

"What is it?" asked Sandra, while noticing a downtrodden expression on the face of her younger sister. "Penny...you can talk to me."

"Andrew and I...," Penelope said, "there have been problems between us."

"What problems?" asked Sandra, who received no answer from her sister. "Penny, please tell me. Whatever it is, I want to be here for you." Just as Penelope was about to tell Sandra, both siblings were interrupted by Scarlett, who was heard screaming from her bedroom, prompting both women to rush upstairs, where they found Gary already inside tending to his daughter.

"What happened?!" asked a worried Sandra.

"It's all right," replied Gary. "Scarlett simply had a bad dream."

"Are you OK, sweetie?" asked Sandra.

"I'm fine, Mom," replied Scarlett, "but could you stay with me until I go back to sleep?"

"Of course," Sandra said before turning to Penelope, who said her goodnight to the Hoffmans before heading back to her own house. A week had passed, and Penelope's elation over spending time with Scarlett increased, and it appeared that things were much better between herself and Sandra. However, late one night, Penelope returned home from another day of helping out with Scarlett, and saw her husband, Andrew Harris, waiting for her.

"Do you know how late it is?" asked Andrew, after which Penelope looked at their wall clock and saw that it was just after 10:30 in the evening.

"I'm sorry, hon," said Penelope, "but you know I have to take care of Scarlett."

"If I recall," said Andrew, "you were supposed to help your sister as well as your niece. And you've spent a lot of hours over at your sister's place."

"Of course, I've been helping Sandy," said Penelope. "Why else would I be there so long?"

"You know what I think?" asked Andrew, while Penelope gave a look of exasperation at her husband. "I think you're only there for Scarlett. I think you have some sort of obsession with her."

"Don't start," Penelope said sternly. "I love Scarlett. She needs me." The following day saw Penelope at the Hoffmans' house continuing her duties, which included picking up Scarlett from school. On the ride home, Scarlett told her aunt about her day, which included the following piece of good news as they arrived home:

"I passed my math test today!" Scarlett said as she and Penelope exited the car and entered the house, "I got a perfect score!"

"Oh my goodness, congratulations!" Penelope exclaimed as she hugged Scarlett, right before she added, "Mommy is so proud of you!"

"What's that?"

Penelope turned around and saw Gary, who heard his sister-in-law's strange exclamation to her niece. "Gary!" Penelope said while laughing nervously, "I thought you were at work."

"I came home early to surprise Sandra," replied Gary. "What's going on?"

"I passed my math test today, Dad!" exclaimed Scarlett. "A perfect score!"

"That's great, pumpkin!" said Gary, who hugged his daughter. "Listen, why don't you go up to your room and we'll talk more about your perfect score later? Your Aunt Penny and I need to talk." Scarlett rushed up to her room, after which Gary gave a stern glance at his sister-in-law. "Mommy is proud of you?"

"I think you misheard," said Penelope.

"Oh, I heard you perfectly clear, Penelope," said Gary. "And don't think I haven't noticed how attached you've been to Scarlett this whole time."

"She's my niece," replied Penelope.

"That's right," said Gary. "Your niece. Not your daughter." Penelope gave an intense expression as Gary walked off, and later that evening, Gary informed Sandra about what he had heard. "What?" asked Sandra. "Are you sure you heard her right?"

"Sandy, I heard it plain as day," answered Gary. "I think your sister has this idea in her head that she's Scarlett's mom. And haven't you noticed that she has become extra attached to our daughter lately?"

"Gary, before she started helping out, she hadn't seen Scarlett in five years," replied Sandra. "I'm certain it's just Penny trying to re-enter Scarlett's life." While Gary and Sandra were discussing Penelope's behavior, Scarlett was in her room with her aunt, with both of them overhearing everything in the living room. "What are Mom and Dad talking about?" asked Scarlett.

"You, of course," Penelope sweetly replied to her niece, who appeared to be concerned. "It sounds like they're fighting," said Scarlett.

"I wouldn't worry about that, sweetie," replied Penelope. "Now, it's time for bed." Penelope tucked her niece into bed, and as Scarlett closed her eyes, Penelope kissed her niece's forehead and uttered the following:

"Good night, Scarlett. Mommy loves you very much."

"Oh my God." Penelope turned around and heard Sandra uttering those very words, as she couldn't believe what she had heard from her sister. "Gary was right. How could I be so foolish?" Sandra walked off and was later followed by Penelope, who attempted to appease her sister.

"Sandy, I can explain," said Penelope.

"I don't want to hear it!" exclaimed Sandra. "Gary warned me, and I had seen some signs, but I thought it was all in my head."

"I don't know what Gary told you," Penelope said as she turned to face Gary, "but I swear to you, he is lying!"

"I heard it with my own ears, Penny," said Sandra. "Look, I think it's best that you leave right now. I appreciate what you've done to help out, but I'm all healed now, I can take it from here." Penelope gave an astonished expression on her face after hearing those words from her sister, as she felt that her entire world was crashing down on her. "You can't be serious, sis," Penelope uttered in pure desperation. "I mean...you need me. Scarlett needs me!"

"Scarlett has me and she has Gary." replied Sandra, after which Penelope left her sister's home feeling immensely crestfallen. Throughout the entire drive to her own house, Penelope burst into tears, and upon returning to her home, she simply walked past Andrew and made a beeline for the bedroom, where Andrew heard his wife screaming.

The following morning began with Penelope dressed and heading straight out the front door, with Andrew noticing that his wife was hiding something in her coat. "Where are you going, Penelope?" asked Andrew. "And what are you hiding?"

"That's none of your business," retorted Penelope.

"I had already talked to Sandra," said Andrew. "She gave me strict orders not to allow you back at her house."

"She is not the boss of me," grumbled Penelope. "And frankly, neither are you." Penelope's attempt to head out was continuously stopped by Andrew, with the struggle revealing what Penelope was hiding: a small, stuffed toy bunny. "Honey, she's nine," said Andrew. "Don't you think our niece is a bit too old for this?"

"I want to give it to her." Penelope said as she started to break down. "I bought this years ago...for our child...when that day came that I would finally be able to become pregnant. We tried for so long, Andrew; why hasn't it happened?"

"I'm sorry, honey," Andrew said as he hugged his wife. "You know I am. I wanted kids just as much as you did, but Penny, you can't fill that void with Scarlett. She has a mother: your sister." Penelope calmed herself down and appeared to come to a realization that she was doing exactly what Andrew had said. "You're right," she said, "I see what I've been doing, and I'm sorry. I caused a problem between us. I should have realized what was in front of me. And thank you, Andrew, because now I truly see what is in front of me."

"What's that?" asked Andrew.

"A useless obstacle," Penelope snarled, right before taking out a knife and plunging it into Andrew's stomach. Andrew fell to the floor clinging to life, with Penelope scowling at her husband as she watched him perish. After Andrew fully succumbed, Penelope walked upstairs and into a room that was intended to be for her and Andrew's baby, but instead, it became a shrine to Penelope's madness. The walls were plastered with photos of Sandra and Scarlett, with some of them dating back as early as Scarlett's infancy.

"You always got everything," Penelope seethed. "You were the favorite. Got all of the boys' attention. And you have a precious daughter. Why you and not me?!" Penelope's statements revealed a deep-rooted jealousy of her sister, but she wasn't done venting her anger towards her shrine. "You didn't even call me first after you were accidentally run off the road!" the deranged woman shouted. "But silly me, you still think it was an accident." As Penelope smiled wickedly, the memory of her driving the car on that evening and running her sister off the road played in her mind, and it was followed the insane villainess walking to the room's closet and opening the door...where Julia Simms' body was locked inside after Penelope killed her.

"How are you doing, Julia?" asked Penelope. "Not so good? That's what happens when you get between me and my Scarlett!" After closing the closet door, Penelope moved Andrew's body inside the room and locked the door, and afterwards, she picked up her phone and called Sandra, but not before she started to force herself to cry.

"Penny?"

"Sandy...Andrew left me!" cried Penelope.

"What?!" asked Sandra.

"I'll explain later at your place," said Penelope, while Sandra still remembered how she left things with her sister on the previous night. Nevertheless, she gave her permission to Penelope, who flashed a sinister smile as she hung up her phone. Penelope drove to Sandra's house; arriving at a perfect time, as Gary was at work. After hearing the doorbell, Sandra opened the front door and saw a tearful Penelope, who quickly hugged her sister.

"Sandy...it's so awful!" Penelope said between her sobs, while Sandra attempted to calm her sister down. The sisters sat together on Sandra's couch, after which Penelope calmed herself down from her feigned hysterics. "I just can't believe it," said Sandra. "How could Andrew just...up and leave?"

"He told me he had been planning to leave me for a while now," said Penelope. "He had been seeing another woman. He said he was tired of looking at me! Oh, Sandy..."

"I'm so sorry, Penny," said Sandra. "And about last night..."

"I know, it was my fault," interrupted Penelope. "I wasn't myself, and after this, well, I'm focused now. I know what it is I want."

"I'm glad, sis," said Sandra, who looked at her watch and gasped. "Oh my goodness! Listen, Penny, I have to go pick up Scarlett from school. And you have to leave; Gary can't catch you here."

"I understand," replied Penelope. "I just have to compose myself first." As Sandra headed to the garage, Penelope slowly followed her sister, and as she crept closer, the sinister madwoman took out a towel and covered it with chloroform before using it to knock out Sandra. "It's OK, Sandy," Penelope said as her sister slowly dropped to the floor. "You rest up. I'll go pick up my precious daughter." Penelope took Sandra's car keys and drove her sister's car out to pick up Scarlett. Minutes after Penelope's departure, Gary returned home and suddenly saw his incapacitated wife.

"Sandra?" Gary shouted, "Sandra?!" Sandra eventually awoke from her attack at the hands of her villainous sister; she was still groggy, but she was conscious enough to name her attacker.

"Penny...Penny did this."

Gary phoned the police while tending to Sandra, who was able to regain full composure once the couple reached the living room. The couple's wait wasn't long; a knock on their door came 15 minutes later, with Gary answering.

"Gary Hoffman?"

"Yes," replied Gary.

"Detective Liz Samuels." Gary shook Samuels' hand prior to her entrance. "I came as soon as you called. Please tell me what happened."

"My wife was attacked," said Gary.

"It was my sister, Penelope Harris," said Sandra. "She came up from behind just I was about to go pick up my daughter, Scarlett, from school."

"Yes, your husband mentioned her to me when he called," said Samuels. "I have backup officers heading to the Harris house right now; hopefully we'll get some answers." At that moment, Samuels' phone rang. "Excuse me, I have to take this," she said prior to answering. The couple's wait wasn't long, as they spotted Samuels hanging up and approaching them with a more stern expression.

"What's wrong?" asked Sandra. "Is it about Penelope?"

"Actually, Mrs. Hoffman," Samuels said, "it's about Andrew Harris."

"My sister's husband?" asked Sandra.

"We found his body inside the house," said Samuels. "It was in a locked room; my officers had to break the door down. It had all of these photos of the both of you and your daughter taped all over the walls." Sandra and Gary stared at each other in a mixture of shock and bewilderment; though Samuels' revelation didn't end there. "There's more," she said. "We also found another body inside a closet. Do you know a Julia Simms?"

"Julia was our last caregiver," answered Gary. "She helped take care of Scarlett after my wife's accident."

"And then we let Penny in...oh my God," Sandra said as she came to the realization that her sister was a murderous psychopath. "How could I not see this, Gary? Something's clearly wrong with Penny and I just missed it!"

"Honey, please don't blame yourself," Gary said as he comforted his wife. "Neither of us really knew." Meanwhile, Penelope had arrived at Scarlett's school and picked up her niece, who was surprised to see her aunt driving her mother's car. Nevertheless, Scarlett entered and was driven by Penelope, though Scarlett began to notice that her aunt was taking a much different route.

"Aunt Penny, where are we going?" asked Scarlett. "Our house is in the other direction."

"We're going someplace special, sweetie," answered Penelope. "It's a place near and dear to my heart."

Back at the Hoffman household, Samuels informed the couple about a call she had just made to Scarlett's school. "I called the school's principal," she said, "and I was told that Scarlett was just picked up by her mother."

"It's Penny," said Sandra. "She's with my daughter." Sandra took Gary's car keys and was about to head out the door, much to Gary's extreme panic. "Sandra!" shouted Gary. "Where are you going?!"

"To get our daughter!" shouted Sandra.

"We don't even known where she is, or Penelope for that matter," said Gary.

"Your husband's right, Mrs. Hoffman," commented Samuels. "Other than the fact that your sister has your daughter, we don't know anything else."

"I know where Penny's taking Scarlett," said Sandra. "There's a cabin she and I went to when we were kids. Our father often took us there." The Hoffmans, in Gary's car, headed on their way, with Samuels following them after calling her backup officers to join her. All the while, Penelope arrived at the cabin with Scarlett, who showed trepidation over being in an area that was completely foreign to her.

"Where are we?" asked Scarlett.

"I told you, it's someplace special," answered Penelope. "I used to come here as a child. I dreamed of taking my own child here, and now, that dream's come true." Penelope unbuckled her niece's seatbelt and took her hand, appearing to force Scarlett out of the care. "Come on, sweetie," said Penelope. "Don't you trust me? Don't you love me?" Scarlett nodded in response, leading Penelope to take her niece inside the cabin, after which Penelope closed and locked the front door. Even so, Scarlett's objections remained, though they were ignored by her delusional aunt.

"I'm scared," Scarlett said.

"What?" asked Penelope. "There's nothing to be scared of, sweetie. Just give it a chance."

"I want to go home," said Scarlett.

"You are at home," replied Penelope. "You're safe at home with me...with your mommy."

"You're not my mom!" shouted Scarlett, drawing anger from her aunt.

"Don't talk back to your mother!" snarled Penelope. "You have no idea what I had to do to make this happen...to make sure we ended up together!" Just then, Penelope heard the sound of a car arriving at the cabin, and looked out through the window to see Sandra and Gary arriving, much to her extreme dismay. The deranged villainess walked to a drawer and pulled out a gun, with Scarlett being shocked at the sight of her aunt wielding a weapon.

"Stay right here," warned Penelope, "and don't make a sound. You don't want things to end badly, do you?" The terrified Scarlett gave no answer, and afterwards, Penelope rushed out--with gun in hand--to engage in a confrontation with her sister, who got out of her car.

"Get out of here, Sandy!" shouted Penelope.

"Penny, please," begged Sandra. "I just want my daughter back."

"Your daughter?" asked Penelope. "You want your daughter back?! Why does everything have to be about you all the time?! All our lives, you got everything while I was stuck in your shadow! You even got to be a mother while I can't even have children! How is that fair?!" It was the first time that Sandra learned about Penelope's infertility, and it drew sorrow from Sandra. "Penny, I didn't know, I'm so sorry," said Sandra. "I just wish I had known..."

"Like you would have cared!" interrupted Penelope. "You're too busy living your good life to think about me! Even the night of your accident, you were too consumed with yourself...so much that you actually thought it was a complete 'accident'." It was at that moment that Sandra realized that, other than the crimes she knew about, her own sister ran her off the road. "It was you driving that night?" Sandra asked in horror.

"Trust me, sis, on that night, I considered killing you," Penelope said before flashing an evil grin. "But I decided to just hurt you, physically and emotionally. And the centerpiece is Scarlett. She'll be my daughter, while you get to suffer and see that I'm better for her. All will be right in the world." After Penelope's villainous rant, she saw police cars arriving at the cabin, prompting the villainess to run back inside the cabin, once again sealing herself in with Scarlett.

"Penelope Harris!" Samuels shouted. "Come out with your hands up!" Penelope, while still holding her gun, hugged Scarlett, though the young girl broke free from her crazed aunt's grip after hearing her mother's voice. "Penny," said Sandra. "Please, I'm begging you to come out with my daughter. I'll make sure you get all the help you need. Just please release my daughter."

"Mom!" called Scarlett, who spotted both of her parents outside with the police. Once she turned around, though, she saw Penelope down on her knees--with her gun pointed at her own head. "Scarlett," a tearful Penelope said. "Please don't leave me. I can't live without you in my life."

"Aunt Penny!" shouted Scarlett. "Put down the gun. I love you so much."

"You do?" asked Penelope. Scarlett answered that question with a hug, and that gesture was just enough for Penelope to toss away the gun and hug her niece back. Both of them came out of the cabin together, and after Scarlett ran to her parents, Samuels' officers detained and arrested Penelope, who continued shedding tears as she was going to be put away for two murders and for her niece's abduction.

Five months have passed since the ordeal, and regarding Penelope, she was in a psychiatric hospital following her arrest. She was participating in a session with the lead doctor, Dr. Sampson, who quickly noticed Penelope's very cheery demeanor. "Hello, Penelope," said Dr. Sampson. "You seem to be in high spirits today."

"Oh definitely!" exclaimed Penelope. "Do you want to know why?"

"Tell me," answered Dr. Sampson.

"She's coming to visit me today!" said Penelope.

"Who is?" asked Dr. Sampson.

"Scarlett, of course," Penelope replied with a smile. "My daughter."

Thank you for reading this all the way through! If you like this story, feel free to respond on my Twitter and Facebook pages, and if you really love this story, feel free to leave a tip (if you want)!