Breakfast - of course

You sit down at the fully prepared table, carefully watching your sister as she turns to you. You were still not convinced of this being anything but a prank. Quite the opposite actually, now that you had some time to think, it just fell into each other way too convenient. A letter about a 'Punishment Manager' from the 'Bureau of Punishment' and then someone telling you to 'Punish' your sister. It had Danas handwriting all over it, she would wait for you to even utter the word 'punish' and then jump onto how much of a perv you were, embarass you in front of mom and, if she had one of her many mean days, she would try to use this to proof why you did not deserve a year off, and to get you out of the house. It was needless to say that you did not get along with your younger twin very well.

While still furiously thinking about a way to turn this on her, you came to the conclusion you first had to find out how she did it. You had already checked if she put something in or on your glasses, so it could send a message to you, but that wasn't the case. So you waited for it to happen again and luckily, or maybe unluckily, you didn't have to wait for long.

As your mother brought over the bacon she had prepared, she put it on your sisters plate. "I am sorry John, I am making yours right away, too. But Dana has to leave for school soon, so I got hers first, you understand, right?"

"Punish HER!" the voice demanded. It still sounded like a whisper, yet it was getting louder. You looked over your shoulder, seeing again nothing.

A few minutes later your sister turned on the radio. It played a song you disliked. _"PUNISH HER!" _was the immediate reaction. It was at this point so loud, you were certain your mother must have heard it too, so you turned your head towards her. She didn't even look up though, just finishing your bacon.

You began rethinking the situation. Would mom be in on a prank? That's unlikely. But what were the alternatives? You are hearing voices that noone else hears. Bad alternative. Really bad even. You desperately hoped it was a prank at this point, since if it was not, that would mean you were going crazy and that was something you couldn't deal with. Not now, not ever.

About the same time your mother finished the bacon, you came to the conclusion that if you heard it again, you had to speak out. Even if it was a prank, you could ask around it. 'Did you hear that, mom?' or something similar. However, as she put the bacon down on your plate, and your sisters hand poked into two pieces with her fork as she stole them from you, you screamed out in shock.

Her arm. Her lower arm had a tattoo. "Punish me!" it said in big bold letters right there. With a shaking hand you raised your finger and pointed at it.

"W-what the hell is that?" You called out, making both your sister and mother stare in shock where you are pointing.

"Um... alright, keep your bacon, jeez." Your sister was the first to react, and true to her word she put your bacon back. Slowly and like with a Thanos snap, the tattoo disappeared from her arm, making it fade to normal skin again.

"D-did you... see that?" you ask again, pointing at her arm, not wanting to point out what exactly you had seen.

"She apologized, now come on, don't make a scene young man!" Your mother scolded you but as you turned your head the next shocking image hit you. The same tattoo you just had seen disappear on your sisters arm was now on your mothers neck, like a choker, just that it spelled out those words. PUNISH ME. All capitalized now.

This was the last straw of your sanity. You clearly had lost it. You went insane over... whatever.

"S-she technically didn't." You mutter, trying to find some more time to think about this. Should you ask for help? Seek medical attention? They would lock you away. Hearing whispered voiced to punish other people is not something like ADHD, where you can be let into society. Who knew what this would drive you to, especially if your mother and sister would confirm that you just lashed out for her simply taking your bacon.

"Oh John, I am sorry then, of course you can scream at her if she didn't apologize properly!" Your mother said jokingly or almost mockingly. You were comfortable with her teasing ways most of the time, since it had always made the relationship between you two grow well. It made it so there was not the big barrier of authority between you two as much as it normally was. Today though, it freaked you out. "Now quit the jokes, she was just hungry and if you want more I will make you more. So be nice to your sister, will you?"

As your mother turned away from you and therefore took the tattoo out of your glare, it reappeared next to her. In the air, floating letters, circling around her head.

P U N I S H - H E R

This was a hallucination. Whatever this sickness was that you had gotten, it clearly affected your senses. Your hearing and seeing for now, but what if you would be affected mentally as well. You had to get away from his family, before you accidentally hurt them.

You stood up and declared. "I just remembered I gotta do something." And stormed off. You didn't care about the confused words your mother spoke or the teasing comment about you having to do nothing from your sister. You just grabbed your jacket and left the house.