Maria enters the dark sisterhood

[Francesca POV]

Francesca drags the two **** girls back to the holding cell that Julia had installed in the basement. I'm sorry
...I can't help you she thinks. She positions them on the mattress on the floor, makes sure that there is food and water, and leaves, locking the door behind her. At least she didn't kill them Julia thinks, but knows it is only a matter of time before they fall to her sister's hunger.

Walking through the basement, she sees her mother Maria and Julia tangled in bed together, sleeping. Francesca cringes and looks away.

She looks at the floor, at the corpse of the unlucky girl that Julia bled dry that night. You weren't as lucky she thinks sadly. She knows the drill. Call the policeman that Julia enthralled, Jose. Tell him that Julia has another "package" for him. He'll come and make they body disappear.

Since Julia attacked her, Francesca has more or less settled into her role as Julia's servant and accomplice. Helping to procure victims, cleaning up messes, taking care of Julia's captive's, etc. Francesca assists not out of agreement. Whatever love she once felt for her sister is gone. Francesca follows Julia out of fear, ashamed at her own cowardice.

Thankfully, Julia has stopped trying to seduce me Francesca thinks, but our poor mother...

Francesca feels only revulsion at what Julia has done to their mother. It's perverse. She suspects that Julia's blood is involved somehow... Mom must be brainwashed... The idea that her Mom is embracing this savagery willingly is too much for Francesca to bear.

Julia feeds on Francesca from time to time, but coldly. Any warmth between the sisters has faded. My sister is a monster. And I am her cowardly **** Francesca thinks, tears forming in her eyes.

Francesca looks at the corpse again. She briefly fantasizes about running away. Away from Julia, away from the blood. She iterates though her usual rationalizations. But where would I go? Julia would find me. I can't leave Mom with her.... Deep down, she knows it's cowardice.

Francesca calls the policeman, and runs upstairs to go to sleep - To forget this nightmare, at least until sundown.

Francesca is in a wood. The trees are bare, sticking up at odd angles. It is cold, so cold, in the harsh moonlight. She shivers, holding her arms and walks forward. Francesca can only see a few feet ahead of her through the fog.

"Francesca... Come see!" She hears faintly, echoing. Everything sounds dampened. She walks forward. "Francescaaa". She hears the call again, but can't place it.

She steps forward into a clearing, and the dog clears. "Francesca, come see!" The figure standing in the clearing says. It's Julia. She somehow seems even more monstrous than usual. Her fangs extend and inch over her bottom lip in a grotesque caricature. Hey eyes are black. Julia's hair seems to move of it's own accord, though there is no wind. The night is still. A small line of blood runs from the corner of her mouth down to her chin. "Francesca, come look" she says, beckoning Francesca forward.

Francesca steps forward, and looks down at a stone altar in the middle of the clearing. Her mother, Maria, lies silently on the table. Pale and silent, like Snow White. Francesca sees twin puncture marks on her mother's neck with blood seeping from them.

Francesca jumps back when her mother's eyes fly open. Maria smiles at her, revealing a pair of monstrous fangs. Francesca screams.

Francesca is awakened by a knock at her door. She looks at her bedside table: 6:02 pm. She takes a deep breath - at least an hour until the atrocities begin anew.

Her door opens, and Maria steps inside with a plate. "Francesca, I made your favorite: spaghetti". Francesca turns to face away from her mother, her face in her pillow. Francesca flinches when Maria sits on her bed and places a hand on Francesca's hip.

"Mom, please just leave me alone" Francesca says flatly.

After a pause, her mother says "you should really give Julia more of a break. She loves you so much. She's doing her best with her...disease."

Francesca is so angry she shakes, unable to speak.

"You should try joining us" Maria says, "it feels so good". Maria lightly squeezes her daughter's arm, and Francesca bats Maria's hand away. "Francesca, don't be like that. Julia can make us young and strong forever. Don't you want that?"

Francesca turns and faces her mother, rage burning in her eyes. This is the first time she's mentioned the idea of turning Francesca observes.

"You are disgusting. I hate Julia. I hate what she's done to you" Francesca snarls. "You are a monster. You're both monsters."

Maria's face immediately turns to a scowl. She stands up and strides briskly out of the room without a word. Francesca turns back into her pillow, tears staining the pillowcase. She waits anxiously for sundown.

[Several nights later...]

"It's happening tonight!" Maria says excitedly, bursting into Francesca's room. Francesca rubs her eyes and yawns.

"What?" She asks, confused.

"Julia. She is going to give me her gift. Tonight" Maria says, grinning from ear to ear. Francesca immediately feels sick to her stomach. She says nothing.

Maria walks closer, giving her daughter a concerned expression. "Francesca.... If you could just reconcile with Julia... I'm sure she'd turn you as well. We could be a family again. Eating together. Loving each other. Doesn't that sound nice?"

Francesca can't believe what she is hearing. She tries to tune her mother out, think about other things, but it is impossible. I can't save her anymore. I should leave she thinks.

Later that night, Julia has assembled her mother and sister in the basement. Julia kneels behind the girl, holding the girl's chin back and biting into her neck. Blood runs between the girl's breasts.

Francesca looks down, trying not to watch as Julia feeds on one of their prisoners. Francesca looks over at her mother, who watches the scene.
She's captivated Francesca thinks.

The girl passes out and Julia discards her the side. "I feel better now" Julia says, blood covering her mouth and chin.

"Mom... Are you ready" Julia asks, holding out her hand. Maria steps forward and takes her daughter's hand, kneeling on the bed in front of her. She removes her robe. Julia drags a fingernail across her own breast, cutting into to the flesh. A red line forms, and blood begins to seep out. Julia pulls her mother's head to her breast, and Maria begins to drink down her daughter's blood.

Francesca continues looking down, equal parts terrified and disgusted. "Francesca, I want you to watch" Julia says cruelly.

Feeling no other choice, Francesca looks up as Julia leans forward, tilting her mother's head to the side. She licks Maria's neck, and smiles sinisterly at her petrified sister. "I love you, Mom" Julia says, before plunging her fangs into Maria's neck. Maria yelps but Julia holds her in place tightly, quickly gulping down Maria's blood. Maria's eyelids begin to droop. It is clear that she is on the precipice of ****. Francesca holds a hand to her mouth, **** back tears.

Maria dies. Julia lays her body down on the bed. She gets off the bed, nude and slick with blood. She walks up to Francesca, cocking her head and kissing her sister. Francesca gags from her mother's blood on Julia's lips. Julia laughs.

"Francesca, when will you stop sulking and join me?" Julia asks.

I should have let her starve when I had the chance Francesca thinks.