Out Of Time

Portia

Helga stumbles backward, the sound she makes, the low keening, strange almost inhuman. She catches herself on the vanity as Mara scrambles out of the way.

My towel has fallen. I stand over the woman naked and raise the lamp again. I bring it down harder on her forehead. Blood splatters across the mirror and she drops to her knees, eyes unfocused, mouth open but no sound coming.

Mara, who has backed away a few steps drops to her knees to stare at the woman.

“Again," she says.

I glance at her but she's staring at Helga. Helga turns her head to look at Mara.

“Again," Mara repeats. “Harder."

I bring the stand down one last time and this time, she falls backward, her bulk shoving the vanity, dropping a perfume bottle onto the carpet.

Mara crawls toward her, peers at her face. She sits back on her heels and looks up at me. She smiles and begins to rock.

"He'll hurt you," she says to me.

I drop down to my knees too, cover myself with the towel then take her hands. “Mara?"

She blinks,