Cassandra is always… there. I know, that’s part of being a twin. But she and I shared a womb, then as babies and toddlers mom dressed us in similar outfits every day. When she realized how different we are, she let us pick out our own clothes and I moved into my own bedroom, but we still have to share our birthday which means just one party for both of us. Sometimes I just wish I could get some space.

But then other times, it’s pretty cool. Like when she met Apollo and he made it so she can see the future, and after a while I started getting visions too. Never as strong or frequent as hers, and I had no control over it, but I guess it’s because of that freaky twin thing where sometimes we can tell what each other is thinking. But she was the all-star, her powers were something she could control. If she focused on something, she could see how it was going to turn out. I didn’t even tell anyone what I could do, because then people would think I was just like my sister, again, and I would rather let her take the spotlight. She was a loner when we were little kids, and after she met Apollo she was… I don’t know, more confident. She made some friends and I felt like I didn’t have to worry about her as much as I used to.

When Cass met Jake Weiland, I got a really good feeling. Psychic, I guess? This sense of calm filled me when she told me about him, and I was really happy for her. Not that she told me that he was hot or anything like that, ew. We aren’t close like THAT, we don’t tell each other everything. But she said she met this guy and really liked him and that he had asked her out, and I had this feeling that he was an okay guy.

Apollo didn’t think Jake was that great. He said that Cass promised to marry him when she was little, and when he came to our apartment on our 18th birthday, he was really mad and did something to Jake. We never found out what happened, but when Cass went to Jake’s he wasn’t there, and he didn’t answer his cell phone. Nobody knows what happened to him, and Cass can’t even find out because her visions are broken. My visions are gone. I haven’t had a single one since our birthday. So she says she still has visions, but I don’t believe her. Why would she still have them but not me?

Then the war started, which was all because of our stupid brother. I swear, when Cass recognized Peter in that bar my parents should have paid off his family to take him away somewhere. But no, he had to go and get involved with Helen, the daughter of New Jersey’s most powerful mob boss. Now the whole state of Jersey is warring with New York City. I joined the army reserves straight out of high school, but I thought it would just be a good way to get a free education. I couldn’t have been more wrong. Boot camp was rushed to get us through faster, and I was lucky to have survived the past three years of combat before getting seriously injured. Actually, I was REALLY lucky the bullet didn’t kill me, but I’ll never walk again.

I haven’t seen Cass in two years. Soldiers don’t get time off in a war zone. I think my parents are still alive, but that could just be a lie they’re telling us to keep morale up. All those times I wished her away, and now I’d give anything to see my twin again. I’ve asked the nurses to try to get the word out that I’m here, but either they have been unsuccessful or she doesn’t want to see me. I have to believe that she’s alive. If she wasn’t, I would know it, right?

So I’m sure you’ve figured it out by now. Maybe the other nurses even warned you that I would ask. I know it’s risky, but I need to ask you to help me. I HAVE TO get in touch with Cassandra. She needs to come see me so I can make my peace with her before I… nevermind. I just need to see her. I miss my twin, and I need to know how she’s doing. I need to hear about our parents, if she knows the truth if they are alive or dead.

And I need to know if someone has killed Peter yet or if he managed to get away with Helen. He is, after all, my brother, and I love him…. What’s wrong, you don’t believe me?

This is an exercise written as part of NaNoWarmUp, a personal writing challenge in October to write 25,000 words as preparation for writing 50,000 words in November. This year I’m using the daily writing goal of 800 words to write ABOUT my Cassandra story from the point of view of other characters. In November, I hope to be prepared to start writing a new first draft of Cursed from Cassandra’s point of view, a more complete story after figuring out how other characters perceive Cassandra, her prophecies, and the Trojan War.