Julie Chan Is Dead

by Liann Zhang

“Inhumane? Me? Inhumane? You’re the one who stole your sister’s life.” I flinch. Didn’t she proclaim it to be a brave act? “Don’t you see what I’ve done for you girls? I’m uplifting you. Welcoming you into the family. I’m generous. I’m kind. I’m beautiful and loving. Things usually work better than this. We normally introduce one new member at a time so as not to overwhelm. But it’s all because of my dear cousin’s tweets and you that we’ve had to improvise.” She opens her arms for a hug. “But it’s not too late. We all make mistakes. If you repent, we can take you back.” Only a day ago, her open arms filled my heart with warmth. But now my blood runs cold as I take another step back. “F-fuck you,” I spit. She’s in front of the light now, her skin sallow. She drops her arms and sighs. “I should have known that Chloe’s twin would cause problems.” She steeples her temple. “After all I did to take care of her.” My teeth chatter. “Take care?” She tips her head, makes a small aw sound. “Darling, are you slow? Chloe would never die from something as blasé as a drug overdose.” “Y-you—” The words catch in my throat. “You killed her.” “Don’t be so crass. Killed is a very dramatic word. I simply eased her into eternal sleep by lacing her water with some drugs that interacted poorly with her anti-depressants.”