Annie was not dead. She was a ghost. According to Rebecca, the ghosts of Malevolent Mansion do not murder their own. They murder their own and curse them to be ghosts for all eternity.

Being forced to haunt a mansion with your ill relatives disgusted me. No way would I join their ghostly army, and I never would. Now that the house symbol was part of me, I was invincible! Not from everyone. Just the ghosts. I am not the Son of God. I am not even a boy!

Rebecca and I were sitting on the mansion's roof and discussing the plan for tomorrow. I remembered the play and told her that I would be out of the house for a bit. She sounded disappointed to hear that, but understood that anyone with common sense would want a break from the haunting and the ghosts. I said that I was attending a play. Her face lit up, and she could hardly contain her excitement.

"Did I hear you correctly? Did you say a play?"

"Yep."

"Ooh! Another activity that we have in common! You like sleepovers. I love sleepovers! You like watching plays. I love watching plays!"

I giggled. "Who says that I am watching it?"

She covered her mouth. Her voice was muffled. "You are kidding."

I shook my head. "Nope."

"You have a part in the play."

"That I do. The play is a twist on fairytale characters. I bet that you cannot guess who I am."

"Hmm..." She uncovered her mouth. "...the wolf."

"Uh, no. I will give you a hint." I brushed my fingers along my hair. "What character has yellow and curly hair?"

"Papa Bear! Mama Bear! Baby Bear!"

"You are getting warmer, Rebecca."

"Oh! I know! The Bigger Wolf! Final answer."

"Um...Rebecca, are you familiar with your fairytales? 'Cause there is no bigger wolf. And the wolf and bears do not have beautiful hair like mine."

"They would if they wore wigs. Ugh!" She fell on her back. "I feel so stupid...because I am stupid."

I twiddled my thumbs. "You are not stupid. A girl who is a monster and knows some things about my relatives and is willing to sacrifice herself for me and my family is a girl that I am honored to be friends with."

She looked at me. "Ann...you...you called me the 'F' word.

"W-what? No, I did not."

"You did not say the bad word. You said a good word. You called me your friend."

Rebecca trusted me to reveal more of her past. Mine was nothing compared to hers. I was rich, and she was poor. I have a sister who loves me. She has a twin sister who is searching for her. Yeah. Rebecca has a twin sister. And their father is a monster. That explains why she is a monster.

Years ago, a human and a monster fell in love and fled their hometown to be together forever. They had plenty in common, such as their love for children. After some discussion, the wife and husband agreed to have two children unless the wife was pregnant with more than just twins. She did give birth to a couple babies. The babies were twin girls...and super cute! Rebecca showed me the pictures.

Rebecca inherited her father's genes, and Rachel, her twin sister, was born a human. Rachel was normal, and Rebecca was, according to idiot people, a freak. Rebecca was ashamed of her monster form and refused to transform unless it was necessary. Her life was worse when she and Rachel were old enough to think for themselves.

Rachel was aware that her father and sister were monsters and bullied Rebecca for it. Why? She grew a hatred for monsters and vowed to make them suffer. She would whispers lies to Rebecca and basically abuse her. Their parents were oblivious because they were busy with work. The mother was a writer, and the father hunted for fruits and small animals to eat. Poor animals.

"Is that why you are living here? At this mansion?" I asked. "To get away from the abuse?"

She gulped. "I-I could take the abuse."

I frowned. "You should not have to take any form of abuse. Monster or no monster."

She rolled onto her side. "I got a break from Rachel's abuse when our mom and dad forced her to attend summer camp. I was hoping that summer camp would reform her. That maybe she would see the beauty of nature." A tear trickled down her cheek. "I do not know what Rachel did at the camp, but she came back as a different person. No longer was she interested in abusing me. She...she..."

"What did she do, Rebecca? You can tell me. Rachel is not here. If she were..." I balled my hand into a fist. "...I would beat her to a pulp."

"Rachel...almost killed me. She became a monster hunter and wants me dead. She wants my head!"