ME AND MY TWIN SISTER

I stood beside the locked door for several minutes, staring at the handle as though I could somehow make it turn by looking at it hard enough.

“Deepika!” I shouted. “Open this door!”

There was, of course, no answer.

I tried the handle again. Nothing.

For a moment I considered breaking the lock, but then I remembered the solvent bottle was with her. Even if I managed to get out of the room, I still couldn't remove the wig and the other things she had attached to me without her help.

I walked back toward the bed and looked at the dress she had left there.

It was another traditional outfit, carefully folded as though she were preparing clothes for someone who actually wanted to wear them. Beside it was a small note in her handwriting.

Don't make trouble. I'll be back this evening. Consider this your final test.

I crumpled the note in my hand.

“Final test?” I muttered. “You call this a test?”

I sat on the edge of the bed, trying to think of a way out.

The room had one window. I went over and looked outside. It wasn't high enough to make climbing impossible, but the drop was still dangerous. More importantly, I had no idea where I would go afterward. I had no money, no normal clothes, and no way of removing the disguise.

I stepped away from the window.

For the first time since the previous day, I realized something important.

I had spent all my energy trying to escape each individual situation Deepika created for me. Every time she changed the rules, I simply tried to survive until the next morning.

But that wasn't solving anything.

If I wanted this to end, I had to confront her.

I spent the rest of the morning searching the room for anything that might help. I found an old phone charger, a few books, some stationery and, eventually, an old mobile phone tucked inside a drawer.

My heart jumped.

I pressed the power button.

Nothing.

I searched the drawers again and found a charger that seemed to fit. After connecting it, I waited.

Ten minutes later the screen finally lit up.

There was no SIM card.

Still, the discovery gave me a little hope. I wasn't completely helpless.

I began thinking about the house itself. There had to be another way out. My sister might have locked my bedroom door, but she couldn't possibly have planned every possible escape.

I checked the window again.

Then I heard footsteps outside.

I immediately returned to the bed and pretended to be calm.

The footsteps stopped at my door.

A key turned in the lock.

The door opened.

But it wasn't Deepika.

One of her friends stood there holding a tray of breakfast.

She looked at me for a moment and then sighed.

“You're still angry.”

“Of course I'm angry,” I replied. “Where is my sister?”

“She'll be back this evening.”

“I want my clothes.”

She hesitated.

“I can't give them to you.”

“Why?”

“Because Deepika told me not to.”

I stood up.

“And you're just going to obey everything she says?”

The girl looked uncomfortable.

For several seconds neither of us spoke.

Then she quietly placed the tray on the table.

“I don't agree with everything she's doing,” she said.

That sentence caught me completely off guard.

“Then help me.”

She looked toward the hallway before lowering her voice.

“I might be able to.”

My anger disappeared for a moment, replaced by cautious hope.

“How?”

She closed the door behind her.

“First, tell me exactly what you want.”

I didn't hesitate.

“I want my clothes back. I want all this removed. And I want this game to end.”

She nodded slowly.

“Then don't fight Deepika today.”

I frowned.

“Why should I listen to you?”

“Because if you confront her without a plan, she'll simply change the rules again.”

I realized she was right.

She continued, “She's expecting you to spend the whole day shouting, complaining and trying to escape. That's exactly what she wants.”

I sat down again.

“So what do you suggest?”

She smiled faintly.

“Let her think you've finally given up.”

I stared at her.

For the first time since all of this had begun, I saw a possible way out.

Maybe the only way to beat Deepika wasn't to fight her at every step.

Maybe I needed to let her believe that she had won.

And while she was celebrating her victory, I would prepare my own escape.