"Fuck off and shut your mouth," grunted the second voice, cutting me off before I could even let out a sound from my opened mouth. "You don't get to be the greedy one."
"But a wish is simply a wish," murmured Voice One in such a seductive way that I could feel the goosebumps on my skin.
"That's bullshit, and we both know it," sneered Voice Two. The pure anger in his voice was not something I had ever heard before and I started to get worried that I might have done something wrong.
"Never," hissed Voice Two as if he could read my thoughts. Then again, since he was in my head, that wouldn't have been all that big of a surprise if he had. "Listen to me, not my brother. This is the most important decision of your life, and you cannot enter into it without knowing all the consequences."
"Consequences?" I asked, my voice a little more than a squeak. I hated the idea of consequences because they always came with pain and blood. "What type of consequences?"
"You can wish for us to become stronger, but that means you are entering into a contract," started the second voice, only to be cut off by the first one.
"She's not dumb, you know," sneered Voice One.
"When it comes to wishes and contracts, all humans are dumb," grumbled Voice Two. "But we are running out of time, so shut up and let me do the talking."
"Fine," sneered the first voice. "But we all know that she is going to make that wish. Why scare her beforehand?"
"Listen, Hattie," grunted Voice Two. "When you make a wish, there will always be an unforeseen consequence to that wish. It depends on the reason for the wish, but a wish is nothing more than a contract between two parties. A wish is granted when a sacrifice is made, but unless it is a pure wish… well, let's just agree that everyone should be careful when throwing around the word 'wish'."
"What is my sacrifice?" I asked, cocking my head to the side. I really didn't believe in wishes or prayers. Otherwise, I would have been long gone from this house. I remember Maman saying, 'If wishes were horses, then beggars would ride'.
"I don't know, Little Bit," grumbled the second voice. "That is completely up to you. What would you give for us to become stronger and be able to walk this world with you?"
Clenching Teddy to my chest as tightly as I could, I closed my eyes. "I would give anything, do anything if it meant that you would be beside me until the end of time." Opening my sightless eyes, I looked forward, taking in a deep breath.
I didn't fully understand what the second voice was saying about wishes and all that mumbo-jumbo, but I knew what I wanted.
"I wish for you to become stronger," I started, my voice louder and clearer than it had ever been before. "I wish for you to become so strong that you will remain forever at my side until one of us dies of old age."
Silence descended upon the small, musty living room that I was standing in. This was the first time I had ever thought that silence could be nothing short of deafening.
"Deal accepted," came a female voice from deep down inside of me. Suddenly, a golden contract appeared in front of me, glowing so brightly it was as if I could see again.
"Sign the contract," murmured Voice One, his purring voice like a balm to my jagged soul. "Sign the contract and we will be with you forever and a day."
A red feathered pen appeared beside the glowing contract, and I couldn't help but reach forward and grab it in my hand.
I could feel the weight of the pen as it balanced between my fingers as if it held all the secrets to life and happiness.
Looking at the bottom of the contract, I saw where I was supposed to sign my name. Technically, I had no idea how to spell or read, but one of the nice women from the militia had taught me how to write my name.
Ever so slowly, I wrote my name as neatly as I could.
"Contract has been signed."
The glowing piece of paper rolled itself up in front of me and flew into the back pocket of Teddy.
"How can I see?" I asked, staring down at the stuffed toy in my arm. The problem was that while I could finally see everything around me, I didn't think I was actually using my own eyes to do it.
"You are seeing things through my eyes," admitted the second voice. "And I am greedy enough to demand that my eyes are the only ones you can see the word through.
I felt the second voice shifting away from me, and suddenly, everything went black again, my sightless eyes returning to me.
"Don't be a dick, Greed," grunted a new voice from over my shoulder. "Our Little Star can use any of us in any way she sees fit."
There was a low chuckle as I jumped, surprised to have heard a third voice. "Greed?" I asked, cocking my head to the side as I slipped back into the familiar darkness.
"Now that everything has been settled, I guess it is about time we introduce ourselves," sighed the first voice. "My name is impossible for you to pronounce or remember. Feel free to call me Pride. And you, mon ange, are so beautiful, inside and out, that even the angels would fall down at your feet and weep."
The second voice let out a snort as Pride's words echoed around in my head. "You know, you seem to have a bit more greed in you than you should," grunted the second voice. "But as Envy so nicely introduced me, I am Greed. And do you know what is the only thing worse than not having something? Only having a Little Bit of it."
"I am Envy," murmured the third voice in my ear. "And I can help you shine like the brightest of stars so that when anyone sees you, they will envy everything about you."
I couldn't hold back the snort at his words. "That's stupid," I grunted, counting the steps until I was once again walking through the front hallway and toward the front door. "Who wants to be a star that everyone will envy? I would much rather be me."