The prison cell was cold at night. But at least she had gotten used to the smell. Moonlight trickled in through a high window.

No escape there. It was too high and small and she was on the third floor, with concrete below. But maybe that wouldn't be so bad after all.

Kayte had thought about ending her life many times before. One time she came very close. The scars on her wrists were reminders. This time felt similar: Absolutely hopeless.

She was in prison. There was nobody to bail her out - her boss had let her take the fall. And so there was nowhere to go. Nobody to turn to.

She had nothing.

“Visitor,” said the guard. “Your sister’s here to see you.” He walked a little distance away, staying within eyesight.

Kayte sat upright in the small cell. She definitely didn’t have a sister.

A woman approached, and god damn if she wasn’t her sister. She looked different, but… the same.

When Kate saw her face-to-face for the first time through bars of the cell, Kayte was wearing an orange jumpsuit and white slip-ons. She had died black hair, heavy smudged eyeliner, and a nasallang piercing. She was more gaunt than Kate, her eyes more empty, and it was an odd feeling - like looking in a mirror and seeing a reflection of you that had gone bad.

Her appearance contrasted with Kate’s own natural brunette hair, perfect winged eyeliner, nostril ring, and soft-curved face. She wore a hoodie, sweatpants with her college written on the ass, and converse sneakers. Kate had considered what appearance she should convey to be the most convincing to her sister from another life, and in the end decided to go casual. She didn’t want to look too business-professional (too untrustworthy), or try to emulate Kayte punk-ness (too poser-y). She knew she had to just be genuine and sincere. And besides, she didn’t want to have to steal new clothes.

Kayte gripped the cell bars in both hands by her face. “What the hell is going on,” she said softly. 

“I’m you, from another dimension.”

“Am I high right now?”

“No. This is real.” Kate put her hands lightly on Kayte’s. They were warm, Kayte’s were cold.

The guard yelled, “No touching!”

“Listen,” Kate said, “Do you want to leave this world forever? Start fresh with me?”

Kayte swallowed. She was usually good at a poker face, at hiding her emotions, but whatever this was, was cutting through to her core. “Yes?” she said. For some reason she suddenly wanted to cry.

“I said no touching!” the guard yelled again. His hand dropped to his baton on his belt.

The floor shuddered then. Outside the prison walls, shouting started.

Kate smiled back warmly, her eyes locked with her sister’s. She squeezed Kayte’s hands. “Okay.”

“Hey!” The guard yelled, and started to march forward.

Then the roof was ripped off. 

The crash was deafening, and bricks and debris fell all around them as moonlight flooded into the open cell. Snow drifted softly in.

A giantess towered above them, silhouetted in the night, until a spotlight landed on her face. It was Cate. She squinted, shielding her eyes from the bright light. Her breath formed big clouds of steam. Her hair was dyed blond now, and she wore a long winter coat, high-waisted jeans, and Doc Martens.

Cate reached her hand down carefully with her fingers, and easily pushed aside the metal bars, which bent like wire, no longer separating the two tiny women.  Kate jumped into her hand, and held onto Kayte’s, pulling her flabbergasted sister up with her. They rose quickly, stomachs dropping, as Cate turned to leave.

There were shouts and sirens below, and then gunshots.

“Ow!” Kate boomed, more surprised than hurt. She looked down and saw the guard who had shot her, his pistol held up in both hands, smoking. It was hard to tell in this light, but the color drained from his face and he pissed his uniform pants when Cate glared at him.

She raised her boot, paused for a moment, and then stepped on him. Blood sprayed the courtyard. Then she swung her legs over the walls of the prison, leaving behind a perfect, bloody boot print in the snow.

They walked into the night, the giantess and her two sisters in the palm of her hand. The prison was out in the countryside, and the only lights were those of scattered farmhouses and the highway. They were virtually unseen.

“Are you ok?” Kate asked, cupping her hands around her mouth and yelling up to the giantess.

“I’m fine,” she whispered in her giant voice. “The bullet barely pierced skin.”

Kate gave her a thumbs-up. “Are those new boots? You look good in them.”

Cate smiled. “They were on sale and I’ve always wanted a pair. I’m still breaking them in.”

Now Kayte gave her a thumbs up. “Well thanks for breaking me out.”

Kate rolled her eyes, realizing the sense of humor she now had to deal with. Cate grinned, but then winced. “Ugh. I don’t feel so good,” she whispered.

“We can’t stay in the wrong universe for too long,” Kate explained. “Not without the meteorite to stabilize reality. Don’t worry, we’re almost there.”

Eventually they came to a non-descript side road, which from up high looked like a dark little snake in the grass. Kate concentrated and opened a portal big enough for the giantess to walk through, and they left Earth 3.

They would return soon enough.

They appeared in Earth 2. Cate was normal sized now, and her discomfort was gone, but still held her two tiny sisters in her hand. Apart from the change of scale, this world looked exactly the same, except Cate’s car was parked here.

Cate leaned against her car and held the figures up carefully.

“I think that went well. We’re going to go now,” Kate said, waving goodbye.

“Ciao,” said Cate, raising her other hand and waggling her fingers. “Nice meeting you Kayte. See you soon.”

Kayte waved, hesitantly. Kate opened a tiny portal, and the two figures stepped through and disappeared.

Cate sighed and looked around. It was a nice, brisk night. The distant sirens of the penitentiary were in a way, calming. This far away from the city lights, the stars shone in their thousands. She could see the milky way, and shooting stars. She wondered if there were any more meteorites out there like hers.

Eventually she crossed her leg, resting her ankle on her knee, and examined the sole of her boot. It was too dark, so she used the flashlight on her phone to see better. It illuminated the squashed remains of the security guard pressed into her tread amongst the dirt. She cast around for a twig, and used it to scrape out the guts and bones and soiled little uniform..

Something amongst the tread caught her interest, and she plucked it out with her fingernails and held it up to her eye. It was the tiny gun. She had only spotted it because of the severed arm still clinging to it. She brushed the arm off and carefully put the tiny gun in her breast pocket.

On Earth 1, Kate and Kayte appeared before an identical car, only they were now normal sized.

“An Accord,” Kayte said. “Nice. 3rd gen? I love these old hatchbacks.”

“Me too,” Kate said, brushing some snow off the windshield.

“Very easy to break into and hotwire.”

Kate frowned at this. “So you’re why my insurance is so high,” she mumbled.

They sat inside, waiting for the air conditioning to heat up so they could blast it. Kate wiped the inside of the windshield, her sleeve making squeaking noises. 

“Is all this real?” Kayte asked suddenly. “Am I really in a different world?”

Kate nodded.

“Why’d you do it?”

“We felt sorry for you. And, we need you - we’re going to commit crimes. But we really felt sorry for you. Not having a mum.”

Kayte looked confused for a second, then her eyes widened. “Wait, you mean… mom is… alive?”

“Yes. In this universe. You’re going to stay with her for a little while until we can get an apartment.”

Kayte stared out the window, stunned. She covered her mouth with her hand because she didn’t know what else to do.

Kate continued. “We’re going to say we’re cousins, from dad’s side, and we found each other on facebook. Other than that, don’t give any specific details. Mom won’t pry. She’ll just be happy to have someone to take care of since I moved out.”

Kayte didn’t reply for a long time. Eventually she said, “Can we stop for smokes along the way? I traded mine.” 

Kate heard a tremble in the voice and when she looked, a tear was running down Kayte’s cheek. “Everything is going to be ok. More than ok,” Kate said. She put her hand on Kayte’s shoulder for a moment, and then put the car into reverse and looked out the rear view window. The Honda took a moment to pull itself out of the snow, but soon was on its way. The snow tires had turned out to be worth the investment. She hoped that Kayte would be too.