The Twins

Here's my first actual attempt at horror writing. I was actually thinking of expanding it into a series of stories that focuses on the entire family instead of just the two boys.

The twins walked together, side by side, down the nearly deserted street, passing by boutiques and bistros that were in the process of closing.  Their jet black hair waved as a small breeze fluttered past.  The silent, silver moon peeked out from behind the picturesque hills of the forest beyond the city limits.  Its silver light illuminated the twins’ ghastly pale faces.  To the few people they passed, the twins looked like identical specters drifting quietly along the side of the wide boulevard.

        As they walked the length of the now empty sidewalk, they noticed a small shop that remained open.  Drawing closer, they read a sign on the window:  Martin’s Gifts.  They turned their gaunt, eerie heads toward one another and smiled a glistening, toothy grin.  They then continued to open the door and walk inside the brightly lit store.  Covering the long walls were thousands of tiny knickknacks and refrigerator magnets in a rainbow of vivid hues.  The bell that had rung when the door opened had alerted a clerk in the back, who promptly entered the main room.  When he spotted the twins, he could hardly keep from wincing.

        Dressed in matching black T-shirts, dark jeans, and all black Vans, the boys seemed to be sucking the life out of the room.  The dark aura they seemed to emanate dulled the enigmatic and eclectic colors of the walls around them.  The nearly petrified clerk, wearing a nametag that read David, managed to walk over to them with as big a grin as he could muster.  The twins politely smiled back, revealing two sets of shiny white teeth.

        “What can I do for you?” David asked, struggling to keep his voice even.

        “Hello, sir,” they answered together, “we were wondering if we could borrow your phone.  You see, we are new in town, and are visiting our aunt.  However, upon arriving here, we discovered that we had lost her address.  We would be very appreciative if you would not mind letting us use your phone to call her.”  They looked at him with pleading, icy blue eyes.

        “Uh…sure.  Follow me,” he said, and motioned them to follow him to the back room.  The dimly lit area was stuffed to the ceiling with cardboard boxes marked with complicated stamps that only a trained employee could understand.  David walked stiffly to a work desk in the back right corner with the twins casually following.  The desk, cluttered with papers, also held a small office phone that sat on top of the giant mess.  David picked it up and gave it to the closest twin, who proceeded to dial the number.  He put the phone to his ear and waited.  All three of them stood in silence until the twin with the phone put it back on the stand.  Then he turned to his brother and both stared at David.

        “There was no connection,” they said at the same time, as if sharing thoughts.  “Is there another phone that we could try?”

        “We can try my cell…”  David reached into his pocket and pulled out a small blue phone.  He flipped it open and handed it to the same twin.  As before, he input the number, put the phone to his ear, and waited.  It felt like years to David before the twin took the phone away from his ear and again looked at his brother.  They turned back to David.

        “No service.  May we try outside?”  They looked at him with their twin pairs of blue eyes.  It felt like they were staring straight into his soul.

        “Al-alright,” David answered uneasily.  “We can go into the alley from the door over there.”  As he began to move toward the heavy, iron exit, he thought he caught a glimpse of the twins smiling.  Creepy… he thought and shivered.

        He led them through the stacks of empty boxes to the large door a few yards from the desk.  He pulled the handle and walked into the crisp night air.  The alley was narrow, with one end leading to the street and the other to a dead end.  He took a deep breath of the chilly air and turned to face the twins.  They had both walked through the doorway and were standing on either side of it.  The twin on the left held the door handle and slowly pulled it shut.  A haunting groan resounded off the barren walls, ending with a great thud.

        “U-uh, wh-why did you close the door?” David asked, stuttering.  He noticed that his brow had become damp even though the atmosphere around him was stark and frigid.

        “I closed it so you couldn’t get away…” the twin said.  He looked over at his brother and they both smiled, revealing two gleaming sets of pearly fangs.  David gasped, the cold air burning his now dry throat.

        “What’s wrong, friend?” one of them asked in mock innocence as he moved to the other edge of the alleyway.

        “What…what are you?!” David almost screamed.  He took a step back, but the twins stepped forward.

        “Well, that was a little rude.  Don’t you think so, Brother?” the one on the right asked.  However, he kept his gaze focused on David, scrutinized every move that he made.

        “I think so too, Brother.  After all, we were going to ask if…”

        “…you would play a game with us,” the finished in perfect unison.  The twins had taken several steps toward David, and he had mirrored their advances with his own retreats.  He was halfway between the door and the brick wall.  His lips were frozen shut in pure terror, and he was sweating profusely.

        “It’s a really simple game,” one began.  “All you have to do…”

        “…is guess which of us is which.  Our names are Gabriel and Michael.  If you guess correctly…”

        “…then we’ll run along and won’t bother you anymore.  But if you guess incorrectly…”  They licked their pale lips.

        “…you have to treat us to dinner…”  The began to snicker wickedly, their eyes turning iridescent fuchsia.

        “You have one chance and have a time limit of fifteen seconds,” the one on the right said.

        “Good luck,” the other said with sadistic glee.

        Meanwhile, David had begun to shake wildly.  What the heck?!  I have to guess with twin is which?!  But that’s impossible!  They look just alike!

        He was against the back wall now, sliding slowly down as his twin attackers drew closer.

        “Tick-tock, David.  You only have ten seconds, now,” one said letting his right fang catch the moonlight.

           Uh… wh-which should I choose…?  Th-the one on the left?  Or-or the right?  I just don’t know!

        “Five…four…three…two…” the twins counted down their eyes glowing brighter and brighter with each number.

        “The one on the right is Gabriel, and the one on the left is Michael!” David screeched at the top of his lungs.  The twins stopped a few feet in front of him and looked at each other.  David was on the ground, his heart threatening to kill him before Gabriel and Michael could.  Finally, a smile curled its way onto each of their gaunt faces.

        “Sorry…incorrect,” they said.  David’s heart stopped beating altogether.

Blood soaked their snow-white faces, creating a striking contrast.  What was once David lay before them in a crumpled heap.

“He got a lucky guess,” Gabriel said, wiping his face with a linen handkerchief.

“True,” said Michael, wiping the crimson nectar from his fangs.  “But it’s a good thing we never play fair.”

Author's Note

I haven't looked at this in a while, so the style probably needs a complete overhaul. Any suggestions?