Key To Calamity

Twins Arc and Juliet discover a secret long since kept hidden from them, leading them to a small woodland town known as Greenvale. Will the twins discover the secrets of their past, or will they fail?

**Key to Calamity - Opening**

I am enveloped by Void. 

Within this Void, I lay, unable to move of my own volition. This Void�"or rather this darkness I've named Void�"is strange....very strange. It feels like sinking into a dark mist, an undefined space of emptiness that isn't solid, liquid, or gas, yet somehow it feels like all of them at once. I can breathe freely, as though I'm in an open space with plentiful amounts of air, but I feel a tight pressure around me, like I'm being crushed between two slabs of granite. And my body, my clothes, they all feel wet, as if I had sunken deep below the surface of a lake, and was now freshly dredged up onto the shoreline.

Quicksand comes to mind. Am I sinking? No, not quite. My body feels wet, but it isn’t a muddy or sandy type of wetness. I would've been able to tell the difference if it were the case. And the pressure surrounding me was very hard and compact�"too solid for quicksand. And to top it all off, I can still breathe and see, well see as far as my eyes will allow, which unfortunately was only forward as my head was stuck looking straight ahead, into that....Void.

Now that I think about it... I am sinking. Or maybe it's more like falling? It’s hard to tell. There’s no wind to give me the sense of falling, no rushing sound in my ears. Maybe I'm still, and it's the world...er- Void is the one moving. I don’t know. 

Regardless, I continue to sink�"or fall. Time is meaningless here. Minutes, hours, days�"it all blends together. But soon, I start to feel the wetness on my clothes shifting. It’s subtle at first, like the moisture itself has come to life. A few minutes later, I can definitely feel something moving across me. My clothes are drying, but there’s this mass... something foreign on my chest, the only place that still feels wet.

The "wet" is moving.

I can feel it on my skin now, cold, clammy, and viscous�"like blood. God, I hope it’s not blood. It continues its path, creeping upwards toward my face. I can barely see it, a dark shape�"darker than the Void itself. How is that even possible? 

It’s at my lips now.

What the f**k!. I want to scream, but no sound comes out. The thing pries open my mouth. I can feel it slithering inside, cold and bitter. My stomach churns, but I don’t throw up. It slides down my throat, thick and vile, and I can’t do anything to stop it. 

It’s inside me now. 

I close my eyes, trying to calm down, but there’s no calming down when something like this is happening. I can feel it�"whatever *it* is�"moving through me like tendrils, or worms, pumping sludge into my veins. I don’t know how long it’s been in there. The wriggling has stopped, but now I feel nothing.

Then, without warning, my body convulses. My stomach heaves, and I bend forward, retching violently. A thick, black substance spills from my mouth. I grunt in pain as another surge shoots through me, but I’m relieved�"whatever was inside me is gone.

I look down at the black blob on the ground, and a strange sense of familiarity washes over me. This feels... familiar. No, *that* feels familiar. I don’t know why, but the words "The Ichor" come to mind. What does that mean?

I try to wipe the black dribble from my mouth, but my body stiffens. I can’t move. My eyes lock onto the blob, and I realize it’s not just a blob anymore. It’s moving�"not in any particular direction, just convulsing. I should be able to look away, but I can’t. My gaze is trapped.

THEY.

That word rises in my mind. Not “it.” They. That feels more appropriate. The dark, convulsing mass of splotches... somehow, it’s much darker than the Void surrounding us.

How funny, I muse, something void of any shape in a void. The thought is absurd, but it distracts me for a moment, just long enough for Them to change.

The central splotch moves, spastic and erratic, forming an arm-like appendage. I freeze in terror, unable to tear my eyes away as the arm reaches toward me. It’s not an arm, not really�"it’s too deformed to be called that. It cups my cheek, cold and grotesque, and starts to caress my face in slow, circular motions. There’s a tenderness in the touch, but it’s horrifying nonetheless.

The "arm" moves to the top of my head, petting me softly, like a mother soothing her child. I feel... nothing. No fear, no sadness�"just emptiness. 

How long have I been here, staring at Them?. Weeks?Months maybe? Time here is strange. Maybe it’s only been seconds. 

A sudden *gurgle* snaps me out of my daze. The arm stops, and a round mass emerges from *them*, connected to the appendage. It moves closer�"Their face, or what I assume is a face. 

I stare in disbelief as the face begins to drip, black sludge falling away to reveal... my own face. 

I feel fear flood my body as my own face moves closer, inches away. I can’t scream. I can’t run. I close my eyes, bracing for whatever is coming next when suddenly, I hear something…

---

“He- heywa�"hey, wake u�"…WAKE UP!!” someone shouts.

*Gasp,* I wake up. “Huh, what is it?” I said in a groggy, half-awake voice. My eyes took in small glimpses of light as they adjusted. (God, my dreams are getting so messed up. Maybe I should stop taking melatonin), I thought for a moment.

“You fell asleep at the wheel, and I think WE’RE GONNA CRASH! AAAAAAH!" a voice I had not yet recognized yells out.

“WHAT!” I yelled. Whether it was from the fact that I was just waking up or the fact that I just had one of the weirdest dreams ever, I decided to believe the voice wholeheartedly. I quickly sat up, now fully face to face with the front window, and with much force, I put my foot down onto the brake pedal while gripping the steering wheel with all my strength, causing the car to emit a sharp *creeeak.* At that point, my brain began to work. I could feel a familiar weight in my left pocket, something definitely metal yet not really heavy. It was the car keys.

“Hahaha, oh my God, I can not believe that actually worked. Oh, that was so funny, utterly hilarious. Hehe, I thought of that like five minutes ago, lol,” she said from the backseat.

(Sometimes I wish I was born an only child), I thought as I turned around and gave my sister my best death glare. “Julie, what the Hades is wrong with you? Like, actually, what is wrong with you, mentally speaking?" I said, my voice filled with frustration, tiredness, and a tiny bit of anger. I had always hated Juliette's stupid pranks�"well, not always, but just whenever she pulled one on me.

“Aww, I’m sorry, Ark. Did I ruin your beauty sleep? Hmmmm, but anyway, it’s already 9:30 AM, and if we wanna get to Greenvale soon, we should probably get going,” Juliette said with her general playful and upbeat tone while pointing outside. My vision started to adjust to the light, and I saw that, although cloudy, the sun was, in fact, up.

“Why do you always have to torment me like this? I mean, what did I ever do to warrant this?" I said, pretending to plead with her.

"Well, for one, I was born six minutes before you, so on a technicality, I'm the older sibling, which means I get to punk you all I want. And two, you kinda looked, I don’t know, dead there for a minute. No joke, I had to check to see if you were still breathing. So I did the whole car thing as payback,” Juliette explained.

(God, was I really that heavy of a sleeper? Ugh, and that weird dream too. Damnit, I had just started taking melatonin again... eh, well, guess that’s a bust for now), I thought to myself. The dream from earlier was already fading back into my subconscious, although as it became more and more blurred, one thing still remained: a shining thought… (The Ichor), I thought. I still had no idea what it meant, and now that the dream was fading from my mind, I couldn't remember the context behind it either. But I still felt... uneasy thinking about that word… Ichor. 

“Well, thank you for… um, I don’t know, looking after me? I guess," I said awkwardly with a smirk, which Juliette happily responded to with a slight grin. "But yeah, I guess we should get going for the day and everything,” I said. Then I fished the car keys out of my pocket, put them in the ignition, and turned it. *Brummmm,* the car groaned to life. *Yawn.* (Gonna be a good day, or a bad day?), I thought to myself. I then stretched out as far as the car would let me; no abundant soreness in my legs, arms, or neck. (Good day then!), I thought bashfully. 

"Let's get this show on the road, shall we?" I asked Julie. 

"We shall," Julie answered, positively bashful about the day ahead.

I set the car up, and we were off.

---

**[2 minutes later]**

I’m alone with my thoughts. (What month are we in again?), I thought casually. (… um… hmmmmmm… oh! That’s right, it's the middle of May… how could I forget?) The answer came to me like that. (God, we were so close to being done with high school... damn it… ugh, I guess it's fine; we only have to repeat senior year. That's not too bad, I suppose, but that does mean we’ll probably be two of the oldest students there. Ugh, and we’re turning 19 in December... ugh...), my internal groan of annoyance manifested in a subtle *grumble* from my throat. 

(...but eh, whatever happens, happens, although it is kinda strange… strange how I never heard of a 'remedial subject course' before.) The thought crossed my mind once before. 'Remedial subject course,' that’s what the email I received said. All we have to do is take a class in each of the major subjects: one in art, one in history, one in math, etc. Although it did seem strange, considering I couldn't find any info about it online. (Must be an American thing), I mused. (Another year of exciting classes... yippee... and all the work we did this year was worthless. Yayyyyyyy), I grimaced in frustration as I continued to ponder the coming school year and mulled over the school year we just left behind. 

(While all the other kids in our grade will be going to college or getting jobs, we'll be stuck in some unknown town in classrooms with people younger than us), I closed off the thought with a *sigh*. This gave rise to another more troublesome question in my mind: (…should we have come?). The question carried a strange weight with it, a weight that made me shudder. (Nope, not gonna think like that right now. Julie and I have already made the choice. I’m fine, this is fine. We made the right call, and anyway, it’s already too late to go back. We already signed everything. Too late to turn back now). Old memories start to bubble up from the back of my mind… bad memories. My right arm starts to feel itchy. I take my left hand off the wheel and reach over to scratch the itch. As I move up to my wrist, I can feel the old scar tissue that’s there… that will always be there… a constant reminder. I continue scratching… my arms sting in pain. I continue scratching… I can feel the blood under my fingernails… I continue to cut�"

"Bro... eyes on the road!" I hear Julie call out from the backseat. I remove my right hand and place it back on the wheel.

“So-sorry, my bad…” I squeak out awkwardly. I looked up to see that I had actually started to go off-road; the car had a slight lean to it. "S**t, sorry, Jules," I apologized, quickly grabbing the wheel as I slowly pulled back onto the road.

"Eh... it’s fine, I suppose... I shall allow it," Julie said in her best fake British accent.

"Oh, why thank you, Madam Belle," I responded with a similar voice attempt, causing us both to chuckle. I looked back down at my left arm… (not the worst it's been... but I should clean it up before Julie can see it), I thought to myself. I shook my head quickly. (C'mon, Ark, let's just keep on going), I thought to myself, trying to be encouraging. I then flipped the radio on and started to flick through channels and stations when suddenly�"

“Hey!” Julie called out at me.

“Yeah, Julie?” I asked in response.

“Are you, um, hungry by any chance?” she asked plainly.

I looked briefly down at my stomach and gave it a slight *thump*, feeling empty. "Yeah, I could eat!" I answered.

Julie's eyes lit up. "Okay, awesome, great, perfect. Ah, sorry, I’m just kinda really hungry… but yeah, let’s go get some breakfast because Mama is hungry, hehe.” She accentuated her hunger with a light smack to her stomach as she finished. She was clearly very excited, as I could see and hear her bouncing around in her seat like an impatient child who was bored of a long car ride. The chair made small little *squeak* *squeak* sounds here and there.

“Okay, jeez, my gosh, are you really that hungry? Just wait a moment and let me see if there’s a diner nearby,” I explained to Julie. She stopped bouncing around and instead lay down, taking up the whole back seat.

"Okay, fine, but you better hurry or else I'm going to eat you," Julie teased.

"Hah! Like you could. I'm a pretty hearty meal�"so many calories, you know�"and tons of sugar and gluten, and all that jazz," I said jokingly in response.

"Ummm, yeah, you’re too unhealthy for my standards. I’d honestly rather eat roadkill," Julie said. She and I continued to trade light insults and jabs at one another for a good minute. 

"God, I'd honestly be fine with any place as long as they had pancakes. Pancakes are literally the best food," I say, trying to lighten the mood.

"TMI. I get it�"you’ve got a weird thing for pancakes, you weirdo," Julie responds teasingly, a smirk tugging at her lips.

"Hey... yeah... sure do love pancakes," I mumble, my voice faltering. I glance down at my belly and grimace. (Ugh, I should eat something healthier than pancakes. I look kinda pudgy...) The thought nags at me, making me feel self-conscious. I shift my focus back to the road, but the uneasy feeling in my stomach only grows stronger.

[Ten minutes later]

(Why aren't there any good diners around here? I've been driving for what�"eleven minutes now? At this point, I’d even settle for a damn Denny’s. Although, we’d have to find one first… ugh. I really don’t want fast food for breakfast two days in a row...) My frustration bubbles up as I scan the empty stretch of countryside. I glance at the rearview mirror. (Haven’t heard a peep from Julie for a while now... what’s she even doing?)

I adjust the mirror and catch a glimpse of her. She’s slouched in the backseat, fast asleep.

"Great," I mutter under my breath, letting out a sigh as I refocus on the road ahead.

[Five more minutes pass]

"STOP THE CAR!"

Julie’s sudden scream jolts me so hard I nearly leap out of my seat. My heart pounds as I slam the brakes, the tires screeching against the asphalt. The car jerks to a halt, and I sit frozen for a moment, my fingers clutching the wheel. (Second time today this psycho almost gave me a heart attack...) I think bitterly, remembering the obnoxious wake-up call she gave me earlier.

"What the hell, Julie?" I snap, my voice tight with exasperation.

"LOOK, ARK!" she shouts, her excitement barely contained. Then, with a sheepish cough, she softens her tone. "Ahem... sorry. Look, Ark. Over there!" She points, almost as enthusiastically as before but this time with a hint of restraint, at something through the window.

I follow her gaze, muttering, "You better be glad we’re in the middle of nowhere. If there were any other cars around, we’d be toast, you dumbass."

"Ugh, you’re one to-..ugh whatever…okay, okay, I’m sorry for the hypothetical car crash, but LOOK!" She continues pointing, her energy undeterred. "It’s a diner!"

I follow Julie’s pointing finger and, sure enough, spot a roadside diner. A neon-red sign on the roof flashes the words *"Mama Mabel’s 24-Hour Diner."*  

"I swear that thing wasn’t there a minute ago," I mutter, squinting at the building. "But food is food, I guess. It’s not like we have any other options around here." I steer the car into the small parking lot in front of the diner, pulling into a space closest to the entrance.  

"Even for a roadside diner... this place is pretty empty," I note, scanning the sparsely populated lot. The only other vehicle in sight is an old, beat-up blue truck with chipped paint and a few dents on its bed.  

Julie pipes up from the backseat. "Hey, you should probably get changed in the bathroom or something. You’d look kinda weird walking in wearing your pajamas."  

"You do realize I still have to walk inside in my pajamas to even get to the bathroom, right?" I tease, smirking as I turn off the car.  

"Ugh... I knew that," she huffs, clearly flustered. Then, trying to recover, she adds, "You know what? Don’t change. Just eat in your pajamas, like the clown you are." She swings the door open and hops out of the car.  

"*Sigh.* Never change, Jules," I say with a chuckle, shaking my head at her antics. Reaching into the bag beside me, I pull out a gray polo, a pair of old blue jeans, and some socks. I also grab my toothbrush, toothpaste, a comb, and, after a moment’s thought, my deodorant. "Ah, can’t forget the deodorant," I mumble to myself as I slip on my sneakers and step out of the car.  

"Hurry up, slowpoke!" Julie calls from the diner’s front door, waving impatiently.  

"I’m coming, I’m coming!" I shout back, breaking into a brisk walk. "God, you’re impatient," I mutter as I approach her.  

"You’re just soooo sloooow," she groans, dragging out the words with exaggerated annoyance.  

"Well, I’m soooo sorrrry," I reply, mimicking her tone with a grin.  

Julie rolls her eyes but shoves me lightly on the back. "Go get dressed already, you goof."  

"Alright, alright," I say, starting toward the diner’s bathroom. Over my shoulder, I add, "Can you get me an orange juice while I’m in there?"  

"Sure, I’ll get you the 'orange spit,'" she quips, sticking her tongue out.  

"Well, at least it’s not 'apple piss,'" I fire back, returning the gesture. Before she can respond, I turn away and push open the bathroom door.  

Inside, I’m greeted by a dimly lit, cold, white-tiled room. The flickering fluorescent light does little to brighten the dingy space.  

"Ah, crappy public restrooms never fail to disappoint," I mutter, wrinkling my nose. The musty air feels oddly nostalgic, though not in a good way.  

I approach one of the cracked mirrors hanging above the sink. Actually, *all* the mirrors are cracked in some way, as if someone went on a rampage.  

"Someone’s got anger issues," I mumble under my breath. Turning on the faucet, I let the water run for a moment before wetting my toothbrush. A glob of toothpaste plops onto the bristles, and I begin brushing my teeth, the steady stream of water masking the quiet hum of the diner beyond the bathroom door.  

I glance into the mirror, scrutinizing my reflection. (Man, I look rough...) I think, leaning in closer. The dark bags under my eyes have deepened into blackish-purple crevices, making me look half-dead. (Hope I don’t look like a zombie...) I mull over my appearance while brushing my teeth. My lips catch my attention�"they’re cracked and raw, visible even through the frothy toothpaste. (I should ask Julie if I can borrow her lip balm...)  

Tilting my head down, I spit the foam into the sink. When I lift my head again, my stomach drops as soon as I see my reflection.  

They are�"instead of my reflection, standing where I should be in the mirror.  

“S**t!” I stumble back, my heart pounding as I land on the cold tile floor. For a second, Its almost like I couldn’t breathe.  

I force myself to stand, gripping the edge of the sink. I slowly raise my head and look into the mirror, all that's there is a small greyish smudge in the corner and my own reflection staring back at me as normal as ever. I suddenly realised I somehow look even more tired than I did before, I could see that I was visibly shaking and my pupils were partially dilated. I glanced down at my hands, noticing I was holding a vice-like grip on the grimy porcelain of the sink, and then my gaze trails down to my wrists. The blood from my earlier episode had dried, yet the burning sensation had not yet dissipated.  

“Time to finish getting ready,” I mutter to myself, forcing my focus back. Applying deodorant and combing through my hair, I try to shake the unease lingering in my chest. I stepped into a nearby stall to change into the clothes I brought�"which was a simple gray polo shirt and some old blue jeans.  

Before leaving, I steal one last glance at my reflection. Everything seems normal, but the uneasy feeling in my gut still hasn’t left me.  I shake my head and continue on towards the door.

I step out of the bathroom and head toward the diner’s entrance. Scanning the room, I spot Julie waving at me from a booth in the far-right corner. I walk over, tossing the bag of dirty clothes onto the booth opposite to her before sliding in. 

As I was adjusting myself into a comfortable position I finally noticed the lone glass of orange juice placed on the table, small rays of sunlight filtered through the blind adoring the window to my right catching on the glass rim of the orange juice, it looked oddly beautiful, yet strangely melancholic since it was the only object on the table. 

“Thanks for grabbing me the ‘orange spit,’” I thank, finally breaking the silence between us, slowly I pick up the glass and begin tilting it towards my lips and then take a long sip, resulting in a refreshed *ahh*. The tart, citrus juice easily overpowers the lingering taste of mint in my mouth. 

Julie smirks at the refreshed sound I made, her hands cradling a mug of coffee in her hands, she wasn’t looking directly at me, but at the small sun rays that streamed through the blinds. “Yeah, yeah, you’re welcome,” she replies.  

I raise an eyebrow at her drink. “What, no ‘apple piss’ this morning?”  

She snorts softly, finally turning to look at me,“Nope. Needed something... stronger. I think i got up too early again” She says with a curt giggle before taking a long sip of her coffee, her lips curling into a small smile after.  

“Heh... yeah,” I chuckle awkwardly, drumming my fingers on the table. “So, was the server nice?”  

Julie blinks for a moment at the question and then tilts her head slightly, her eyes closed in thought, and then they open. “Oh, uhhhh, think her name was..mandy..no wait…umm....Mindy!yeah Mindy that's it!�"she was super sweet. She’s got like this folksy, southern thing going on, it's cute…but she does use this obviously fake texian accent..or what i think is a texian accent…its kinda grating, but also again very cute”. 

“Huh. Okay, well, I guess we’ll just wait for her to get back then.” I lean back against the booth, letting another momentary silence settle between us.  

Julie then promptly breaks this silence, “Hey, are you gonna get some pancakes?”  

I hesitate in responding, glancing down at my stomach. (Ugh...), I recoil in disgust mentally. My face too twists briefly into an expression of disgust before I catch myself.  

“Uhh, no,” I say way too quickly. “probably just going to get something a bit…lighter today.”  

Julie furrowed her brow for a moment, almost looking disappointed, just like me she returns back to a natural expression and doesn’t push it. But the damage was done, an uncomfortable, knowing silence creeps it way in.

 I shift in my seat, trying to focus on anything but the tightening knot in my gut. And the image of Julie's concerned and saddened expression. (She’s your sister, and a twin sister at that…you can't hide this stuff from her), i mentally berate myself. “uh..he-” (No ... .Keep it to yourself…all it will do is make things worse) “err-..never mind, it's nothing”,, i say feigning my normal tone of voice, hiding the guilt with a layer of dismissal.

 “Hmm…oh…ok”, Julie says with a sigh, turning her gaze back towards the small rays of sunlight that slipped through the blinds on the window.

(stop pushing her away…why do you always sabotage yourself like this?), I berate myself mentally. (You know why…because your worthle-), i shake my head dispelling any further negative thoughts. I look at my cup of orange juice and quickly take a sip, letting the cool liquid calm my growing anxiety. (relax…relax ... .relax), i repeat mentally. The silence soon returned, but this time it was neither comfortable nor uncomfortable…it just was. 

**[6 minutes later]**

Julie was again the person to break the silence held between us. “Okay... well, I’m bored,” Julie groans, slumping back in her seat. “It’s been like five ever since I last saw Mindy. Feels like... a distant memory,” she says, her tone becominging overly dramatic as she went on, pressing the back of her hand to her forehead like a tragic heroine.  

“Gosh, stop being so dramatic,” I say with a smirk. “Here, I’ve got something for you.” I pull a kids’ menu I swiped from the front desk and slide it across the table. “Since you’re clearly suffering from an overabundance of free time, this should keep you entertained.”  

Julie narrows her eyes at me, snatching the menu. “I hope your favorite TV series gets canceled,” she grumbles.  

“Joke’s on you�"I don’t even have a favorite TV show.”  

“Yeah, yeah, whatever...” Julie flips the menu open and examines it. “Hey, do you know a three-letter word for ‘annoying’?” she asks, holding up the crossword puzzle.  

“Oh, I’ve got one. It’s spelled Y-O-U,” I say, grinning.  

“Ughhh, you suck,” Julie groans, throwing her head back dramatically.  

For the next few minutes, we settle into a comfortable silence, working through the menu’s puzzles together. It’s oddly relaxing, just sitting here with her, scribbling away at mazes and word searches.  

“Hey,” I say after a while, breaking the quiet. “Have you, uh... noticed how empty this place is?” I glance around the diner, scanning the nearly deserted room.  

“Yeah, but honestly? I don’t care. I’m hungry, which is a *way* bigger issue than how many people are here,” Julie replies, taking the last swig of her coffee.  

I chuckle. “Fair enough.” My eyes drift to the corner of the room, where a tall woman in a retro 80s-style diner uniform is heading our way. “Hey, is that her? Is she our server?” I ask, pointing.  

Julie slaps my hand down with a sharp *smack.* “Ark! Don’t point at people�"it’s rude!”  

“Ow!” I yelp, rubbing my hand. Then I grin as an idea pops into my head. “Oh, pointing is rude, huh? Well, take this!” I say, jabbing my finger directly at her.  

Julie stares at me for a beat, her expression unreadable. “Uh... Jules? You okay?” I ask, suddenly unsure.  

Without warning, she pokes me in the chest. “Haha! Think you can point at me and get away with it? *Nay, good sir, NAY!*” she declares in a terrible fake British accent, jabbing me repeatedly.  

“Oh, two can play at this game!” I laugh, retaliating with pokes to her arms and face. Before long, we’re both laughing and swatting at each other like kids.  

“Y’all are somethin’ else.”  

The voice startles us both. We freeze and look up to see Mindy standing by our booth, holding a notepad. Her grin is wide and good-natured as she asks, “So, how long have y’all been dating?”  

The question hits like a record scratch.  

“*Ew!*” Julie exclaims, recoiling in disgust. “I’d rather date a corpse!”  

I laugh awkwardly, holding up my hands. “Uh, yeah, no. We’re not dating. We’re, uh... siblings. Twins, actually.”  

Mindy’s face turns bright red. “Oh my stars, I am so sorry! I had no idea! You two just seemed so... oh, bless your hearts, y’all must think I’m terrible.”  

“It’s fine,” Julie says, waving it off. “Not the first time someone’s thought that�"”  

“�"and it won’t be the last,” I finish for her, smirking.  

Mindy chuckles nervously, still looking flustered. “Oh, well, still, darlins' I am ever so sorry!, well, bless y’all’s patience.", Mindy says, her accent sounding even more exaggerated�"probably because she’s embarrassed now. She holds up her pen and notebook, ready to take our orders. “Anywho, what grub are y’all havin’ today?”  

“Uh... can I have the...” I begin, intending to say pancakes, but something else slips out. “Can I have a BLT, no mayo, and a Caesar salad, please?” I wince the moment the word *salad* leaves my lips. “Uh, no mayo because I’m allergic to eggs,” I quickly add, trying to play it cool and distract from my reaction.  

“Oh, okay, darlin’! No eggs will dare saunter over to your plate,” Mindy says with a giggle.  

She turns her attention to Julie. “And for you, miss?”  

“Oh, umm, can I have the full breakfast plate? With scrambled eggs, please,” Julie says, smiling sweetly�"and directly at me.  

*(Wow, nice move, sis. Eating the one thing that could kill your only brother. Right in front of me. Classy.)*  

“Alrighty, will that be it for y’all? Oh, let me just refill your drinks,” Mindy says, scooping up Julie’s empty mug and my nearly empty glass.  

“Yeah,” Julie and I say at the same time, our voices overlapping.  

“Okay, we’ll have that out for y’all faster than you can say *Raccoon Roadside Roadkill*!” Mindy quips with a grin before spinning on her heel and heading off.  

“Well, I can’t say I’ve heard *that* one before,” Julie says with a chuckle.  

“Heh, yeah. Pretty unusual wording,” I reply, shaking my head. “But hey, at least she seems happy with her job.”  

“Agreed,” Julie says, nodding.  

An uncomfortable silence starts creeping in. I glance at Julie, and she fidgets with her napkin.  

“So... umm...” I start, my voice trailing off awkwardly.  

“Heh... yeah...” Julie says, just as awkwardly.  

*(I should just talk and get it over with. We can’t keep avoiding this�"it’s not healthy.)* I take a deep breath, trying to steady myself. “So, Julie... I’ve been meaning to ask you�"no.” I stop, correcting myself. “I’ve been meaning to *talk* to you about something,” I say, my heart sinking a little.  

“Yeah?” Julie asks softly, her expression shifting. She’s still trying to smile, but it’s clear she already knows where this is going.  

“Are... are we doing the right thing?” I say, my voice trembling as my hand starts to shake. “I mean... is going to Greenvale really worth it? I know I’m bringing this up way too far into all this, but... it’s still something we need to talk about.”  

Julie looks at me, startled by the sudden shift in tone. She opens her mouth to reply. “Ark, it�"”  

“I’m serious, Julie!” I interrupt, sharper than I meant to. “I know we can’t go back. Not to the apartment, not to the school, and definitely not to... her. But... we don’t *have* to go to Greenvale either.”  

Julie doesn’t respond immediately, her face thoughtful as she processes what I’ve just said. Finally, after a few long moments, she speaks.  

“Where else would we even go, Ark?” Her voice is calm but firm. “Be honest with yourself. If we can’t go back and we can’t go forward, what does that leave us? Two high school dropouts from Canada, living out of a car with basically nothing but the clothes on our backs?”  

Her logic makes sense�"it always does�"but it doesn’t make me feel any better. *(She’s right, but... it still doesn’t feel right.)*  

“Julie, it’s just...” I sigh heavily, struggling to find the words. “Look, I know you’re right, but so much has happened in the last few months. First, we lost�"”  

“I know, Ark. I know,” she interrupts softly but with a hint of irritation.  

*(S**t. I didn’t mean�")* “Yeah, you’re right. Sorry,” I mutter quickly, trying to backtrack. “But after that...” I wince, the words catching in my throat. “Then we found the envelope... with that note from our parents. Parents who, let’s be real, we know *nothing* about except that they somehow died when we were eight and wanted us left with Aunt Morgan.” I feel my voice rising as I veer into a tangent.  

“Ark,” Julie sighs, pinching the bridge of her nose. “I know all this already. Just get to the point.”  

“Yeah, okay. Sorry,” I say, swallowing hard. “So we found the note and the key, and over a few weeks, we just... left. We *both* agreed to leave, but now it feels like... like it was a mistake. We didn’t graduate because of this, Julie. We could’ve waited.”  

Julie looks at me with tired eyes. “Ark, we both know�"*you* know�"that back there, we had *nothing.* Morgan was gone. We wouldn’t have survived.”  

“Oh, like it was ever that hard for you,” I snap, scowling at her. “You know what I went through.”  

Julie’s gaze hardens, and she fires back. “And do you know what *I* went through? I had to watch Aunt Morgan die, slowly, while you were off with a bunch of a******s who treated you like garbage. You have no idea what that was like for me.”  

I feel my stomach twist. *(Why the hell do I always get so defensive? Why can’t I just be normal?)* “You’re right,” I say quietly, guilt weighing down my voice. “I’m sorry... again. God, I’m such a mess.” I groan, burying my face in my hands.  

“Hey,” Julie says softly. I feel her hand on my shoulder, a gentle reassurance. “We’re both messed up, okay? And... I’m sorry too. I shouldn’t have made it worse. I’m your sister�"I should’ve diffused the situation.”  

*(No, don’t apologize. This isn’t your fault. God, I’m the one who started this...)* I lower my hands and sit up straighter, forcing myself to meet her gaze. “No, it’s not your fault, Julie. I’m sorry for starting it. Morgan wouldn’t have wanted us fighting like this.” I chuckle dryly, though it feels hollow.  

Julie gives me a small smile. “It’s okay, Ark. And hey, if you ever decide you don’t want to go through with this... I’ll be with you. We stick together, okay? We’re the only family we’ve got.”  

I nod, feeling a weight lift off my chest. “Yeah. I know. I think I just needed to vent, get all of that out there... even if it turned into an argument.” I pause, trying to lighten the mood. “But for the record, you’re not the older sibling. We’re twins�"we were born at the same time.”  

Julie smirks, instantly catching on to my attempt to shift gears. “Oh, I was born six seconds before you, dear little brother. But it’s okay if you’re *jealous* of my wisdom and maturity.” She strokes an imaginary beard, feigning superiority.  

I roll my eyes but can’t help laughing. “Right. Wisdom. Sure." “Ugh, also a psychic told you that you were born six seconds before me, dumbass. We don’t even know if that’s true,” I groan, rolling my eyes. “But fine, whatever you say, old man,” I add with a chuckle. The tension between us has mostly evaporated, though I can still feel some lingering doubt gnawing at the edges of my mind. For now, I push it aside.  

**[Two minutes later]**  

“Well, howdy, y’all! Got some good grub for you right here,” Mindy announces cheerfully as she approaches, balancing a tray with our orders.  

My stomach growls on cue, and my mouth waters at the sight of the food. *When was the last time we had an actual meal?* I wonder as I practically snatch my plate from the tray, barely able to contain my hunger.  

“Here’s your bill,” Mindy adds, setting it down on the table. “Just leave the money here when you’re done. And please, try not to make too much of a mess!” She winks before walking off.  

“Julie, is it just me, or does this food look… suspiciously good?” I ask, eyeing my plate like it’s some kind of treasure straight out of a fantasy novel. The B.L.T. practically glows, radiating an ethereal aura as though it were crafted by divine hands. I glance up at Julie, only to find her already devouring her breakfast with reckless abandon, crumbs flying here and there.  

I turn my attention back to my plate, the sandwich calling to me. Slowly, almost reverently, I lift it to my mouth. My lips part, and I take the first bite. For one fleeting, indescribable moment, I swear I achieve enlightenment. Nirvana itself seems to descend upon me.  

The sandwich disappears far too quickly, leaving my untouched side salad as the next conquest. The first bite is a revelation�"a burst of crisp freshness that washes over me like a cleansing wave. Within minutes, the salad is gone too.  

“That was… some damn good food,” I hum, leaning back in the booth, utterly content.  

I glance at Julie, whose plates are empty�"practically licked clean. For a moment, she looks oddly at peace.  

“I think I just had a religious experience,” she sighs dreamily, only to immediately burp. “Ugh, sorry. Aw, acid reflux,” she groans, clutching her stomach.  

“Truly the picture of feminine beauty,” I tease with a smirk.  

“Flip off,” she mutters, still rubbing her stomach. “Anyway, I’ve got the bill. How much should we tip? Twenty? Fifty?” She pulls out her wallet, raising a brow.  

“Mindy was a saint, and the food was borderline magical. Honestly, let’s do a hundred,” I say, tidying up my side of the table.  

“Is that even legal? Do we know the tipping laws here? Eh, whatever, it’s probably fine,” Julie says, shrugging as she lays the hundred-dollar bill on the table. “Alright, let’s roll.”  

She slides out of the booth but immediately stumbles, nearly falling back.  

“Woah, you okay?” I ask, shaking my head as she giggles at herself.  

“Yeah, yeah, just tripped. Don’t worry about it!” she says, brushing it off.  

“One of these days, your luck’s going to run out,” I mutter, helping her steady herself before grabbing my bag and heading toward the diner entrance. Julie trails behind me.  

As we step outside, Julie suddenly spins back around. “Thanks, roadside diner! Great food and awesome service! Bye!” she shouts into the building, waving dramatically before turning back to me.  

“Did you really have to do that?” I ask, shaking my head but smiling at her antics as we walk to the car.  

“Yes,” she says simply, hopping into the back seat.  

“Alright, alright,” I mutter as I climb into the driver’s seat. Turning the key, the engine sputters to life with a loud *grrrttututuut*.  

I pull out of the parking lot, glancing in the rearview mirror one last time. For a split second, the diner seems to shimmer, almost like it’s glowing with a soft white aura.  

“Eh, must be my imagination,” I mumble, focusing back on the road ahead.

**[1 hour later]**  

“Hey, Julie, wake up. I think we’re here,” I call out, raising my voice over the hum of the engine. “Check the note�"letter, whatever. It says Greenvale, New Hampshire, right?” I glance back at her as we approach the town’s entrance sign.  

“Ugh, alright, alright, calm down,” she groans, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. She grabs the note and squints at it. “Yeah, it says, ‘From Greenvale, part of Fikeston County, located within New Hampshire, USA,’ so... yep, we’re here,” she confirms, holding the note up like it’s proof of her effort. Then her eyes catch the sign ahead. “Oh hey, look, a sign!”  

I smirk. “Yeah, I saw it already, genius. That’s why I asked for confirmation.”  

“Geez, sorry! Getting all the hate right now,” she huffs. “Just drive already.”  

“Alright, alright, I’m driving,” I say with a chuckle, easing the car forward. But as we pass the sign, a sudden chill crawls down my spine. It’s not the cold kind�"it’s deeper, a strange sense of familiarity I can’t quite place. The feeling lingers, unsettling and unshakable, though I try to ignore it and focus on the road.  

“Welcome home... I guess,” I murmur under my breath.

Author's Note

Hey this is my first time posting a work online, hope it's decent. I tried to focus on the characters and them sounding real. Any notes on the dialogue and Grammar are welcome.