Heartbreak Twins

To survive, a pair of supernatural siblings must win over the hearts of humans.

          Just as humans must consume the flesh of animals to survive, we two must consume the humans’ hearts. But love is not something that can be forced from a person; it must be surrendered. Even though that is more along the lines of seduction, we think of it as hunting. We are hunters, and after a lifetime at hunting, I’d say we have become quite skilled at it.

 

          “Do any suit your fancy, Sister?” he asked.

          The woman scanned the bar. Tonight, it was mostly couples. None of them were worth it-- too much risk and not enough reward. “No, Brother,” she said, “none of these are good.”

          “Well,” he said. “I think I’ve found my target.” She followed his gaze and spied a young woman seated at a brightly lit booth. She wore a loose tank top and a knee-length skirt, both dyed in pale pastel colors. Others surrounded her, friends and their respective boyfriends, one would guess; she was the only one without a partner. A shadow seemed to separate her presence from her friends and prevented her from laughing honestly at their jokes. Yes, she seemed just like Brother’s type.

          “Low risk, moderate reward,” she said. “Good luck.”

He nodded in response and stood up. As he casually sauntered over, his sister was the only one to notice that his face was changing. By the time he squeezed in next to the semi-surprised woman, he looked like a completely different person. Camouflage: a hunter’s trick as old as the art itself.

          Sister now sat alone at the bar with her full glass. What was the point of drinking it? Alcohol couldn’t affect her. It was a useful tool, though, one that could banish human fears and bid them to fall right into her trap.

          A movement in her peripheral vision caught her attention. She turned her head to see a boy walking past the window on the streets outside.

Him.

Trying not to rush, she gulped down the ineffective poison in the glass, paid her bill, turned and left. As she exited the door into the sunlit street, she was semi-aware of not just her face, but her entire body changing shape as she tailed her chosen target.

Usually, we just know in our guts which hearts are worth chasing.

 

“Hey, Little Willy,” the voice taunted, “did ya hear what your drunk old daddy did yesterday?”

“Leave me alone.”

“I don’t think so, Will.” This other voice was smoother, but that didn’t make it any less unpleasant. “I heard he got into a fight with Pat’s dad, and got a black eye from it too.”

The boy walked faster, but could not casually escape the two bullies flanking either side. The two were not any significant amount taller, heavier, or older than the one they taunted, but it was undeniable that they had power over him. The victim could do nothing other than tighten up his shoulders and drop his head in shame.

“Hey!” One of the boys pushed Will, interrupting his walk. “We’re talking to you.”

“Yeah? Well why don’t you just shut up and f**k off?”

A fist collided with his jaw. He stepped back to regain his balance and immediately was shunted forward by a kick in his behind. Damn it. He couldn’t fight two boys alone.

“Hey, what do you think you’re doing?”

Will looked up. A savior!

It was only a girl. She was about his age and just as tall as the rest, nothing special. She wore new and unstained white sneakers, thin black shorts, and a pale grey tee-shirt which did little to conceal a budding chest. Bright green eyes, as soft and strong as the wind, were set in a face that was long but not slim. Rich, chocolate hair reached down behind her shoulders in the loosest cascading waves.

“Okay,” he thought, “She’s pretty, but she can’t help me now; she can’t get me out of this.”

With a presence more commanding than the two bullies, she marched up to the nearest one and leaned in towards his face. “Now, I don’t think this boy you have here is the one who deserves a beating.”

“Shut up,” the boy challenged. “I’m not afraid to hit a girl.”

“And I’m not afraid to hit anyone,” she countered.

The two engaged in a fierce staring match. A mirror could have stood between them for how their slim muscles held tense, how their fingers collected into fists, and how they balanced themselves in a fighting stance on their feet.

“Now, f**k off.” Her voice was almost a growl.

“No.”

She took one step forward and pushed her opponent backwards by both shoulders. He swung a hook punch with his right fist. Ducking was not enough; the blow still clipped the top of her forehead. She launched her whole body forward in an attempt to tackle the boy. With her arms wrapped around him, he managed to turn around as he fell and land on top. With his knees pinned on her chest, he swung wildly, landing few hits on his almost helpless adversary, who held her arms before her face to block. Still, there was little opportunity for an escape on her part.

Suddenly, the weight was lifted from her body. Will! He held the struggling boy under his arms, trapping him by the shoulders. The boy tried to kick and swing his elbows, but lacked the space. Will held fast. The girl used this chance to scramble to her feet and thrust an underhand punch deep into his stomach and then swing a kick into his groin.

Will dropped him. The boy was content to lay in an almost fetal pose on the ground in tears.

A realization came to Will: there was still one left! He turned around just in time to accidentally evade a heavy blow to the head. Will responded in turn, throwing a straight punch that merely scraped the bully’s jaw. The girl arrived and maneuvered to the back of Will’s combatant. She looped her arms under and around his shoulders just as Will had, pinning him even though he was still standing.

“Get him, Will,” she grunted.

He did. Blow after blow fell upon almost every scrap of flesh in reach. After a full ten seconds of torture, the girl threw the bloodied body to the ground so he could lie next to his companion.

The two children faced each other in silence, panting with exhaustion and adrenaline. Each looked the other up and down once again.

“You’re Will?” the girl asked.

“Yeah,” he answered. “I’m ten.”

She smiled. “My name’s Samantha. I’m eleven.”

Feeling self-conscious, Will wiped a smear of blood from his lips with his fingers. After tasting more blood in his mouth, he sucked it to the back of his throat and swallowed it. It left an annoying, negative taste. He hoped he didn’t look too bad.

“You think you’ll be in trouble?” she asked.

Will looked over at the two prone boys. “Maybe, maybe not. I don’t think they’ll tell by themselves, but someone else might make them tell about the bruises.”

“What about your bruises?”

Touching his face, Will could feel the swell where his cheek had been bruised by a fist and the inside cut by his teeth. It was this that caused the bleeding in his mouth. “I don’t think anyone will ask me.”

The girl gave him a suspicious look, like she was a detective with a hunch. “Do you have any good place to go?”

He waited a second, then shook his head. “I don’t feel like going home right now.”

Her entire face melted into a slight frown. Bravely, she took a step forward and clasped his wrist. “Come stay with me tonight,” she said.

Will nodded and let her walk him to wherever she wished to go. His breathing shook and he found it impossible to look up. Was he on the verge of tears? Still he walked with her. She continued to hold his wrist, gently but confidently, but Will slithered his hand back until it was his palm and fingers which she held.

He was responding positively. I had never chased one so young, but everything was proceeding smoothly. Soon, my empty vessel of a heart would be filled.

 

“Hello, Brother,” she said cheerfully as she opened the apartment door.

“Welcome back, Sister,” he replied from his seat on the sofa.

“I brought a guest,” she smiled, stepping aside to reveal Will.

“Well, I guess I did too,” he said with a chuckle. The young, lonely woman from the bar was by his side, her beaming face fixated on Brother’s. He examined Will at his distance. His smile did not change, but it was not because he wished his face to remain static. He was satisfied with what he saw, through the eyes of an experienced, calculating hunter of hearts.

“I’m Leo,” he said finally.

“I’m Will.”

“And how old are you?” His voice was bright even though the tones were deep; the flat expression in the boy’s childish voice did not discourage the cheer that was heard.

“I’m ten.”

“Just turned ten?” he asked.

Will nodded with little hesitation. Brother was waking him from his anxiety. Sister appreciated the teamwork; it was thoughtful even though it was unnecessary.

“Well, my sister is almost twelve now.” Suddenly, he leapt from the sofa and knelt down, staring intently at his sister’s face. “What happened to you?” he asked fervently, turning her head with gentle hands to inspect the two bruises on the left side of her forehead and the edge of her right eye socket. Already the blood from the latter was pooling around the eyeball, causing it to swell slightly. This action of his was mostly an act. Mostly.

“Did you two fight?”

“Yes, but not each other,” she answered.

Her brother grunted; he accepted the answer. A knowing grin then spread across his face “You always were the riskier one.” She couldn’t help but smile back widely. To the two guests, it would sound as if the last comment was regarding the fight. They would never have guessed that it was regarding themselves.

“I’ll be in my room then,” she said to her brother as she passed by, almost towing Will as she held his hand.

“Don’t do anything suspicious, Sister,” he warned, but added a joking wink for all to see. “I think I’ll leave here with Melissa sometime soon anyway.” She nodded and then was out of sight in her room with the door almost closed behind Will and herself.

The room was surprisingly bare. The walls were a moderate blue color and the carpet a deep burgundy. An unusually large bed with pristine white sheets stood regally with its headboard against the back wall. There was a tall set of shelves that was completely empty and an open dresser filled with folded, common clothes. The area was completely devoid of photographs, trinkets, accessories, or posters that one would expect in a young girl’s room.

She untied her sneakers and kicked them off before lounging on one side of the bed. With a pat to the space next to her, she motioned for Will to do the same. His actions seemed a bit nervous, but maybe he did not know it himself. He lay with his head on a pillow and his hands crossed over his stomach. She, by now, had her hands cradling behind her head and had her eyes closed to the bright ceiling light.

“Samantha,” Will spoke, successfully combating his own anxiety.

“Yeah?” she said lazily.

“Why don’t you and your brother call each other by name?”

She sighed, but energetic bubbles were brewing in her chest. This was an opportunity, a “moment of truth”. If she could just find the right words to say, she could pull him ever closer to her heart-- woo him of sorts.

She sighed again to clear her wits. In the air, she could feel that Will had given up on her answer, and was about to fall into shame. Perfect.

“Because,” she began, “he’s the only family I have-- and I never want to forget that.” Perfect response! She was so pleased with herself she had to focus to avoid smiling. “We’ve never had any parents, so my brother and I always take care of each other. We are never comfortable staying in one place for long; we always like to be on the move. Basically, his name isn’t important; it’s what he is to me that is. He’s my brother-- and I love him so.”

Flawless! Everything she had said was true, which made it even better. But still it perfectly hid the terrible part of the truth: the two of them never had genuine names. If that scrap of information was revealed at all, the questions would never stop; she would lose him.

She opened her eyes to see Will sitting upright, his torso turned to face her. His mouth and eyes had slid into a small frown. She quickly sat up as well. As she did so, his gaze dropped. “I only wish I had someone like that.”

Now was the time. In one fluid motion, she wrapped her arms underneath his shoulders and pulled their two bodies together. His head lifted just in time for her to press her lips firmly but gently into his. As he responded and started to kiss as well, the void in her chest eased its tension as a warm, cool sensation massaged every inch of her body and soul. The huntress had caught her prey, but it was a different kind of catch, a different kind of hunt.

It was unknown how long before the tender, youthful kiss ended, but when the two separated their lips, chests, and beings, she could clearly see a hot blush affect his eyes and the top of the cheeks below them. She considered blushing as well, but decided against it; it did not seem right with the image she wanted. She consented with a great, goofy smile instead. For more minutes the two stared into one another’s eyes, letting comfort reign. Finally, “It’s getting late; shouldn’t you be home soon?”

Will sighed regretfully. “Yeah.”

“I’ll walk you home.”

“Okay.”

Even though I had completed the initial challenge, there was more to be earned. As long as our love grew-- as long as he could keep filling my own empty heart with the contents of his, I could be satisfied.

 

His house was unsuspecting enough: a pseudo-Victorian in a neighborhood of pseudo-Victorians. But when one looked closer, there were always signs of minor neglect. The lawn hadn’t been mowed in almost a week. Paint on the porch, but not on the outside walls, was chipped and peeled and in need of replacement. The knocker too had lost its original fastenings and was supported by a pair of ugly screws into the slightly crooked door.

Will approached and pulled open the door, all the while taking intentionally even, calming breaths. She followed him through with soft steps. Half of the ceiling lights in the foyer were burnt out, which caused an ominous shadow to dim the room. Once inside, she carefully shut the door, but its poor condition meant it still made a much-audible bump.

The sound alerted a figure upstairs, and creaking footsteps could be heard as it walked into sight down the staircase. It was a man. With untidy hair, a poorly shaven chin, and loose skin under his eyes, he looked to be overworked and under cared-for.

“Do you know what time it is, Will?” he asked, not bothering to hide his angry annoyance.

Will ignored him and proceeded to take his shoes off. The girl stood still, hiding in the shadow of the man’s concentration.

“I got a call from the school. They said there’s witnesses who saw you help a girl beat up two boys. Suddenly, he seemed to notice her. “Is this her?” he interrogated, somehow simultaneously leaning in toward both of them at once. “Did she make you do this?”

Will couldn’t control himself any longer. “No! You did!” His father stared in disbelief. Will continued. “You go and get drunk every night, and it hurts more than just you; the kids hate me all because of you! And she’s the only one that understands; she’s the only one who gave me a chance!”

Smack! His father’s knuckles slapped him across the face, dropping Will prone with his head in his hands. The girl gave a startled gasp and took an unbalanced step back. Without any further warning, the man roughly grasped her arms, just above the elbows, and forced her backwards and upwards against the wall. With her feet off the ground and her arms pinned, she was completely powerless in his grip. Even though she kicked and swung what she could of her arms, she made little to no contact against his body. She started to scream-- a terrible, rough scream, not a piercing note at all. Words then formed from the chaotic voice: “Help! Help me, Brother! BROTHER!”

With a crash, the front door fell off of its hinges. Storming in, Brother fluidly, effortlessly, tore the man from the young girl. After that moment of practical perfection, the young man violently forced the older one into the wall himself. Pinning him with a forearm under his chin, the girl’s brother leaned his face forward and hissed, “You won’t hurt my sister anymore. You won’t hurt anyone anymore, because everyone, everyone has someone to protect them. Even Will now, with my sister, and especially her, because she has me. Do you understand this?”

The father tried to nod, but failed with his head pinned the way it was. Brother understood anyway and released him. By now, his sister was by Will’s side, hunched over his kneeling, doubled body as he held the flow of blood from his nose. She accepted a large handkerchief from her brother’s hand and wiped Will’s face as clean as she could. She then gave it to him to hold over his nose himself. Brother and sister helped the boy to his feet. Once standing, Brother said, “You don’t have to say here. Please stay with us, if only for tonight.” Will looked from the young man to his sister. Her cool but energetic green eyes pleaded him to say yes.

“Okay.”

Without another word, the siblings led their friend outside into the comfortable darkness, leaving the dim house and its lone occupant.

I am not so cold and cynical that I can’t fall in love with those I capture; in fact, it happens every time. Always it starts as just a hunt, just another catch, but once my heart feels that the other is in love, it can’t help but respond in turn. Only the cruelest of hunters feel no shame, feel no spikes of regret from the animals they slay. But with hunters as intimate as us, we feel true love, and so it hurts us just as much as them when we inevitably must leave. But I have realized, tonight more than ever, that there is a deeper love that I have felt. Even when we must break the hearts of humans and move on, there is still one who remains with me always. Ever since we were aware of our own existence, my brother has hunted by my side. We have a connection I believe very few, if any, humans have ever felt. How else could he have burst through that door just when I needed him and when he was actually a mile away? The two of us have powers we don’t realize ourselves, but they are all born from love.

Author's Note

This story was written in my high school Creative Writing class. The assignment was to write a love story. I had held onto this idea for months, trying to figure out how to make it a novel, but the story told here was the only decent episode I could come up with.

Reviews

[Coyote Poetry]

I enjoyed this story. I like the girl. She fought like a tiger. I like the new friendship and the very good ending. Thank you for sharing the excellent story.
Coyote

[Secret Lullaby]

awwwwww thats it? This was a great story and I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to read more...plz l plz :)

[A. Lee]

Could you possibly continue with this? please? i really enjoyed it. It was an incredible story to read, and it got me thinking (but i am not suprised, as your writing usually does). Excellent detail, fascinating plot, i could go on forever...

[Zachary_James]

This was truly amazing, loved the detail you put in this. Great work!