Absence (Rayce)

There's a loud crashing noise from upsairs in our apartment.

It signifies another broken glass object that my mother has destroyed out of terror.

The noise from the television in our main room is a little too overwhelming right now, so I shut it off, and instead just listen to the muffled yelling coming from upstairs.

She's been gone for almost 5 hours. It's 9:51, and the woodpanelling on the walls echos my mother's voice, pale and scratchy.

I know she's been crying.

I make my way from the leather sofa to the stairs, deciding its around time to straighten up and fix this jumbled mess of a household.

As I climb the stairs, I notice the rough champagne fragarance smells similar to Jayce, and I wipe a tear.

I know men are never supposed to cry.

But I'm scared, because I don't know where Jayce is at, and she doesn't have her phone.

I try all her friends numbers, but they all say the same thing.

"Hey- uh, Ramona?"

"Yes... who is this?"

"Rayce, Jayce's twin."

"Oh! Hey Rayce."

"Yeah, hey. Have you seen Jayce at all?"

"No, I saw her get in the car with some guy. Asher, I think."

"Thanks, Ramona."

"Anytime, Rayce."

And then one of us hangs up.

 

Another scream comes from my mother's room.

She normally wouldn't be overreacting like this, but since we searched the entire school, called all numbers- all we can do it wait for the police to come, after we filed our missing person report.

 

When Jayce and I were born, her umbelicle cord was wrapped around my neck. I was dead for a total of three minutes, roughly. Jayce was a happy, beautiful, living child while I came out a fetus.

After several electric shocks, and a lot of pleading from my mom and dad, I came back alive. It was scary, unrealistic, but everyone has a story to tell.

Jayce and I were fraternal twins. Not identical. She grew up tall, strong, and confident, with silky brown hair that trembled at her mid-back. She had sharp blue eyes, and she was always a little too skinny.

I, on the other hand, grew up averagely, and I was always the nerd. I was always shy. I just wanted to be left alone. I had jet black hair that I inherited from my dad, who was half-asian.

(Keep your assumption about my... y'know... to yourselves, please.)

I shared the same blue eyes with my sister, and that was other way you could ever tell we were twins.

Years ago, my dad and my mom got into a fight. So my dad downed a whole bottle of Advil, went to bed, and died in his sleep. My mother then was partially insane.

 

Through and through, I still can't stop thinking about Jayce.

15 and pretty...

out there...

alone...

gone...

 

I'm in my Jeep in about 8 seconds.