Town Chapter Two The Twins

Double Gaze

It had only been hardly a week after defeating the magician when she had noticed that the twins Dorothy and Victoria had been following her. She had noticed them after walking back from school. Upon taking a closer look she noticed they had tailed her for the entire time that she walked home. She then had even spotted that they even followed her to school and from school day in and day out. It was strange but she just tried to ignore it. After all, she knew that she did not need another event that would lead her somewhere that she did not want to go to.

Then after a week of noticing this, she noticed that they walked up to her as she walked home. Almost like clockwork. Now she knew that she could not ignore this and she had been singled out.

“Hello. My name is Victoria Matilda and this is my other side Dorothy Victoria.” She said as she extended her hand, her voice thick with a posh and old British accent, almost like Wendy Wonderlust. “I hope that we can be good friends.”

She looked at the hand and took it. She knew that the smart thing was no to fall into the trap as she knew that it would lead her to places, that she knew, that she did not want to go. She also could not shake the overwhelming fear of the two. She also knew that she should have nothing to do with the two and she should try to avoid any and all contact with them. In fact, she could feel everything telling her to run from the two and hope that they would never find her.

Then to her surprise, her hand moved to her hand and she shook it.

“Yeah, sure.” She said before she realised what she had just told them.

Why did I say that?! I know that I should say no. Just try to say something that turns their offer down without sounding like a rush.

Both of them smiled such a happy and almost relieved smile.

“Great! Thank you! I know that we’re going to be very close.” They said together.

I hope not. I hope that you forget about me completely.

She then put on a brave smile on her face. She had always been good at putting a brave smile on when she was in America. It was one of her ways of concealing her loneliness that she had sometimes felt whenever she saw all of her classmates playing with their friends, then this would lead to her to realise that she did not have any. She tried once but she was rejected from all of the circles even the ones that were for the rejects.

“I hope so too.” She found herself saying, even though it was coming from a genuine part of her she knew that this would never be the case with them.

She would have to keep her guard up at all times.

“Tell me, did you have any friends in America?” They asked in unison.

Her smile was wiped off her face and she looked away, trying not to look too hurt.

“No. No I didn’t. In fact even though I never told my parents I was always the one that never quite did.” She admitted as she looked down.

They then placed a hand on her shoulders.

“Then would I be your first?”

“Yeah...I guess so.” She said as she felt strangely weak and tired as she walked on.

“Are you alright?” Dorothy asked.

“Yeah..Just suddenly started to feel tired.” She yawned. “That’s all.”

“Then why don't you go home and get some sleep? We'll play tomorrow.” Dorothy said.

“Alright. See you tomorrow.” She said as she walked home.

She soon fell asleep the moment that her head hit the pillows. She found herself walking down a dark street and she was alone. She knew that it was some part of the town but not a place that she had been before. She could feel that she was wearing a skirt and she could see strands of brunette hit her left eye.

She jumped as suddenly the twins came into view, almost as if they had teleported there.

“Oh!” She said as she felt her put a hand on her chest. “I am dearly sorry. I didn’t see you there, children.”

“I know. I like your ring. It will look better on my friend.” They sang.

She looked at a pail hand and on it was a silver ring and a violet gem.

“Oh, it would, well you must be very good friends. Tell me, where are your parents?” She asked, kindly.

“Oh Daddy has been dead for a long time. Mummy doesn’t care about me or what I do.” They said at the same time. “Tell me, can you give me that ring?”

She then felt herself let out a laugh.

“Sorry I can’t. It’s my engagement ring.” She explained.

“Oh! That’s a shame.” They said as they pulled out a knife and she woke up feeling bruising in her heart and chest area.

She tried to scream but she could not, nor could she move. She was completely paralysed! She tried to move but she could not. It was like her body just was not responding to her brain’s orders. She was like a prisoner in her own body. All she could do was stare at the ceiling as she felt helpless in anything else.

She soon heard the window open. She hoped that in her heart of hearts that it was not Danté. She just could not deal with him at the moment after the nightmare that she had just had.

“It is alright.” Said the voice of one of the twins. “I just came here to give you something.”

She suddenly felt one of the hands of the twins pick her hand and forced a ring on her finger.

“Close your eyes now!” Sang the other. “See you tomorrow. And if you are wondering, friends always know where they live.”

She then closed her eyes and the following day she woke up and saw a silver ring on her finger with a violet gem in the centre.

Double Sight

Despite her better knowledge, Melinda always found herself always with the twins even though she was afraid of them. Even though there was a part of her that kept on telling her to flee and have nothing to do with them and do everything to get and keep away from them. She felt another part of her drawn to them. Almost like she belonged there, with them, but at the same time she should not.

She played together, after she went to school, they chased each other as they played tag, they played catch the ball, hide and seek and sometimes she would play with the doll that Wendy gave her. Which, the twins looked at with a pale face. Over the week, her fear of them faded into like. She had never had as much fun with another child! In fact it felt to her that everything might not be as bad here as she first thought. She could even forget all about what happened with Mohan and that her parents were dead. In fact, the twins felt more like family as each day went by.

With all that in mind, she was still terrified of taking her ring off. She could never admit how scared she became when she saw the ring. She just could not get either the nightmare nor how the ring was put on her finger out of her head. She just could not understand what had just happened nor how a ring that she had seen ended up on her finger. However she had the sinking feeling that what she saw was somehow real and actually happened. Almost like there was an alarm in her mind that was ticking, waiting to go off.

She could not get the day that they had seen the ring still on her finger either...

“Oh you’re wearing that ring I got you! Do you like it?” They asked.

She forced a smile on her face.

“Yes I do! In fact I love it!” She exclaimed.

They smiled.

“I knew you would. It looks better on you anyway.” They said.

“Thank you!” She replied.

She then noticed that the sun was setting and this meant that she would have to go home. This came to her relief, however she knew that she would have to make sure that the twins got home too, that way they would not hurt anyone.

“Alright, time for us to go home, now how about you like it if I walked you two home?” She asked.

“I would like that very much!” They said, enthusiastically.

She smiled and then she followed them to a house that shocked her. It was a mess as she looked at it. She saw that the roof had completely caved in and rotted away. There were smashed windows that looked like they had never contained any glass. The door was barely hanging off its bent hinges and the walls had far too many cracks.

Suddenly she felt sorry for the two and felt guilty for fearing then and wanting to stay away from them. If this was where they lived then it made her problems look small and her fear of them not just irrational but unjustified. She hated herself for her unfounded assumptions of them. They were not the monsters that they were made out to be, they were just a pair of lonely children that had nothing.

“Is that where you live?” She asked in disbelief.

“Yeah...I know that it could hardly be called much but it is our home.” They said.

She looked at them.

“How would you like it, if I find a way to fix it? After all, it can hardly be called fit to have anyone live there let alone two girls like you!” She exclaimed.

Suddenly they looked at her with an almost sorrowful smile.

“Yeah…I would like that. But it is all we have. After all, our mum and dad went away and I don’t know if they will ever come back.” They said.

With that she threw her arms around them and gave them a hug as she reluctantly let them go back to their “home” and she went back to hers.

She asked Jaden whether or not it would be alright if the twins stayed at theirs.

“No, just no. Absolutely not!” She snapped. “And please just stay away from them! Mum and Dad-”

“But-”

“No.” She snapped, which ended their conversation.

So she went to her room which was painted fully blue with a single bed with a black tailed mermaid on a rock. She had long black hair and deep blue eyes and paper white skin looking up at the moon on her pillow. The carpet was long and white and the lamp was light blue. To her it was like being in the ocean.

She threw herself onto the bed and closed her eyes.

She saw herself seeing through the eyes of another woman. She just could not think of why she was seeing through the eyes of her nor why she was seeing through people’s eyes at all! But she was seeing through her eyes nevertheless. She was walking down an empty ally. Something told her that this was her short cut back home from work which always brought her home at tea time. The woman seemed to be a therapist judging by the envelope in her hand.

Then she was stopped by the twins. They looked at her and smiled.

“Hello mum.” They said.

“What? I’m not-”

“You are now. She has to think that I have a mum that magically came back after being sorry to have left.”

“What? Look, kids, I don’t know what game you’re playing, but I am not your mum, I never will be and I will not pretend to be. Have you got that?” She snapped, as her vision became blurry.

“Yeah that’s what they all say, but they always do. Now, time for you to come to your new home, mum.”

“Just stop it! I have no intentions of going to any new home! I have to get back to my own, after all my oven is on and I don’t want my tea to burn so if it will be fine for you I have to get home.” She snapped as she walked onwards.

She split the two but then they grabbed her hands with one hand. She soon stopped almost as if she could not move. She looked down at the twins which smiled at her.

“I’m glad that you changed your mind!” They sang as she turned around.

“What-what are you!” She shouted. “Get off me now you freaks!”

“Now, now mummy. That’s no way to talk to your beloved daughters!” Said Victoria as she pulled out a knife.

“What are you-AHHH” She woke up still feeling the pain in the back of her leg.

She pushed herself away from the bed and hit the back of her head on the carpet.

“AW!” She said as she rubbed it.

“Are you alright?” Came Danté’s voice.

She looked up in dread as she walked up to him. She peeled the plaster semi off. But then he placed a hand on hers.

“No, no. I will not do that.” He said in his calming voice, pulling the plasta back on.

She looked away.

“Now are you alright?”

“Sure.” She said, trying to look more happy than she actually was.

“No, you are not. After all, I know you are afraid of those twins. Now why?” He asked, sternly.

Somehow, she could tell that he knew that something was wrong but regardless of what she said, he would soon get to the truth sooner or later.

“I don’t know.” She lied.

“Yes, you do.” He sighed.

She let out a huff as she acknowledged that she could not keep it hidden from him.

“I don’t know why, but there’s something about them that terrifies me.”

“No!” He said as if he was talking to a child younger then her.

She let out a huff as she looked up at the night sky to distract her but her eyes rested on a small single star that was all alone and isolated from the rest of the stars. It reminded her of herself and how she felt. So she looked down.

“I had a couple of dreams.” She said as she told him her dreams. “And the weird part is, I could actually feel everything that these two were going through. And I would have thought that it was a normal dream until I saw that this ring was on my finger and I just can't help but feel as if these dreams actually happened and I was seeing these things through real people’s eyes!”

She shuddered as she felt it all sink in. He looked at her ring and looked at her as he took her hand up to have a better look at it. He then looked at her out of genuine concern as he pulled her in and hugged her like a parent would.

“I couldn’t move when they put that on my finger! And I just can’t help but feel like I’m caught in a trap that I know I can’t escape regardless of what I do!” She exclaimed as she started to shake.

“Shh...shh...It’s alright. It’s alright.” He said as he placed a kiss on the parting in her hair and started to rock her like a parent would.

“I just wish mum and dad were here.” She wept.

He did this until she was asleep. He then picked her up and placed her on her bed and covered her with his cape. He stroked her for a moment and when she was well off in sleep he leaned in and drank from her neck. He covered it with her plaster. He closed his eyes.

Meanwhile Melinda saw that she was now looking through the eyes of a man. He was well built and he was walking home from a construction site which was to be an extension of the town. She did not know how she knew that she just did. He was walking home when she saw the twins walking up to her.

“Are you a builder sir?” Asked one of the twins.

“Yeah, why?”

“Good! My friend’s going to need a builder.”

“Sorry kids, that’s not how it works.”

“Yes it will.” She said as she grabbed his hand and she was following them home.

She woke up and saw that Dante was looking at her. With a serious but concerned look in his eyes.

“You have Mohan’s power.” He said, simply.

She got up as she felt pain in her neck.

“I know I said I wouldn’t but I knew that I had to. It was the only way for me to see what you were seeing. From which, I was able to determine that you are the magician’s successor.” He said, trying not to give away his shame in doing so.

“Now go back to sleep and keep the cape.” He said, he smiled at her with sorrow in his eyes as he turned into a flight of bats.

Show off!

She thought as she went back to sleep.

Then the following day as she came home she saw the woman in her first dream holding the hands of the twins. She had light blond hair and blue eyes with a pale expression on her face.

“Are you their friend?” She asked.

“Yes, I’m Melinda you?”

“Mara Matilda. I’m their mother. I left them alone as I chased my husband abroad because I was blinded by my love for him. So when he died I realised my mistake so I did what I could to come back and after finding out what they had been through and alone no doubt! I just can’t believe what I had done to them. Leaving them alone in that old house.” She wept.

“It’s alright, I’m pretty sure that they’ve had friends before.” She said, trying to pretend to be lightheaded.

“No we didn’t!” They remarked.

She looked at them surprised.

“You didn’t? But you seem like the type to make friends easily!” She exclaimed.

“Alright, time for us to come home.” She said, as she was about to leave.

“Speaking of which, I heard that you were trying to fix that old place. Is it true?” She said, trying to give them the benefit of the doubt.

“Yes, I will.” She declared.

She soon found herself studying DIY books and other things and she was saving up more and more money to fix that place then after a week she went back to them. And their house, which seemed eerily empty and as she approached the house she started to hear buzzing. She knocked on the door but the door fell in front of her. She then walked in and as she did she was hit by a stench that was like none other that she had even smelt. She then looked in the living room and she screamed as she saw the decomposing corpse of the builder that she had seen in her dream!

Then she suddenly felt pain in the back of her head and everything went black...

Double Curse

Melinda woke up. Her head hurt. Her mind felt foggy. She placed a hand to the back of her head. Her head was ringing. There was an intense high-pitched noise in her ear. Almost like a cross between a beep and a scream. She felt something warm on her fingers. She looked at it. It was red. Her eyes widened. She saw blood.

Where am I? She wondered.

She, to keep the pain at bay, slowly looked around her. She saw that she was surrounded by dark grey walls and ceiling and floor, both stone. There was a plain steel door at the far end with only a keyhole to the middle right. She noticed that the room was quite big.

When did they build this?

She then felt something cold around her wrists, ankles and neck. She looked down and spotted that there were steel cuffs around them. She looked at her ankles and spotted that they had them too. She raised her hand up and felt the cold cuff around her neck. She then looked down and she could see that there were chains attached to the cuffs. She followed them with her eyes. This led to the wall behind her and spotted that it was drilled into the wall.

When did they do that?! She thought as she gently pulled at them to see that they were screwed on there tight.

Her eyes slid to another side of her view. She saw another set of chains and as she followed them she spotted the woman that the twins abducted. She was huddled and weeping to herself. Her hands were yellow and green with cuts. She started to hear her hiccuping as her hearing returned to her as the high-pitched noise faded away.

“Are you-” She started to ask but it came to her how foolish that question truly was.

She looked up at Melinda as if she had somehow hurt her.

“You didn’t believe me did you?” She asked, her voice hollow and broken for all the crying that she had done.

She looked down and shook her head out of shame and regret. Her eyes caught the glimpse of the yellow and green areas with blood caking the right cheek.

“How did you know?” She asked

She looked down. It, for the first time occurred to her, just how foolish what she was about to say sounded. Yet she felt her heart sinking as she felt the shame of the power sink into her like venom in her heart. She had to close her eyes as she looked away, incapable of looking this innocent woman in her eyes.

“I saw through your eyes in a dream.”

Her eyes widened as she looked at her completely stunned.

“So you’re Melinda Narccissa! So that’s why I thought that your name sounded familiar!”

She felt a deep frown in between her eyebrows.

“How do you know?”

Her eyes rested.

“Everyone knows about you inevitably. Ever since you defeated the magician Mohan.” She sighed. “No wonder they’re after you!”

She frowned.

“Just what’s that supposed to mean?” She asked.

“Morki keeps telling-”

She opened her mouth to answer until the door opened and Dorothy and Victoria walked in. They both held each-others hand as they smiled.

“I see that you’re awake!” They sang.

“Where are we?” She asked, assertively.

“My cellar. Isn’t it better than my house?” She sang.

“Why are we here?” She demanded, not even wanting to play ball.

“Because I brought you here.” They moaned childishly.

“Why?”

“Because I wanted to look at the one who was like me before she becomes like me.”

She frowned deeper.

“I’m nothing like you nor will I ever be like you! I don’t go around kidnapping my friends and strangers to do my bidding!” She snapped back. “Plus you could look at me any time you wanted.”

They smiled at her as if she was some sort of pet that had done something cute. She felt both fear and anger growing within her.

“Ah! But I was like you once. A foolish naive child. I too got my invitation to the magician Mohan’s show. I too-”

“And will you stop talking like that! Why do you continue to refer to yourselves as ‘I’ when you clearly mean ‘we’?” She snapped, her lip curling.

At that they looked at the girl with such scorn that if looks could kill then she would be deader than Mohan and her parents combined!

“Well that’s because we are the same person.” They snapped like a wounded animal. “Or, if you still don’t get it my friend, that I once was one single person! A girl called Matilda!”

She was taken back by her response. She did not only not expect what she had just said. She just could not get what they said out of her head nor could she process it either. It was something that she could just believe, but she knew that they were telling her the truth.

“What? How?” She asked, confused.

“As I have said, this all started when I lost against Mohan. I was, understandably, traumatised that I was easy prey for the clown Morki. He showed me this mirror and after a while my personality spit. One good, which was Dorothy and one evil, which was Victoria. They wanted to become one again one person but my dear, dear mother made it worse with her insistence of ‘over-protecting’ me. Even though we both knew that, that witch had more love for her trees than me. This caused both personalities to become agathokakological but I was still two distinct personalities that desired to become one.”

“‘Agathokakological’?” Melinda repeated.

She huffed.

“It means composed of good and evil.” She snapped. “And next time you interrupt me, dear friend, I will make either her cut you or make you cut her. Have you got it?”

She nodded.

“Good girl. Now where was I? Oh right! Now, I still wanted to become one again so I turned to a rival witch, Alice Charlotte. Who, did make me one again, but I was now in two separate bodies.” She cried as tears fell from their eyes. “Two ageless separate bodies! Yeah! That showed me! Trusting my mother’s rival.”

“And what happened to her? Your mother?” Said the woman next to her. “Did you kill her?”

They gave the woman evils.

“No, not my mother, no… she’s far too powerful for me, I”m afraid. But my, imposter of a father, yes.” She said with a smile. “In fact, I have killed lots of people over the years.”

Her eyes widened at the way they said that, like as if, killing people meant nothing to them, almost like as if they were swatting a fly. They were both cold and uncaring almost as if they had forgotten how to care or as if it was removed. This told her that they placed little value on human life.

“And what’re you planning to do? Were you planning to kill me? Is that it?” She shouted.

“No, my real father has taken quite an interest in you. And as you beat his apprentice, I can see why…” She said as she leaned towards her.

“Then why am I here? Why don’t you let us go?”

“Because I’m curious to know more about you. Then, when father comes, I want to give you to him myself. Then I can ask him why you’re so special. Wouldn’t you want that too?” She exclaimed.

“But you could’ve done that anyway!”

They smiled sweetly with a hint of mischief.

“I know! I just want to keep you here. To talk to you and to tell you my stories and to turn you into one like me. I also want to observe you closer. To see how much pain you can handle and what actually happens to you when you're seeing through other people’s eyes. Do they turn the colour of the one that you’re looking out of?”

“Then why didn’t you ask for a sleepover then?”

They laughed.

“Oh I think that we both know that would never have worked. After all, your sister knows me.” She said. “Plus I would like to play with you and I want to make you laugh! No, sorry, I want you to make the other sound that is like that.”

Suddenly she felt her head pounding like a drum.

“Why?”

“Because I enjoy it! Good night you two. I will see you in the morning, deer friend.” They called giving her a kiss on the head before they turned as they left them in darkness...

Double Death

Melinda woke up early the following morning feeling hungry as her heart sank when the memories of the day before came to her and she remembered where she was. She felt her stomach drop as she felt dread sink into her as wondered what they were going to do to the two. She shook her head as she knew she had to focus . She knew that she had to find a way out. She had to find her way home no matter what.

Her eyes dropped with shame as she thought about Jaden.

I wonder if Jaden’s worried about me? Did she call the police? Did they believe her? If so then will they rescue us? Probably not. She nor they know where we are. I can’t believe it! She tried to warn me about them and I was so desperate for friends that I didn’t listen! Why? Was it worth it? Worth all of this? I am gonna die here and it’s my own fault! Jaden tried to protect me and I just made things hard on her by doing this?!

Her stiff neck turned to the woman next to her. She was sleeping lightly, her breathing was faint and shallow. She could just about see that her chest was slowly expanding and decreasing as she took each breath. She wanted to wake her up so that she would no longer be so lonely, but she came to the conclusion that that would be selfish of her.

No… let her dwell in her dreams. They would give her such bliss…

But…I’m just so lonely here! I just want someone to run to. I need to have someone to tell me that it’s gonna be alright. I’m gonna live. I’m gonna get help. I’m gonna get out of here.

But how?

I dunno. I’m just gonna let her sleep while I figure that part out.

However, it dawned upon her that unlike this woman, she would never have such bliss ever again. No, when she was supposed to go to dreamland she would be seeing though other people’s eyes. Seeing whatever they were seeing. Experiencing what they were experiencing. She suddenly realised that she was going to spy on anyone whose eyes she just so happened to be seeing though that night. Suddenly she felt dirty inside. The worst part was that she had no control over it nor who’s eyes she saw out of.

She looked up. She felt so alone, like a boat in the middle of a flat sea. A small one, like a canoe. With a great white shark circling her. Yet she could sense that there were other monsters down there…ready and waiting to devour her. Yet she could sense that beyond all of them there was one predator. A megalodon shark looking at her right from the seabed.

Then she heard the squeaking of of the door opening as the twins placed a plate of an old English breakfast in front of her.

“What? None for my jail mate?” She asked, mockingly.

They smiled.

“She does not need one. For you see I told her that if you did not believe that she was my mother then I will kill her.” They said as they took out a knife with bright smiles. “But just last night I had a wonderful idea!”

She felt her heart sank. She did not like the sound of that. She felt her throat tighten. She could feel herself already threatening to tear up.

“Please don’t kill her! Just pleas don’t!” She pleaded as she felt her eyes burn.

Then they laughed.

“No silly! I told you, I had a wonderful idea!” They said as they took out a glove and took her hand and shoved it on her hand.

I don’t like the look of this. Why are they putting a glove on my hand? What is this idea that the sadistic twins have?

“What’re you-”

She then felt the hand of the other half of the girl took her hand and she froze. She tried to move but she could not move a muscle! No matter how hard she tried she just could not move! Then all the hairs on her body stood on end as her heart hammered in her ears. Victoria placed the knife in the gloved hand. Now she knew what this idea that the twins came up with the night before.

No! No please no! Don’t do this! Please don’t make me do this. Please stop I’ll stay just don’t make me do this!

She felt like something was choking her as her eyes began to burn more as her sight became blurry.

She looked pleadingly hoping to appeal to some, if they had any, mercy that they had.

“Ahh! I see that you have figured out it out!” Sang Dorothy as Victoria gripped hold of her hand.

She smiled as she shook her head. Melinda felt herself trembling horrified about to make her do. She felt her mouth try top open but they would not move.

“Please don’t!” Was all she managed to say.

They smiled at her as her arm flicked out so fast that she would blink and she would miss it. She soon saw the blood flow out of her throat like a grim waterfall. She looked at the blade and she screamed. She then was forced to watch her choke on her own blood. Her body grimly twitched and as she did her body let out a grim sound of he last breath as all the air in her lungs left her.

At this Melida shut down as her tears flowed like rain down her bloodstained cheek. She didn’t even notice when the twins let go of her hand. Nor did it register when they took their glove off. She did nothing to protest as they fed her.

They had carried out their threat and the worst part was; they had used her hand to do it. They had violated every atom of her body, trespassed into her very soul when they did. No, they violated her soul. They had put blood on her hands and there was nothing that she could say or do about it!

“Why?” She finally asked.

Then she looked up to see that there was nobody there. There was nothing to comfort her and she had started to feel like she did not deserve it any more. She could do nothing but sit there and wept and wept. If her eyes were raining before now it was pouring it down.

“Mom! Dad! Where are you!” She wept, her voice hollow.

Then her mind went over their graves.

“Oh...Yeah...You’re dead too...” She laughed bitterly.

She soon felt hungry and she took up the fork and the moment that the food touched her tongue, her throat tightened. She curled over and vomit flowed from her mouth like a waterfall made of soup. Soon whatever was left in her stomach was now out in front of her. She felt even more hungrier after that, but regardless of how tempting it was, she dared not touch it.

She just stayed there, huddled in a ball until the twins came in. They looked at the plate and then looked hurt.

“Oh no! You didn’t eat your food!”

“Don’t want it.”

“Why?”

“Couldn’t keep it down.”

Dorothy sat in front of her.

“Oh, and why is that my dear friend?”

Melinda narrowed her eyes at her.

Because you made me kill you little witch! She thought, however she knew better than to say this out loud. She just did not want to put Jaden in any danger.

“‘Dear friend’?”

“Yes, I hardly think that I need to hide my true age, after all the facade has slipped. I hope that you were told that it has been rumoured that I am older than I look. See for thirty nine years I have not been able to age a single day.” She said. “Nor did my mind! Infact everything about my has been frozen since I was barely a couple of months older than you.”

“Now I think that it’s time for me to move you. After all, I hardly think that you would wish to stay here.”

She nodded as she glanced at the body next to her.

“Why?”

“Well, your sister has been asking me about you. I hardly think that she would go to the police. After all, she knows better than to go to anywhere near than those paperwork obsessed morans. However Danté Dracula has taken an unusually keen interest in you. Now, I hardly want for him to find his food supply here. Now do we?” She asked rhetorically.

She knowing that this was her moment shook her head. She knew that the twins would not take her seriously if they thought of her as no threat. Hopefully they would hardly take the precaution to control her that way if they did.

They unbuckled her shackled.

“Could I go outside?” She asked. “I think it’ll help with the nausea.”

“And try to escape?”

“Where would I escape to?”

They frowned. She let out a passive sigh.

“You can find me wherever I go and get me.” She pointed out.

They looked at each other and nodded. They walked to the door and then they walked down the long steel corridor. Melinda wondered just how the twins were able to built this place. They then came to a flight of stairs which led to the house. Knowing that this her opportunity, she hit the twins and ran as fast as she could. Then she felt something hit her and everything went black again.

When she woke up she found that she could not move, she looked around and spotted that she was strapped to a chair. She looked at he leather cuffs that were so tight that it cut into her wrists and ankles. She could feel that the one around her neck slightly choke her, it was not enough to kill her but it made it difficult to breathe.

“You hurt me! That wasn’t very nice!” They said at once.

Neither was making me kill that woman! She thought but she tried to say it out loud but she just could not move.

One of them must be holding onto me. She concluded.

“That is a bad friend.” They said.

“And that means that you have been a bad person. Bad people get punished.” They said as her eyes were brought down to see a brown leather whip.

She could already feel her body tense up as she already knew what was about to happen. She felt the dread creep into into her mind like the venom sinks into someone after a bite before the kill.

“I think that I should show you how mummy did it.” Dorothy said.

Soon the whip hit her arm. She felt a whimper escape as the pain stung her like over a thousand bee stings on steroids. She felt tears flow as she had never felt a pain like it before. Then came the second lash which made the pain worse! She let out a muffled scram as she started to sob. Soon the third came down and the pain became worse as she felt something in her arm crack. Then they stopped and she could move again, yet all she could do was sob and shake all over.

Satisfied they undid her straps and dragged her to her new cell and cleaned her wounds. She soon closed her eyes and entered into a light sleep. She did not know what time she woke up nor did she care who’s eyes she saw out of. She felt a painful hunger but she did not feel like satisfying it. She could not feel her arm but she could move it. She looked down at the bandage around her arm. She remembered what had happened.

I’m never going to get out of here. I’m going to spend the rest of my life here. I’ll never see Jaden of Danté or anyone else ever again!

She started to cry again.

Just typical The only person that would be willing to make friends with me just so happened to be a psycho!

She looked around her, she could not see a single thing that could help her. She wiped her tears away knowing that hey were not going to help her. She noticed that she had no chains on. This was her only comfort at the moment.

She slowly rose to her feet and went to the door. She, out of curiosity went to turn the handle. To her surprise it was unlocked! She then opened the door and walked down a long corridor, first to see where she was. She soon found a small room. She walked in and spotted a strange blue pattern all over it. She soon spotted that there was running water running next to her.

She looked behind her and then looked out of the room and saw that the coast was clear. She closed the door as silently as possible. She then dived into it and she swam with the current. This was her only way out so she swam and swam. Then she felt the pain in her arm but she knew that that she had to ignore it. She swam and then she swam and then she spotted a bank. She then climbed up and out of the water.

She then ran and ran before she had time to think.

I’m gonna make it! I’m gonna make it! She thought as she reached the curb.

Then she felt two hands take hers and she soon found herself walking back to the house. She then tensed up and she soon saw the blood dripping as they came to a trap door concealed by a rug. They then walked down and she ended up back into that room. She was soon back into that chair. She felt he beating on the other arm. She wept and her calves were hit as they forced her back into her cell. However there was one thing that kept her going. A hope that was her only hope.

However this hope was not without substance for she thought that she saw Danté's head above above the broken in roof. He know her blood and, if the books and movies were to be believed, he knew her scent. Hopefully he will come. Hopefully he will come and rescue her.

But what if he doesn’t? She had to ask herself. What if he leaves you down here? What if he goes on to someone else?

Hold tight Melinda. She heard him say.

Why? What if he wasn’t there?Then that would mean-

But I am here and I got your message.

Her eyes lit up.

Danté? How?

What? Did you not know that all vampires are telepathic, how do some of them steal life energy?

No!

She suddenly felt tears of joy fall freely as she knew that she was going to get out of here. She was finally be saved. Saved by the vampire that will be after your blood after this?

Do not fear, I can tell that you have lost too much blood and have become too weak. No, for I hardly wish to kill you. In fact, it would be in my best interest to keep you alive.

Well I don’t want to die or be killed by you!

Now, just sit tight and I will guarantee that you will never have to fear those twins ever again. So close your eyes and rest. And eat your food. Believe me, you going to need your strength back. Believe me you’re going to need as much of your strength as you can if you have any hope of getting out of here.

Thank you!

Not so fast. I have hardly got to the part about the twins. As you’re Mohan’s successor I am very sorry but only you can be the one to kill them.

What no! She thought about what happened to that woman. She felt like her heard had been smashed again. She did not want to kill again or be forced to kill again either. Then again, she did not wish to stay in this place. She wanted to get out. She closed her eyes her heart and body felt heavy and she felt cold. She could not get warm and her stomach ache having not had much in it for a good amount of days.

Is there no other way?

She felt her throat tightening.

No, but I will say this, there maybe unexpected things that can happen.

Like?

Do as I say and you may find out.

Alright...

She then was brought the food and she was left and she forced the food down and tried to ignore the pain as much as she could. When she was finished she covered her mouth to stop her from throwing up. Seeing that the food was staying down she let out a sigh. She closed her eyes knowing that there was nothing else to do but wait for Danté to come.

She was soon woken by him. He then helped her up and looked at her worried. He looked at her arms.

“Are they-”

“I think so.” She said as she moved to the door.

“Well, well, well! It's Danté Dracula! The first born Alucard. How are you?”

“Better now that I know where she is.” He said as he gave her the knife.

He gave her a look that said trust me. She looked at him and nodded. She looked aside feeling scared.

“Oh, and you think that you can rescue her. Although, I don’t think that you’re a very good handsome prince.” They said as she got out both of their whips. “So I think that I should stop you and then maybe you would know that you shouldn’t rescue someone from me!”

He nodded.

“Alright.” He hen looked at her. “What is it?”

“I don’t know how to fight.” She admitted.

He nodded. He then picked her up and gripped her blade. He then ran to them and as Victoria struck her legs Dantepé jumped up and then landed behind her. She spun and then they plunged the knife in her throat.

“No!” The other ran to them and whipped then in the legs and then they fell. She then screamed as she whipped Melinda’s calves again and again until she was bleeding. She then spun and then threw the knife at her just to make her stop. This hit her in her head and as she fell the whip hit her in the ribs.

She then looked at the two as Danté pulled out the knife from her head. That was when both bodies lit up and became brighter and brighter. She had to close her eyes and turn her head away as the light became too much for her eyes. Then the light soon became dim and she then looked back and saw that there was only one body.

Single

Danté carefully placed her down as gently as he could to not cause her any more pain. He placed her back against the wall before he walked over to the body that once was two separate people. He then took one of the empty dresses and clothed her. He then pressed his middle finger onto her wrists. She frowned as her legs throbbed.

“What’re you doing?” She asked, breaking out in a sweat.

“Working on a hunch.” He replied.

“By the way, who do you think she is?”

“Matilda Wonderlust. Although, after learning the truth of her father and conception p, she went by the name Matilda Len.” He explained, with a bitter tone.

“Her father, her real father, who was he?” She asked. “And do you think that he’s still alive?”

Danté went pale as death and tensed up like a stone statue. He spaced out for a while as he looked at her and Matilda. Yet he shook his head as it he was shaking off something. Something that he did not want to think about. Then he nodded his head.

“He is, but I do not think that it should be a good idea to tell you. After all, you have enough to nightmare about than having to know him.” He said, with a delicate tone of voice.

Melinda’s eyes narrowed.

“Why?”

“Do yourself a favour. Just hope that you will never have to find out and never ask me about him ever again.” He said, ominously with darkness in his eyes as his lip curled.

She raised her eyebrows.

“Is he, whoever he is, is he really that bad?” She asked.

He looked away.

“You have no idea! Honestly I thought my brother was bad!”

They then were interrupted by a long and deep gasp. Their attention was drawn back to Matilda. She looked around alarmed and then she looked back at Melinda, there was shame and regret in her eyes. She was green like she was about to throw up. Which she got up and went to the loo in the cell and threw everything that she could up. She then washed her mouth and hands. She looked at them and started to breathe in and out as she let out a loud scream.

“I-I-It r-really happened didn’t it?” She said as she started to cry. “Thought it was just a really, really bad dream!”

“Yeah, I’m sorry child but it did.” He said as he put a hand on her back as she started crying.

She then widened her eyes.

“Oh no!”

She then ran over to her. Her eyes were filled with horror at what she had done. She looked at her legs as she started to tear up. Melinda tried to move away but her arms gave way and she screamed a little as the broken bones within tour at her tissue. She almost fell but Matilda caught her. She stared to cry as she pulled her in.

“I did it again! I got someone hurt, just like mummy said! I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” She wept. “I’m so so sorry! I made you kill! I killed! I’m sorry! I’m just so sorry!”

Melinda did not know how to respond.

Is she putting on an act? Or was this genuine? If it was an act then why did she puke? Why did she catch her? Regardless, the person that she was seeing was clearly not the person that had broken her legs and arms. No, this girl seemed like a truly remorseful. She could even feel her shaking slightly. Her eyes were different too. They were innocent, pure and kind.

Danté put an arm on her back and put a hand on Matilda.

“Matilda, we need to Melinda to hospital. Come let me help you.” He said as she nodded.

She smiled weakly and nodded, but filled with guilt.

She got up and slid her arms underneath her armpits and underneath her kneecaps. She lifted her and extra careful not to cause her any more pain. She tried to walk but her legs were far too wobbly. She also was trying not to cry as she walked on. She could even feel her arms shaking too. She knew that this was not because she could not handle the weight, no they looked the same age and she had lost some weight as she had hardly eaten that much over the past two to three days.

“No, I think that Danté should hold me, it’s all too clear that at the moment you’re too much of a wreck. And you’ll only accidentally drop me.” She said.

She looked at her worried.

“But I did this to you!”

“It’s alright, I just want to help you in not hurting me.” She said.

She looked slightly more relaxed but she still looked sorrowful.

“But you can hold my legs. That way you can make sure that there’s no other breaking.” She said.

She smiled.

“I-I will do what I can!”

She passed her over to Danté and she folded her arms on her to make sure that they did not suffer any more harm. She then griped her ankles and they both steadily carried her all the way to the hospital. There she got the medical attention that she needed.

Though throughout the whole thing they kept on looking at both her and Matilda. Almost as if they found something odd about them. They even took a blood sample. After which, she found that recovery was slow, far too slow, if you had asked Melinda. Then again, she soon came to the conclusion that she was not a medic so what should she know.

She then saw Jaden walk in the following day. The moment that she looked at her she tears up and Jaden’s heart skipped a beat. She then told her everything that had happened to her, although she kept the part where Danté rescued her as just that. She made sure that she did not get into detail of why he wanted to rescue her. She held her hand the whole time but she made sure that she did not twist her arm.

Matilda did not leave her until she knew that she was going to be alright. As she spent time with her, one thing became apparent; she was neither Dorothy nor Victoria. No, she was kind and sweet. She even gave her anything that she could. Not by stealing anything and killing the owner but by the pocket money that Jaden gave her. She even gave her flowers that she had picked herself. Her being able to see through other people’s eyes confirmed that. She once put a crown of a daisy chain on her head.

She and Jaden decided that it would be for the best if Jaden adopted her. She was overjoyed to find that out. She even cried as she found out and she wept for joy as she found out that Melinda had forgiven her.

So she became Matilda Narcissa, yet all that time the doctors and nurses looked at them with nothing but suspicion. Yet they muttered amongst themselves and kept whatever their suspicions were secret and out of her hearing.