Evil Twin Story Chapter 1

 Chapter 1 

I stare absently at our lantern illuminating the abandoned shack we usually hang out in right after school. It’s become a sort of second home for the three of us, and no one seems to care if we stay here. We’re all generally three outcasts, anyway, it’s not like anyone’s expecting better of us. The shack has a moody, pleasant atmosphere, the lighting barely illuminating our faces.

 Julie was rattling off a story about her date with her girlfriend Ruby. I’m currently sipping on a cream soda and staring at a bug on the wall. Although it’s dimly lit by the lantern, I know immediately what kind of insect it must be from its shape and size.  A common housefly. One of the most common insects in America, and the most annoying. I love the sound they make, unlike most people. It’s strange, I know, but I like it. I’m pulled out of my daze as my other friend, Oliver, asks me a question.

“Hey Moth, are you going to ask Red to prom?” He asks, “It’s only two days away, the clock's ticking.” He smugly smiles. He knows exactly what he’s doing as I feel my face get red hot. 

Two things… Yes, my name is Moth, but it’s only a nickname. My actual name is Henri Taylor, Henri of course being spelt with an i. I guess my parents wanted to be unique, so they chose the most normal name ever but gave it a different than usual spelling. The second? My god how I am crushing hard on Red, a guy in my ceramics class. I’m not very open about it, but I like guys. ...Really only Julie and Oliver know. I just sat there, dumbfounded by his question before nervously laughing, closing my soda and brushing his question off.

“What? What makes you think I’m into Red-”

“You shut down whenever he so much as looks at you. You’re like a nervous pile of mush around him,” Julie chimed in, snickering as he covered her mouth with her other hand, the other hand gesturing  at me as a bottle of orange soda clutched within it.

She has me there, and I remain silent, curling inwards as I hide my scarlet face.

“Rumor has it, he’s bisexual and has an ex-boyfriend from his previous school,” Oliver shrugged, “Of course, that’s just a rumor.”

“... Okay, maybe I wanna ask him…” I murmur quietly as my friends then seem to realize they’re pushing too hard into my boundaries, backing off. Julie even comes over to me and pats my shoulder.

“Hey, it’s okay. Remember, we’re not judging you-” Julie starts but I cut her off.

“No… It’s not that. It’s how I’d explain it to my parents. They’re expecting me to go with Ruby-” I notice Julie’s glare and I quickly add, “I’m not asking Ruby, she’s your girlfriend, I know-!”

“Hm… Maybe we can discuss this tomorrow. It’s getting late and my moms are expecting me to be home at 10:00,” Oliver sighed, “At latest, 10:10.”

Julie and I both nod and we take our backpacks. We shut off the lantern and leave.

Julie and Oliver live on one side of town, while I live on the opposite side. I walk home alone, which I’m used to.  I start walking, hands in my pockets as I think about everything. My dad is bound to chastise me once I get home, he always does. He insists I should come home, but do I really want to when I feel so unwanted? My mom doesn’t really voice her opinions, but it’s safe to assume she agrees with my dad. As I ponder to myself, the wind starts to pick up.

That’s strange, usually the wind isn’t this strong around here. What’s going on? I think to myself, but before I think of possible reasons, my beanie flies off from my head. I immediately began running after it. No no no, that was a gift from Julie! It’s rainbow-colored and the only hint toward my sexuality I’m giving to my parents. I love it dearly!

I chase the beanie down the street before it lands in an alley. As I am about to grab it, a grey and black creature steals it: a raccoon, which appears to be quite fast, and I am seriously unamused. I sincerely hope no one is watching this go down, as I do not want to end up on social media as the newest viral video. I can already picture a potential title: “Lanky, awkward teenager can’t catch raccoon who stole his gay little hat.”

As I chase the raccoon, it darts through a hole in a fence and into a junkyard. I’m clearly not able to get inside through the hole, and there’s a sign that says in red, bolded text:

No Trespassing

Well…I really didn't want to wait until morning, and I wasn’t really thinking about logistics or the consequences of my actions… So I found myself jumping the fence. I did something only Oliver would think of doing, and I started running quickly after the raccoon, seeing it’s ring-tail sticking out amongst the trash. As I get closer, it finally stops and sets the beanie on a pile. I wait until it is completely gone before I pick it up. It definitely got dirty as I gave chase, and I sigh, just shoving the beanie into my pocket..

Before I leave, however, I look at what the beanie was placed upon. It’s a rectangular object covered in dust and dirt with a strange engraving on the cover. I can’t help but be intrigued, wiping the cover off  with my hoodie sleeve. I read the title out loud and quietly to myself.

“Madam Minerva’s Invocations, Spells, and Potion Recipes.”

What’s a book like this doing in a junkyard? Really, what even is this book? I doubt it’s real witchcraft, there’s no such thing. I flip through the pages, blowing off the dust lining the pages as I settle on one page. It reads as such:

“Tired of walking? Wish to go home after a long day? Then I have the spell for you! Just recite this incantation and your home address three times in your head, close your eyes, and snap as you say the address out loud a fourth time!”

After that, it outlines the incantation, the risks, the side effects, and the other details about it. You know what, okay, I’ll bite. I’ll try it. I’ll trust Minerva and her Glinda-like magic and attitude. I can’t help but break as I do the spell, laughing to myself before I snap, “235 South Bend.”

Suddenly, I feel the ground beneath my feet change. The ground goes from soft dirt and junk to a firm concrete sidewalk. I stare in disbelief, feeling now the cold air of an open area as opposed to the enclosed yard. I then feel extremely nauseous as my world seems to spin. I quickly flip back to the book, looking at side effects.

Oh, great. Vertigo is a side effect of teleportation, usually for beginners.

It then hits me that I just used genuine magic to teleport back to my house. I want to scream, but hold it in as I- Oh god no. 

Once I get inside, my mom and dad are sitting on the couch. My dad has his arms crossed, as my mom rests her hands on her lap. Dad looks annoyed, maybe even angry. Mom looks worried but I know that she probably won’t say much to me. I feel my body freeze as I stand in the doorway, fear filling my mind and body as I stare at the both of them. I feel my heart beat faster as my chest tightens. Anxiety has taken its hold on me again. The vertigo is pushed to the side in favor of a potential panic attack.

“Henri…Where have you been?” My dad asks in a stern, firm tone. I’ve been told I look a lot like him. We have the same blue eyes, and almost the same shade of brunette hair. Mine is a little lighter thanks to my mom’s caramel-colored hair, but other than that we’re far from similar-looking, and far from similar in personality. He’s an excellent speaker… I am not. 

“Uhm…” I managed to choke out, my hand was still on the doorknob as the other clutched the spellbook. I nervously chuckled as I made an odd movement and now stood hugging the book to my chest, “... Hanging out with Juliet and Oliver again.”

Dad gives a disapproving expression. Mom gives a disappointed sigh. I feel their gazes almost as though a weight is being slammed onto my chest. Their judging eyes pierce into my very soul. I can’t handle this, I fight back tears.

“You can’t be doing this every night, especially on school nights. Your grades have been slipping and you’ve been falling asleep in class more. … Is something wrong? Just speak to us, Henri! If there’s something going on, we need to know...” My mom pleads with me but I can’t bring myself to give an answer. It’s not that I don’t want to respond, it’s just I can’t find it in myself to answer it in a way that would be satisfactory to him or my mom. How do I even begin to describe my feelings?

“I… Uh…” I stare down at the floor, struggling to word everything and anything. My brain feels like it’s shut off, the pressure on me growing stronger. I feel like collapsing to the floor and crying, like I’m some kid again. I can’t tell them everything that’s on my mind. No no, not now. I can’t.

“Well?”

I remain silent, lowering my head in shame.

“Henri, we hate to have to do this but… You’re grounded.”
“... What?” The tears have broken free from my tear ducts.

My dad sighs, “If you can’t focus more on your schoolwork or your classes, I’m afraid your mother and I have no choice but to ground you. From now on, you can no longer hang out with Juliet and Oliver after school. You are to come straight home. Don’t even think about prom either.”

Then something in me snaps. I don’t know what or how it happened, something in my brain just clicked. I clutch the spellbook tighter in my arms, clenching my teeth as I let out a harsh tone I never expected to hear from myself, “Shouldn’t you be glad I actually have friends?! I’ve never had as close of friends in any other grade before! So what if we stay out a little late?! At least I have people who care about me! I’m 17, I can make my own choices, and I’m allowed to make mistakes! I’m not some perfect, flawless child! I’m trying my best here!”

My parents stare in stunned silence. I stare back, equally as stunned. I don’t even hear what they try to say next before I run up the stairs to my room. Oh my god, I can’t believe I did that. Oh no. Oh no no no no no- I’m full-on panicking as I shut the door of my room behind me, locking it. I hear my parents yell for me but I cover my ears, sobbing through clenched teeth. Dammit, Henri, calm!

I take a few deep breaths.

I go over to my bed. My room is filled with diagrams and posters of bugs. There’s one in particular of a rosy maple moth, one of my favorite moths, hanging over my bed. It’s aged and worn but I love it so much. There’s also my terrarium with my pet beetle, Harlequin. I call him that because of his pincers for some reason having made me think of a jester’s hat. Why? No idea. But I think it’s a cute name regardless. I then look at the book I’m clutching as my brain gets a terrible idea. Maybe…just maybe... 

I flip through the various pages, skimming through and looking at titles to see if there’s anything along the lines of what I’m after. I stop, reaching near the very end of the book. I see it, in its usual large text.

“Want to have a peek at your opposite side? Want to see what your most differential counterpart would act like? Try this simple incantation in front of your nearest mirror!”

PERFECT.

If I’m so flawed, and not the best kid for my parents, maybe whatever this clone is would work as a child who my parents actually might want. Maybe. I sneak out of my room quietly, going to the bathroom. I open the book back up to the page with the incantation. I read it in my head and then recite it quietly under my breath. I waited for about 2 minutes.

Nothing happens.

Wait, did my reflection just blink-

As soon as I seem to register my reflection blinking, he reaches a hand out, the hand touching the mirror before passing through. I touch the hand, which is cold but clearly alive and feels like another human being. My reflection’s hand tightly grips my own, using it to help pull himself out of the mirror, which almost reacts like water but without the dampness. Once he is out, he stares at me. He looks exactly like me… But he has blue eyes which are less of the oceanic grey-blue I have and more of a light, crystalline blue. I look behind him. The mirror no longer shows any reflection, even as I wave my hand.

Mirror Me stares at me and then tilts his head, “Yes? What have you summoned me for?” he calmly asks.

I stammer awkwardly and just simply point at the door, “I- Uh- Apologize to parents, please?- Are you able to-” I pause, putting my hands together and inhaling sharply, “... I still can’t believe magic is real… just… I yelled at my parents after they scolded me for spending time with my friends… I… regret it but I can’t find it in me. Please-”

Mirror Me just nods, “… I suppose I may be able to do that.” His voice is still eerily calm. He must certainly be the exact opposite of me… He’s poised, confident, calm. I could never be that graceful in my social interactions. He exits the room as I follow and watch from the top of the staircase as he descends. He maintains his air of poise and confidence as he walks downstairs. My parents are still on the couch, and my mom notices Mirror Me first. My dad looks over at him as well. His posture is all off, though… He’s standing straight as I usually wouldn’t. I… admittedly slouch a lot.

“... I’m sorry for my outburst earlier… I’ve just been so stressed with trying to get things done and be the best son I could be…” His demeanor seemed to shift entirely! He was now somewhat portraying me? … I don’t… know where this “best son” talk came from, though... 

“Aw… son…” My mom comfortingly hugs the Mirror Me, and my dad looks at least somewhat sympathetic.

“I just… I’m so sorry…” He cries, his tears, however, instead of being clear are an opaque black. He doesn’t seem to notice, however, and thankfully neither do my parents, it seems. I’m amazed at how that worked out.

After he’s done, I quickly rush him up the stairs and call out to my parents: “I’m going to bed!” and I drag Mirror Me into the room. He sits down on the bed and I put my hands together excitedly.

“You did great, that was fantastic! Thank you so much-”

“Am I done now?” He asks, his voice now a more monotone and emotionless version of my own. The voice he had prior to mimicking me.

“I… I mean yeah, I guess… but I uh…” I think to myself. Maybe it’s alright if I keep this version of myself around a while longer? It couldn’t hurt, right? “... Do you have a name?”

“Rolyat.”

“... Yeah no, I’m calling you uh…. Henry! With a Y!” I excitedly state.

“Okay.”

I then frown slightly, “.... You don’t have very much emotion, huh…”

“I’m a reflection. We don’t have the capability to feel emotions unless we’re mimicking the person we’re assigned to. I’m your reflection, and therefore, I can only use the emotions you have inside of you. Even then, we don’t understand emotions, and can only use the provided emotions given to us by our person.” Henry calmly explains.

“And you just so happened to be assigned to one of the most emotional teens in the state…” I murmur to myself before shrugging, “Well, if you want, I can let you stay here for a while longer.”

“... I suppose it won’t mess with anything.” Henry shrugs, almost a perfectly parallel of my own actions.

“I can also learn about you! Like what hand are you dominant with, what your life is like, and other things-”

“Left. I don’t have a traditional life. What other things?”

This is going to be one long night.

- The Friendly Ghost