The Storms

Chapter four

Johnathan walked back and forth in the living room. "Johnathan. Stop it," Jackson said, not looking up from his phone.

"I am nervous," Johnathan confessed.

"We all are," Oliver chimed in. "So just sit," he said.

Reluctantly, Johnathan complied, but his restlessness persisted. Vincent entered with two suitcases, prompting the three brothers to spring to their feet.

"Where are they?" asked Jackson.

"They're coming in," Vincent responded. Shortly after, Oliver entered with two book bags slung over his shoulders and Brielle's plant in hand. Damien and Victor followed, the twins linked arms again. The room fell silent as they all gathered.

"Boys, this is your brother and sister," Damien announced. "Now, introduce yourselves."

Oliver led the way, "Hi, my name is Oliver. I'm 19."

"I'm Jackson, 17," Jackson followed.

"I'm Johnathan, 15," Johnathan concluded, followed by an awkward silence. The older brothers exchanged glances, observing Brielle and Blake's blank expressions.

Ethan's earlier warning about their lack of emotion seemed validated as Brielle and Blake stood with clasped hands, their faces devoid of expression. "Nice to meet you," Blake uttered, echoing his sister's emotionless tone.

Damien decided to change the atmosphere. "Why don't we show you to your rooms, and then we can have dinner. Tomorrow you'll be going shopping." The family began to disperse, but not without lingering concerns.

"Do they have any human emotions?" Oliver questioned.

"They've had the same face since we got there. It's going to take them a while to open up to us," Victor explained.

"What happened to them that we don't know about?" Jackson wondered aloud.

"Don't know, but when we were leaving, we ran into those trash people. They called them 'boy' and 'girl.' Now we will have to be patient with them," Victor advised.

Brielle and Blake's rooms were conveniently located across from each other. Damien opened the door to Brielle's room, and she entered with a subtle smile. Vincent explained the layout to her, and Oscar laid her backpack on the bed.

"Come on, Blake, your room is just across the hall," Damien beckoned. Blake exchanged a worried look with Brielle, who reassured him with a subtle nod.

"I have to go check if she is okay," Blake whispered to himself, entering Brielle's room. She was sitting on a window seat.

"Brielle," he called.

"I'm over here," she responded. As Blake approached, he asked, "Do you trust them?"

"No," Brielle answered. "Trust is something you earn, but I want to trust them. You have too much hope."

"You sound like Sir. Now hope is what made us get through all these years," Brielle countered, turning to face Blake.

Blake grinned, "Okay, but what if they hurt you?"

"I think they are different," Brielle said. "Besides, it's not like we can't kill them if we need to." A knock interrupted their conversation.

"Hey kiddos," Damien greeted. "Dinner's ready."

"Okay, coming," they responded in unison.

As the family gathered in the dining room, the twins sat across from each other. Damien presided over the head of the table, and maids served their dinner. Brielle and Blake, synchronized in their actions, drew attention with their simultaneous bites and sips.

"That's kind of creepy," Jackson remarked.

Brielle and Blake turned their heads in unison. "I know some people do find it creepy," Blake commented before resuming their meal.

It was like that for the rest of the dinner. When the twins were done, they asked to be excused and left. Damien watched them leave and then said, "After you finish, I want the oldest to come to my office," he said, getting up and leaving. The others followed behind him.

After dinner, Vincent, Victor, and Oscar found themselves in Damien's office. The atmosphere was tense as they wondered about the reason for this meeting.

"What is it, Father?" Vincent asked.

"I got the rule book for the twins," Damien said, putting down two thick volumes filled with detailed rules and guidelines. Vincent picked up one of the books and began scanning through the pages.

"These are shit-faced," Oliver remarked, expressing his disdain for the harsh rules.

"We are going to spoil them," Damien declared, his eyes firm with determination. "Give them the life they never had."

As the brothers discussed their plans to create a nurturing environment for Blake and Brielle, the room buzzed with a mixture of anticipation and uncertainty. Vincent couldn't help but feel a surge of responsibility for his younger siblings, realizing the long journey ahead in rebuilding their shattered lives.

In the rooms across the hall, Brielle and Blake unpacked their belongings, silently absorbing the fact that they were in a place entirely different from the harsh environment they had known. The luxury and warmth of the rooms seemed alien, and yet, a glimmer of curiosity sparked within them.