Flesheater of the Forests

Chapter VIII

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The twins moved with supernatural swiftness, speeding through the dense forest as shadows flickered past them. The cool night air whipped against Yurie's face, but her focus remained unwavering. Bayfield was ahead, the glow of its streetlights peeking through the trees like distant fireflies. Yurie insisted on returning for her bag first, it wasn't just an object, it was a piece of herself, filled with memories and meaning. As they ran, Elektra remained silent, contemplating on how Yurie would explain all of this shady stuff to their Grandmother.

As the clock struck midnight, the twins had finally reached the outskirts of Bayfield. The quiet streets felt almost dreamy-like after the forest's bloody chaos. Yurie tried to push away the dread pooling in her stomach as they turned the familiar corner onto her residential street. She missed her friends and her father, badly, knowing she won't ever see them again. After some time, they finally stood before the old, rustic wooden house. Elektra relinquished all control, choosing to observe from within Yurie's mind, giving her sister the space to act.

Yurie hesitated at the door, smoothing her clothes and making sure she looked presentable. Taking a deep breath, she pressed the small doorbell. A few moments later, the sound of soft, shuffling footsteps echoed from inside, and the door swung open to reveal her grandmother, whose face lit up with a mixture of surprise and concern.

"Oh my, Yurie!" her grandmother exclaimed, her voice both relieved and puzzled. "What brings you back so soon? Come inside!"

Yurie stepped through the threshold, greeted by the familiar scent of pine and sage, her grandmother's signature touch. Setting her purple backpack down, she closed the door gently and took a seat on the comfortable, worn sofa. The cushions seemed to remember her shape, welcoming her back. Her grandmother, always attentive, busied herself in the kitchen, preparing tea.

Yurie felt her pulse quicken, thoughts storming chaotically. Elektra's calm voice cut through her anxiety. "Just be straightforward. Don't send her into a heart attack though."

Her grandmother returned with a tray, balancing two steaming cups. She placed it on the small end table, then sat beside Yurie, her expression soft but worried. "Did something happen at the camp?"

Blowing lightly on her tea, Yurie took a cautious sip before daring to speak. "Grandmother... was I ever born with a twin?"

Her grandmother's hands paused mid-reach, her eyes widening as if the past had suddenly resurfaced. Slowly, she placed her cup down. "You will want to hear this. After your parents... disappeared, I visited your mother's pediatrician," she began, her tone weighed down by old sorrow. "He told me that you were born with a conjoined twin, attached to your brain. The doctor said it was too risky to separate you two."

Yurie bit her lip, trying to steady her voice. "So, I'm not delusional. But... did you know that my twin is still alive?"

Her grandmother's expression darkened with a mix of regret and resignation. "Yes, I knew about, your twin. When you turned three, that's when shit got crazy. A boy accidentally pushed you into the mud while you were coloring, and you, no, your twin, emerged. The little boy... died from his injuries. After that incident, I found a way to silence her. I knew it was the only way to keep everyone else safe."

Yurie's eyes filled with tears, silently thinking. "She was just trying to protect me... But I understand why you silenced her. I'm going to bed." Without waiting for a response, Yurie pushed off the sofa, heading upstairs despite her grandmother's soft calls to come back.

Shutting her bedroom door behind her, she leaned against it, trying to calm her racing heart. Frustrated, she went to the bathroom, locking the door behind her. Flicking on the light, she stared at her reflection, as if searching for any sign of Elektra on her own head.

A hot shower felt necessary, something to wash away the tension knotting in her muscles. As warm water rained down her shoulders, it helped to heal wound on her back. Yurie closed her eyes, letting the steam and heat loosen her thoughts. Once finished, she wrapped herself in a towel and wandered to her room, slipping into a loose t-shirt and shorts before collapsing onto her bed, exhausted.

Her thoughts turned to her friends again, especially Mason. The memory of his dark hair and kind smile came back, accompanied by a gut-destroying guilt. She couldn't help but wonder how she'd allowed this to happen, why their lives had been taken not too long ago. Her twin was evil as fuck, no doubt about it. Not too long after, she went off to sleepy dreamland, her own subconscious pulling her into a dream where a light touch on her shoulder made her turn.

There, standing before her, was a girl who looked eerily familiar to herself, same features, but with darker hair and souless amber eyes. Yurie rolled her eyes, taking a deep breath before speaking up.

"Elektra...?" she whispered.

Elektra nodded, a faint smile on her lips before it disappeared. "Yeah, it's me. I can also feel your grief. I feel what you feel sometimes."

Yurie swallowed hard, forcing down the knot in her throat. "If you can, then you should know... I can't ever forgive you for taking them away from me. I won't.

Elektra's eyes softened. "Fine, but let me tell you something. One of them, one of your friends is still alive."

~

Yurie was suddenly awoken by her grandmother's voice from the doorway. "Yurie, someone's here to see you," she said.

"Really? Okay..."

She rubbed sleep from her eyes, trying to get that annoying tired feeling out of them. After pulling over a hoodie, she made her way downstairs. At the doorway, a boy stood, his back turned to her. As he heard her approaching, he slowly turned around.

Yurie froze, heart pounding.

"Mason?"
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