Running From the Dark | Double Lives Series | Book 1

Chapter 1-Long Time No See

I met my brother face to face for the first time 16 years ago. It was in the year 2006. I was 13 years old, babysitting my sisters. I will admit, I was an emo kid and my room was decorated with posters of rock or rock pop bands like Coldplay, Jimmy Eat World, Panic! At The Disco, and Green Day. I mostly listened to "American Idiot" by Green Day since it was my favorite song.

I climbed out of bed and slowly walked to the window by my closet. It was a sunny day outside and the birds were chirping. It was just like any other day: quiet and boring. Just a small, ordinary neighborhood.

I opened the window and inhaled the crisp afternoon air. I exhaled and looked at the house across the street. A house that belonged to my best friend. Just then, a noise interrupted my thoughts. It was like a thump from the roof. A pair of legs suddenly appeared, dangling from my window. I flinched and closed the window quickly. 

I grabbed my bat that was sitting by the closet. I watched the pair of legs plopped down onto the roof ledge that was under the window. The pair of legs turned into a boy. I just stood there clutching my bat and watching him open my window, and climbing through it.

I ran towards the boy and hit him with the bat.

"Ow! Whut de heck!" The boy yelled.

He fell through the window and onto the floor as I kept hitting him with the bat.

My sisters came into my room to see what was happening.

"Jake!" my sisters yelled, shocked.

I looked up and saw them standing in the doorway.

"Go back to yo' room!" I yelled at both of them.

"But-"

"Now!"

They ran back to their room quickly, still in shock.

"Whut de heck is yo' problem?!" the boy yelled at me angrily as he snatched the bat from my hands.

"You de one that broke in through mah window!"

"It wuzn't locked!"

He wasn't lying.

"Who are you?" I asked as he got up. He threw the bat on the floor and dusted himself off.

"Ah'm Jacobe. Yo' twin brother, well fraternal twin."

My face scrunched up in confusion.

"Ah don't have uh brother."

"Yes you do."

"Ah need pruf tuh believe it," I said as I crossed my arms.

"Really?? So you don't see de resemblance between me and you?" Jacobe said with annoyance.

I examined him from head to toe and to be honest, he did look a little like me at the time. His hair, it was more blonder and a little curly. His eyes, small like mine and same shade of blue as mine. Face structure was different. I had a chiseled face whereas he had a build-slim face, but we both had small noses.

"Hmm, jus' uh little," I replied, putting my fingers on my chin.

Jacobe sighed and pulled out something from his pocket. It was a photo.

"Whut's that?" I curiously asked.

"Before ah tell you, you have to promise one thing," he said as he held it to his chest, the front part hidden. "Do not show it to anyone. Not even your precious best friend."

My brows furrowed after he said the last part. He chuckled and handed the photo to me. I walked to my bed and sat down. I examined the photo and saw my mom. I also saw a man who I assumed was my dad. He had dark skin and short curly black hair. They were both holding a baby.

I looked up at him and said, "How? Why didn't ah know 'bout this?"

"That's somethin' ah caint tell."

"Why not? Ah need to kno' what happened and why it happened."

Jacobe became distracted. He started walking around the room, touching my stuff.

"Nice room," he complimented as he picked up a photo off of my dresser. "And nice uhh photo."

"Thanks," I mumbled as I snatched the photo from him and put it back. "But please tell me why Ah'm jus' now findin' out about this."

I was getting more annoyed as he touched more stuff. He walked to the window and looked at me with a blank face.

"Our dad sent me here to take you tuh him. Ah caint tell you why, but you need to jus' trust me."

"What?!" I yelled at him. "Ah'm not goin' wid you! Ah don't know you!"

"You have to!" Jacobe yelled back, grabbing my arm.

I heard my mom suddenly yell from downstairs.

"Kids! Ah'm home!"

I heard my sisters yelling and running down the stairs, sounding like a herd of animals. But before I could run down there Jacobe pushed me onto the bed.

"Whut are you doin'?!" I shouted as he pinned me down. "Git off of me!"

He was surprisingly stronger than me. I couldn't push him off nor escape his grasp. Jacobe suddenly took out an object that resembled a syringe.

"Sorry bro. Ah have to do this."