The Storm Twins

I wrote this for a competition and won but didn't receive any money. So I'd appreciate if no one copy pastes this. I don't want to be fined. It's also slightly altered.

"A storm is coming," a weather reporter announced on a TV in display.

My walking faltered as I inhaled steadily. I glanced up to the dark clouds above and felt the cool winter breeze. The voices of the crowd around me toned down as the thoughts rage in my mind.

"Storms are beautiful... Just like you..." I murmured as I exhaled.
I kept walking.

---

"Hey, wanna play?"

I looked up to see a boy of my age with ebony black hair. I looked around the nursery to see if he was talking to someone else. Apparently not. As I was about to answer, another boy popped up right from behind him. A carbon copy. That was my first time meeting twins, gave me quite a shock. Oddly enough, they smelled sterile, like a hospital room.

"I'm Ashton," declared the second boy.
"And I'm Ashley," continued the first.
"We're the Storm twins," they then said in sync with each other.

Probably because they've practiced numerous times.
My eyes darted between the two, my mouth agape like a fish. I wasn't sure what to say; never really talked much.

"Here," Ashley said as he gave me a toy scalpel. "What's your name?" he continued.

"Tate..." I finally replied and came to my senses.

"Okay then Tate. Let's play." Ashton exclaimed and pulled me to their table.
That was the start of my friendship with those two.

---

As the years went by, the three of us got into so much mischief. From putting frogs into neighbours' teapots to scaring passersbyers with ghost costumes.
Yet they continue to amaze me with their intelligence and craftiness. Their innocent demeanor contradict their ingenious schemes. Their intellect from the plots transferred to their studies as well. Me? I wasn't exactly the sharpest tool in the shed.

Ashton and Ashley were almost every teacher's favorite student as they excelled in every class they took. Lots of the other kids envied them; but if anyone tried to bully one of them or myself, the three of us would make sure they'd pay.
Jokes were abundant. I'd tease them for smelling clean all the time, I won't deny that. But if anyone else did, I'd punch the living lights out of them. I didn't mind that I lagged a bit in my studies, as long as I had my two best friends, everything seemed manageable.

But as life goes, like a wheel it turns. Happy times don't last, darkness must arise. We've left the past, high school days arrived.

Maybe it was the stress or the peer pressure, I could never guess. Those two boys sunk. As twins, one must have felt the other's depression.
Thus the bleak cloud above them widened. Their charming smiles and wacky ideas became scarce. I'd never thought I'd see the day they'd actually talk back to teachers for asking them a question. They were gloomy, and it spread to me too. I tried helping, I swear I did, but somehow helping by teaching them didn't work. Motivation didn't stick. Even bribery couldn't get them to score. It was as if I had lost my sunshine. They remained forlorn.

At some point, they got into an argument with their parents due to their declining grades. They spent the whole week at my house, sulking in the living room and telling me they were hopeless.
That's when I put my foot down and said: "You guys should be doing what you love instead of all this nonsense that you hate."

Their parents' passed away the next week. I thought that this was the end, that they'll never rise up from this.
But miraculously, they not only survived, but thrived. They told me that they'd want to make them proud. It was the least they could do. Thus they worked harder than ever.

They dragged me along most of the time. Always saying: "Take this as a thank you for helping us, we're gonna get out of here with a bang. Meaning honours roll bang that is."
Being forced to tag along wasn't all that pleasant, but I was just happy they improved. They'd reek of hospital rooms again, but I didn't care. My two best friends were optimistic as if it never happened. Bright, cheerful vibes emitted from them. We'd spent most of our time in the local library, studying or on the computer, researching. I had to give double the effort to keep up with them though.

Before long it was our final exam. We were full of anxiety and stress. Yet it was over in no time. We graduated and we did leave with full of pride. Our performace was exemplary, and we got into our desired courses. Time flew fast and without realizing it we already had to leave home and start a new adventure again.

In university (we got into the same one), things didn't change. Even though we were in different major courses; Ashley in Psychology, Ashton in Medical, and me in Veterinary, we still remained close.

When we did have classes together, our minors, they'd even wait for me at the girls dormitory. That usually creates a fuss as the girls would try to flirt with them. They'd smile and reply nicely like the gentlemen they were. Couldn't say I wasn't jealous, slightly protective too.

"Wouldn't want anyone to steal you guys away," I'd giggle in response when they'd question my protectiveness.

It was a breeze, balancing studies and other stuff wasn't all bad. Classes went smoothly, peers were okay and the professors were chill. We'd still get to go to frat parties and hangout oftenly. Exam weeks were always dull with everyone down in the dumps. It was fun. Living and loving life.

Around the 5th semester, Ashley suprised us with the announcement that he was getting married. I mean surprised as in dropped a total bomb on Ashton and I without a hint or warning.

We volleyed him questions. Asking who the girl was, when they met, why'd he kept it a secret, what was his plans. We didn't get answers. Instead he told us to remain calm and he'd introduce his fiancé the following week. We just had to be patient. But that never happened. Ashley went missing.

When he didn't come home for 3 days. Ashton got worried and filed a missing person report. The main culprit as suspected by the police was the fiancé. But since we knew nothing of her, we had no leads. Friends and mutuals were brought into questioning yet none of them could give the answers that could conceive a trail. We put up flyers and mentioned it in the newspaper. We even conducted search parties. It was all hopeless.
Ashley Storm was nonexistent.

This put a tremendous stress on Ashton to the point that he even pushed me away. He missed Ashley, I understood that. He felt half empty and that nearly killed him.

The lesser are unaware that curses are sometimes disguised as blessings.
A month after his disappearance, Ashley was in their living room, healthy and perfectly fine. Reading calmly and evidently unscathed. Ashton was estatic, his twin and only family was back. I missed seeing him smile. But, something was slightly 'off'.

He wouldn't tell anyone where he'd been. Police, hired counselors, friends even Ashton himself couldn't make him say anything.

"Please, tell me what happened. I need to know. You have no idea how much I tried to find you. Please let me have closure over this."
I heard Ashton say this countless of times to him. Yet Ashley would only smile and reassured his brother that he was fine, all safe and sound. Nothing could budge the wall he had created.

After many futile attempts, we gave up. If Ashley wanted to keep it a secret then fine. We let him have his own way. Unsurprisingly, his fiancé never showed up. Thus we could only conclude that she had fled.

We continued life as normal. However, the aftermath was subtle yet noticeable. He'd flinch if anyone got too close, tensed if anyone talked in harsh whispers and would breathe heavily during flashes of lighting. He relished in the comfort of his twin's embrace. A broken man trying to fix the broken pieces of himself.

Time passed and everything went smoothly. The incident years ago no more than a dicomfort in the back of our minds. The three of us finally received our bachelor's degree and graduated first class in our respective fields. As fickle as opportunity gets, each of us were lucky enough to be offered stable jobs. Ashton became a brain surgeon for a private company, Ashley wound up at a mental hospital as a sought out psychologist, while I ended up as the general veterinarian for the national zoo.

Everything did work out for the three of us. Looking at where we are now and where we started. It was enough. Hard work and determination, it all payed off. After the tons of sufferings, we felt as if nothing could ruin it. What could go wrong?

It was as unfortunate as it was absurd for what happened. Ashley would never have figured that the treatment and environment there could affect him. Maybe some patient's ramblings or a treatment carried out got to him.
One unlucky day, as he walked down one of the many hallways, he dropped to his knees and started screaming. No one could calm him down. He repeatedly kept shrieking a combination of "Get her off me! It hurts! Please! I won't marry her! I'll marry you! Ashton! Please help me!"

Ashley was put into the very asylum he worked at. Talking to his hallucinations, usually his 'patients'. Always boasting that 'he thanked god for his success at beating the witch'.
His twin visited him every weekend, comforting and coaxing Ashley out of his little world.

Ashton was heartbroken but he didn't show it anywhere in public. He told me countless of times that he should have forced Ashley to tell him where his fiancé was. Saying he'd love to tear that witch apart.

Even in the tide of events he still climbed fast up in his field due to his incredible talents. He worked hard in hopes to distract himself from his brother's suffering. Soon enough he was promoted.
He invited me as his 'plus one' to his promotion party. He smiled, but his eyes were empty. Just like all those years ago. He simply gave a speech then resumed the night dining. After everyone left, he invited me somewhere.

We went to his parents' grave. It was cold as the autumn wind sent chills deep into our bones. Only the stars lit up the night and we were the only ones there. A surreal silence filled the gap between us. "Do you remember when they died?" he asked suddenly.

"Yes… You two stayed at my house… Argument. They died that weekend…," I replied softly.

"Mhmm…" There was a pause before he continued. "Did you know? That you could inject a syringe full of air into the bloodstream and it would mimic a heart attack?" he asked and turned to me.

I couldn't answer. My heart was beating rapidly.

"Him and I would usually use Hydrogen Peroxide to clean up the blood… Sterile smelling...," he continued.

He cupped my face with his cold fingers touching the fresh scar near my hairline and stared into my very soul.

"Electroshock wasn't it?.. That's what you did to him" he whispered, "I loved you, you know, beautiful little witch..."

I smashed my handbag onto his skull. The glass figurine I wanted to give him shattered upon impact. He slumped down and passed out.

---

I keep walking, the sounds of the crowd around me still faded out. He'll wake up and save his brother. Then they'll find me. Ain't the world messed up? Having 2 psychopaths, smart ones at that hunting you down.

They were beautiful. Just like storms are.
"The Storm twins... Ashton and Ashley," their names rolled off my tongue with ease yet I taste blood with every syllable.

Storms are always named after people and I'll make sure I'll be ready when this one arrives.