Prologue.
"Alex honey. we have to leave now. the cab is waiting." Blake said softly.
I didn't move. I sat there on the floor in my parents vacant room. I refused to believe that they were gone.
"I'm not leaving. I don't want to." silent tears slipped out my tired eyes and down my cheeks.
"Alex come on. there waiting. we need to leave now if we want to get to the agency on time." he picked up my bag. when I didn't move he choked out, "their gone."
the harsh reality hit me hard. my brother was right. they're not coming back.
I painstakingly picked myself up off the ground and slipped my jacket on.
when I looked over at Blake I saw unshed tears in his eyes. he too was giving the room one last look. then slowly he turned and ducked out the door.
I walked slow, trying to save every last detail off it before I left, never to return again. when I got to the door I gave it one last look and that when I saw the picture on the wall of my parents and me and my brother. it was all of us around the Christmas tree the year of 7th grade. I ran over, picked it up and stuffed it carefully in my jacket pocket. again I walked back to the exit. but this time I didn't look back.
Two years later.....
"I'm about to go throw those kids in the lake if they don't stop throwing their food over here" I said through clenched teeth.
"just ignore them Alex." Blake murmured looking at the grass around our table.
I took a deep breath and turned back around.
another noodle flew past my ear.
I bent my fork.
see we were sent to this special orphan summer camp a couple of years ago and have gone every summer since we became absent of our real parents . but our foster parents thought it would be best for us. help us with some chance of getting adopted, and all that jazz. we were just giddy every time June came around.
yeah right.
a piece of bread hit me in the shoulder.
"god dammit that's it!" I jumped up out of my seat causing the chair to tip.
but thanks to the three musketeers throwing their lunch at me I stepped in pudding, slipped, and fell flat on my back.
I layed there starring at the sky. the little brats were laughing.
"Alex! are you ok?" exclaimed Blake. I closed my eyes. and counted to ten.
and when I opened them the sun was blocked by a blonde head.
but Blake has brown hair...
"hi there. need some help?" I stared dumbly and open mouthed at the stranger.
"uh..." laughing he grabbed my hand and hauled me up.
I looked around for my twin and saw he was talking to the kids scowling at them.
"nasty little varmints aren't they?" I jumped. I forgot there was someone next to me.
"uh yeah." I said quickly turning away from him to high tail it back to the small cabin me and Blake shared. since the.....accident I haven't really talked to anyone in the camp and nor frankly did I want to. they were all snotty little brats despite the fact that they were all orphans just like me and my brother.
but he was faster.
he grabbed my arm. "hey! were you goin?"
I tried to yank my arm free but he was stronger. "I don't know you." I said quietly still trying to get my arm back.
"oh I'm sorry. how rude of me. my names Danny hallway. what's yours?"
"Alex." I had given up on the whole arm wrestling thing because it wasn't working. so I glared at him.
"let my me go." he smiled.
"in a hurry to be somewhere?"
"no I just don't want to be near you." I said icily.
he laughed. so with my free hand I slapped him. and finally he let go.
he was still chuckling while rubbing his cheek. "wow. bailers wasn't kidding when he said you were a fire cracker" I spun around. Mr. bailers was a teacher who I told off yesterday for being a sexist horse ass.
"well you and that rude dofus can shove it where the sun don't shine!"
"Alex! are you ok? what's going on?" Blake said coming up to me. he was glaring that the Danny kid.
"nothing. let's go." I said grabbing his arm irritated.
"see you around Alex!" the jerk said cheerfully.
I huffed.
when we were a safe distant away I let go of blokes arm.
"I don't like the way that kid was looking at you. if he comes near you again tell me and I'll take care of it." he said sternly. I sighed.
"no its ok." he grunted.
"I still don't like him." he said annoyed. I opened the door to our cabin.
"its alright Blake. if I see him again ill tell him has a jerk." but as I said the last part deep down I knew it wasn't true.
he was the nicest person I've met I'm awhile.
"despite the fact this is a somewhat small camp you're a very hard person to find you know that?" I glanced up from my book.
"and you've been trying to find me why?" I asked cautiously.
Danny looked down at me sitting on the ground. he grinned.
my breath caught.
"to give you this." he pulled out a little plastic package.
I slowly took it, eyeing it with wary.
"uh thanks? what..." I opened it and it was I tightly folded poncho. I looked up at him.
"you know for those days at lunch when it seems to be raining food from the table behind you." he said grinning bigger.
its been so long since someone made me laugh. but when I did a weird feeling hit me.
"thanks. now the jello and veggies won't be THAT bothering." I said smiling.
he sat down. "so is it alright if I hang with you for a while?" he asked politely.
"sure." I said happily.
all afternoon we talked. about the counselors and the food and the activities.
hours later it was dark and I could hear Blake calling my name.
"well I better get bake to my brother." I sighed and started to get up.
Danny followed my actions. "ill walk you there." i stopped and looked at him.
"uh I don't think that's a good idea. you see my brother isn't really fond of you.." I said looking off into the trees. he chuckled.
"ah I see. protective brother eh?" I nodded my head.
"well ok then. I'll see you tomorrow then. same spot?" he asked.
"sure. I'll bring my iPod and well listen to music while we talk."
he smiled. " ok. good night Alex."
"night Danny." and with that we went our separate ways.
and that's how it was for the next two months.
me and Danny would met somewhere and just talk. sometimes we go up to the lake an walk around. he was like my second best friend. besides my brother. he was always first.
but then one day, one of the days we were up at the lake watching the kids swim on the other side, I found out he wasn't an orphan. his parents just help out over the summer and he came with them.
"oh." was all I said. and then he asked me the dreaded question: what happened to yours?
at first I got upset and told him it wasn't his business. but when he said sorry I broke down in tears and told him everything. when I was done telling the story it had ended up with him hugging me and rocking us back and forth.
and when I relieved what was happening I pulled away from him.
"uh...thanks." I said sitting up. "sorry. you know about your shirt." I pointed at the front of it.
but he didn't say anything. he just looked at me. the way he did made my heart start double time.
what the heck is wrong with me? that was weird.....
"uh Danny? if you don't stop looking at me cross eyed there gunna get stuck." he shook his head and smiled, ruffling my hair.
"kid your something else." he murmured. I gave him a lopsided grin.
"that's what they tell me." I said getting up. but his hand pulled me back down.
actually he THREW me back down. so it ended up with him pinning me to the ground smiling evilly, his eyes flashing. then I knew what he was guna do.
"don't you dare." I said threatingly. he grinning more and started making the noise like someone about to hack a lougie.
I squealed. he laughed.
"that was really gross." I said disgusted. he laughed harder.
"come on Alex. you really think I would do that to a pretty thing like you?" then his eyes got bug eyed and he turned red. apparently the last part wasn't suppose to come out. I smiled.
"pretty huh? that's interesting." I said softly. we sat there for a moment looking at each other.
then he leaned in and was centimeters away.
"Alex!" we both jumped. I shoved him off me and stood up.
"uh uh... I gotta go" I said spinning on my heels and running towards my brothers voice.
that kid left me with feelings I had never felt before. (not THAT way.)
shaking my head I ran out into a clearing and spotted Blake with a few other guys.
I ran over. "hey." I said huffing, out of breath.
"hey you. I've been looking for you. were ya been?" he said lightly punching my arm.
I grinned punching him back. "nowhere. just looking around looking for something to do. whatda bout you?"
he shrugged. "nada. me and the guys where guna go into town to get a few things. wanna come?"
"sure."
a few days later I went to the lake again. but to my surprise Danny was sitting there.
"um hi."
he turned around. he smiled. "hey." he patted the spot next to him.
I hesitated but went over and sat down.
it was quiet for a awhile.
"so...." I started to say but my sentence was cut off by Danny kissing me.
when it was over he grinned. "I've wanted to do that for a long time."
I sat there staring at him dumbly. "uh....."
"will you go out with me?" he asked softly.
I was stunned. again.
"oh. ok. sorry." he said his smile falling. he started to get up but I pulled him back and kissed him.
"yes." I said smiling.
so then bam. we were together.
at first when Blake found out he tried to beat the crap outta of Danny. but after I talked to him he agreed to stay outta of it and I promised that if he did anything to me he could beat the hell outta of the guy without me stopping him.
so the long but short month dragged on. but it was the last month of camp and when the few day till the end mark came I started to panic. by next summer I would be eighteen and I would never come back to this place.
"what's going to happen to me and Blake after this? to me and you?" I asked him one day at lunch.
I thought about it for a minute. "well you'll leave and get put in a foster home until someone adopts you two. and as for us well still be together as long as you want to be." he said smiling. I was still worried about it but I forced a smile back.
the day before camp ends.
and I'm totally not prepared.
tomorrow the whole last day adopting tradition will be held and then we all leave.
me and Blake had all our stuff packed and ready to go. so I went to find Danny.
when I did he was sitting on the ground leaning on a tree. when he saw me he smiled.
"hey." I said sitting next to him.
"hey." he put his arm crossed my shoulders. "excited about tomorrow?" he asked.
I shook my head. "Blake is worried that well get separated."
"well maybe till be a good thing if you do." he said. my head snapped around and I stared at him stunned.
"and why would that be?" I asked getting mad.
"well I mean then if you do he won't be breathing down your neck all the time. you'll get some freedom." he offered. I took his arm on my shoulders and threw it to the ground getting up.
"Alex think about it. your brother doesn't like me." he said getting up too.
"I don't know who you think you are telling me that and my twin brother should be separated after losing both our parents and having no living relatives thinking it would be better!!" I yelled at him.
"I was just saying Alex! you brother doesn't like me and I'm not to fond of him. if we were to ever live together your brother wouldn't be too happy." he yelled back.
"live together?!" I shouted.
"I'm talking about the thing I asked you few days ago. have you decided?" I looked at him.
"no not yet."
he sighed "fine. I have to go help my parents pack. let me know before tomorrow ends ok?"
I nodded my head. he got up and left. I sat back down sighing.
"that's just splendid! I'm sure they'll be thrilled!" hank lest the head director of the camp exclaimed.
him and a middle aged lady where sitting at his desk. the lady, Amy lakes, was signing the adoption papers.
from the minute she saw the twins she knew they were the ones she was looking for.
"I'm so happy for them. the Tyler twins will be happy to be meet you Mrs. lakes."
"please call me Amy. and I can't wait to meet them. they seem like lovely children." she said.
Mr. lest smiled. "alright Amy. would you like to take them home today or tomorrow?" he asked.
"the sooner the better." she said getting up. he mirrored her actions and called for the assistant.
"will you fetch the Alex and Blake Tyler and tell them to bring their belongings." he asked her.
"yes sir." she turned and ducked out the door.
"Well Amy, you won't regret your decision. these children are special. I hope you read there bio......" he said uneasily. she shook her head.
"yes I have. there both 17 there names are Alex and Blake and their parents died in a shooting almost 3 years ago." she stated.
"marvelous! oh here they come now!" they turned around as the door opened.
two teenagers were standing there with bags in each hand. the boys about a head and a half taller than the girl. Amy smiled inwardly. yes she made a good choice.
"hello kids. this is Mrs. Amy lakes ad she just adopted you! isn't that grand!" the head director exclaimed.
they stayed quiet.
a little while later they were leaving when the girl, Alex, was saying she needed to say goodbye to a friend.
"now deary. I left a note with my number on it saying to give to all your little friends who would like to keep in contact with you." the lady said lying through her teeth. she didn't leave a note at all.
"ok." Alex said sadly. they packed them all up and hit the road to the ladies house in virgina.
THREE YEARS LATER.......
"happy birthday!" Amy shouted smiling.
me and Blake laughed. "wow a cake! sweet! thanks Amy!"
she laughed. "your welcome. dig in." we all sat around the table.
while Blake and Amy were talking I looked out the window and thought about him.
its been 7 years since our parents died. and now on our 21st birthday we were with our adoptive mother Amy. And I still loved him. for the first year or so I'd wait for his call but it never came. I gave up after Blake made me realize I was never going to see him again.2
this place was pretty ok. in the back Amy had a farm. of what I don't know because we were told never to go back there because it dealt with her work. so it remains a mystery.
"ok kids. today's the day were you finally get to see the farm." Amy announced.
"sweet." Blake jumped up and ran out the back door. I followed.
but when we reached the fence it grew darker. odd.
me and Blake sensing this we turned around to Amy.
"uh Amy something's not right...." but when we turned around she was nowhere in sight.
then a black creature came outta of nowhere. and another. and another.
"what is that?" I asked reaching out to touch it. but when my hand got closer one of them jumped at me. startled I scrambled back landing on my bottom eyes wide. then I jumped at me again attempting to attack.
"Alex run!" Blake shouted. I scrambled up grabbing his hand. we raced across the lawn and around the side of the house with the things close to our heels.
we got to the driveway and jumped in my car, struggling to get my keys out of my pocket and shoving it into the ignition.
I backed up and laid rubber heading for the city.
"what the hell were those things?" I shouted the wind picking up.
"I don't know but there still following us!" Blake exclaimed. I went faster.
when we reached the city we headed towards down town to the police station thinking it would help.
"what's that noise?" Blake looked at me. right then the gas light came on and my car started to back fire and sputter the gas gauge below the red line. "you didn't fill it up?" Blake shouted pulling over on the shoulder.
"I didn't think we'd be running for our lives brother dearest!" I yelled back sarcastically, jumping out of the car. he did the same.
"look the cities not that far away. a fourth of a mile we'll go on foot." I stated and took off.
we had lost the black things when we got in city limits.
when we reached the corner of beach and main another black thing appeared.
"come on! we'll lose it!" I said again taking my brothers hand and running through the deserted streets.
"this way!" Blake said pulling me towards a long alley way.
but unfortunately it was a dead end. I let go of his hand and ran over to the gate trying to find an exit. but sadly there was none.
"its no use..were trapped." I turned around to him but he was gone.
"Blake?" I called. "Blake!" I shouted.
he was gone.
"Blake come back!" I yelled. then the creature we were running from appeared and jumped on me.
then it all went black.