Elfen Lied: Twin Horns

by Ridler

This is a story about a pair of twins - Jason, a completely normal and healthy human boy, and Jessica - a horned Diclonius girl. This is a story about life - joy, pain, memories, hardships, successes, failures, sorrow. But, most of all - this is a story about pure sibling love, in the most unusual of circumstances. Warning: Do not read without tissues at hand

Hi, Ridler here, what's up? I just thought it was necessary to clarify a few things before you dive in. If you don't wanna read this then skip right ahead to the story below. First of all – this right here is the last piece of fanfiction I ever wrote. I finished it in October 2011. There are several reasons why I haven't been writing any – first, it's because I no longer consider "fanfiction" a serious form of literature. Why use someone else's characters, worlds and motifs when you can use your own? Second – because my previous stuff hasn't been popular AT ALL. How come yaoi slash fics get dozens of review, and a well-thought and serious storyline only gets 0? I know I'm not great, but I also know I'm not bad, so what's the point in writing for an immature audience that can't really appreciate what you're doing? And third – because I consider this to be my masterpiece. I don't think I can ever top that level of emotional investment, not with a fanfiction at least. I honestly consider this to be the greatest fanfiction I've ever written, and I've literally got a whole universe of them on my HDD (only a fragment gets uploaded to ). It's important to note that this piece of fanfiction was nameless up to this point. I finally decided on the name "Twin Horns" right as I was typing this. It's not the best name in the world, I admit, it's pretty lazy and clichéd, but at least it makes sense in the context of the story. As to why I'm uploading it now when it was written almost a year ago? Honestly – I have no idea. I just remembered about it today and figured that there was no use for it to collect dust on the bottom of my HDD considering its quality, and even though I know no one's going to read it (just look at the size of that thing, it's 45 pages, what a beast!) I still wanted to just put it up as a sort of farewell to the world of fanfiction. So, if you're one of those select few that, for one reason or another, happen to be reading this – please drop me a review. It'll take you only a couple of minutes and it'll make my day. I'm a storyteller, and my stories are worthless if there's no one to tell them to. Also – feel free to drop me a line on PM if you'd like to get in contact with me. I'll respond to all 3 of you. Thanks, and enjoy "Twin Horns"!

CHAPTER 1

I remember how nervous I was while I waited in that small hospital lounge.

While their wives are in labor, most husbands worry if everything will go smoothly, if both she and the baby will be okay, stuff like that.

But not me. Something far worse was on my mind during these six hours.

Finally, I saw the door open. A young nurse, no more than 25 years old, came out covered in blood, with a grim expression on her otherwise pretty face.

For just a fraction of a second, I thought the worst. Fortunately, her face quickly shifted to a wide and dumb smile.

'Congratulations! You're a father of twins!' she laughed.

'Is everything alright?!' I asked immediately, without even wasting a second.

'Yeah, everything went fine. Come with me!'

I grabbed my coat and quickly followed the young nurse to wherever she was leading me. I think a few people around me congratulated me, but I'm not sure.

I wasn't really paying attention to anything.

My mind was focused on one thing, and one thing only.

The thought that the next two minutes were going to make the greatest fear in my life come true, or disperse it completely forever.

Finally, we entered the small hospital room. From what I remember, it wasn't anything special – just your average, boring, white cube, with a bed and a few drawers.

On the bed, a young woman in her early twenties was resting from six hours of pain.

When she saw me, my wife faintly smiled.

'Look, Jason! Daddy's here!' she whispered to the baby in her arms.

I approached her and gave her a kiss on the forehead. Then, I shifted my view to my first son.

'Isn't he the most beautiful little boy in the world?' she asked me.

I touched his forehead gently and sighed with relief.

It was a miracle, I thought.

'Yes… Yes, he is…'

'Look who's here too!' the nurse brought another baby.

Oh, that's right… She did mention I had twins…

I gave my mind a few moments to let it sink in, then took the baby in my arms.

'A bit unexpected, I admit…' my wife took a deep breath. 'But we've also got a little daughter too. What should we name her? Maybe something similar to Jason, since they're twins'

'Yeah, that would be…'

That's when I noticed them.

The horns.

The two small, almost invisible bony bumps on each side of the baby's forehead were sticking out just like the horns of a devil.

'Oh, Jesus Christ…' I sat on a nearby chair, as I suddenly felt weak.

I had no idea how that was possible. In fact, I still don't.

But somehow, we got one healthy child and one…

'Honey, what's wrong?' my wife asked me.

She probably noticed I was shaking like a leaf.

'Is it the bumps? It's okay, the doctor said they'll disappear before she turns five, don't worry about it!' she laughed.

'No… They won't…' I murmured.

'Hm? What was that?'

I got up and went to her.

'Nothing, sweetheart' I hugged her. 'Nothing at all. It'll be fine. Everything will be fine'

I admit – I was telling that more to myself than to her.

After all, without reassuring, I was never going to believe that we'd be fine.

Because deep down in my heart, I knew we wouldn't be.

CHAPTER 2

I was only five years old when that strange man came home.

Even though I was so little, I remember that day more than any other in my whole life.

I'm sure I can even tell how many clouds there were in the sky.

That morning, I was playing with Jason, as usual. We played hide and seek, and it was his turn to hide.

I had just started looking for him when I heard the doorbell ring once.

'Jen, get the door!' I heard her yell from the other room.

As an obedient little girl, I complied.

On the other side was a man in a gray suit. He was wearing sunglasses, and in his left hand carried a small briefcase.

As soon as he saw me, he smiled and took his glasses off.

'Hi there, Jennifer!' he greeted me.

I shyly stepped back.

'What's wrong? Am I scary?'

I shook my head.

'Mom told me never to talk to strangers' I admitted.

'Oh, but we're no strangers! We'll get to know each other very well soon. But first things first, where's your…'

As if to answer me, my mother showed up.

'Excuse me, can I help you?'

'No, but I can help you. May I come inside?'

That's when I noticed he was holding a small piece of plastic in his hand.

I'm not sure what it was, but since it had letters in it, I'm guessing it was an ID card.

My mother looked at him for a few seconds without saying anything.

'Jen, go play with your brother. Leave us alone for a while'

I nodded and ran off.

However, just like any 5 year old, my curiosity got the better of me.

I waited for my mother to close the door of the living room, then I snuck and put my ear right on it.

I could hear everything inside as if they were speaking to me in person.

'What do you want? I already told you, I don't want your lousy insurance' my mother told him.

'That's not why I'm here. I recently heard something… peculiar, and I decided to pay you a visit. Fortunately, the rumors were true'

'What do you mean?'

'I happened to notice something interesting on your daughter's head. I'm sure you're quite aware of her… biological species'

My mother kept silent for a bit.

'Your colleague explained to me in detail when Joe died'

'Ah, good! Then we're on the same page here. I hope you're also aware that all members of the Diclonius species should be… for lack of a better word, imprisoned in facilities, right? That's the law'

'Forget it! You took my husband away, I'm not letting you take my daughter too! I'd rather die myself!'

'Please, no need to go to such extremes. I've come to make you a suggestion. But before I make it, I want to make one thing very, very clear'

'And that is…?'

'If you refuse my… if I dare say so, most generous proposal, then I assure you… Jennifer will not live to celebrate her fifth birthday'

I gasped a little. I don't think my mind quite got the severity of the situation yet, but I knew that it was very bad.

'Go f—'

'But!' he interrupted her. 'I can make sure not only that she's allowed to go free, but I'll also provide her with what she could never have with her condition – a fulfilling life'

'She'll have a fulfilling life without you, too'

'I don't think you understand. The moment anyone spots these horns on her head is the moment the nearest facility will be alerted. She won't be able to go to school, find a job, she won't even be able to get an ID'

My mom kept silent once again.

'But me and the people I work for can change that. We can enroll her into any school you say, any college, we can get her an ID. Her life will be as normal as it can possibly be for someone like her'

'Why would you do something like that?'

'Joe was a loyal employee. We take good care of our employees and their families. It's the least we can do, especially since you refused the insurance'

'What's the catch?'

'Ah… You're a quick thinker, I see. There's several rules I'll ask you both to keep in order for this deal to work'

'Deal, huh…'

'There's nothing free in this world, I'm afraid. Now, listen carefully. Rule number 1 – no one besides you and her brother must know of her horns. No one! I don't care how you do it, but if even one person reports her, the whole thing's off and we're taking her in. Is that clear?'

'Do I have a choice?'

'Not if you want her to live. Rule number 2 – every month, on the first, you must bring her to the nearby facility for a couple of hours'

'What? Why?!' I heard my mother slowly getting angry.

'Experimentation is such an unacceptable word, so why don't we call it… an examination?'

'You're going to torture her?!'

'It won't be exactly a walk in the park for her, but you have to see our point of view here – her condition, although not unique, is most certainly rare. Not only does she age like a human – she also has a human twin. We need to study her more closely'

'Are you crazy?! As her mother, I can never allow you to hurt her!'

'It's your choice. She can be with us for one day of the month, or all month long'

My mom made her longest pause here.

'It's not really a choice, is it?'

'If you want her to live, then no, it isn't'

'Alright… Alright, I agree. But I want a contract. I need to be sure you'll keep your word'

'There's no need for that'

I heard a small "tap", as if something was left on the table.

'This right here records everything we say. I will give you a copy of the tape the next time we meet. Of course, I'll keep the original for myself'

Suddenly, the door opened, and I fell back on the floor.

The man in the gray suit looked at me, and smiled.

'See you in a month, kid!' he laughed, then turned around and left.

CHAPTER 3

One day, my mom called Jennifer into our bedroom to have a talk.

I don't know why I followed. Possibly out of boredom.

I didn't even have a clue about how serious that talk would be, so I just hopped right in, following my sister.

You can't blame me – after all, I was only 5 years old, barely more than a baby.

My mother told Jen that it was time to create and keep some rules for her due to her abnormality.

I remember how that really caught my attention – it was the first time my mom openly expressed that she thought Jen was different.

Of course, we all knew it. After all, you can't exactly ignore the horns sticking out of her head, right?

Well, my mom did. And in the rare instances in which she did address them, it was more playful than anything.

I guess she tried to make Jennifer feel like she's normal, at least at home.

Personally, I never thought anything of that at the time, possibly because of my age.

She was the kid I interacted with the most by far.

I guess my little mind just accepted that some kids have horns, and some don't.

However, everything changed during that talk with my mom.

Rule number 1 – a hat everywhere. Nobody had to know about the horns.

I asked why, while Jen simply nodded and looked down.

My mother just looked at me for a fraction of the second and kept talking to my sister.

I felt like there was something they both knew that I didn't.

Rule number 2 – whenever Mom told her it was time to go somewhere, Jen had to comply, no matter what.

Again, I didn't understand these strange rules at all. They felt so out of place.

But again – I was five, so I didn't really care about any of that.

However, everything changed a month later.

Something happened that forced both me and my sister to mature much sooner than any of us wanted to.

On the first day of the next month, my mom told Jen it was time to "go to the doctor", as she said.

I asked why I couldn't come too. Usually, we went to the doctor together.

My mother quickly shut me up by saying it was a different doctor, and refused to acknowledge my presence anymore.

Fifteen minutes later, our babysitter arrived.

I really didn't want to be all alone. I was used to being with Jen literally everywhere.

This was the first time we were forced to be away from each other.

I spent the rest of the day just sitting on my bed while the babysitter watched TV in the other room.

It was getting late, and neither my mom nor Jennifer had returned.

I felt sleepy, but… To be honest, I was afraid to fall asleep without my sister next to me.

I don't think a five year old kid could've ever grasped what exactly was going on, but I was pretty sure something wasn't right at all.

A few hours after dark, my family returned.

I ran to the door and greeted them with a big smile.

Neither of them returned it.

Jennifer was just looking at the ground, without the strength or will to look up.

My mom sent her to the bath to "wash herself up". I didn't understand why.

The babysitter left, and my mom forced me to go into bed immediately.

There wasn't much I could say about this, so I just complied.

A few minutes later, my sister entered the room, dressed in her pajamas.

I asked her where she was all day.

She didn't say anything.

She just went to bed and closed her eyes without as much as acknowledging me.

I no longer knew what to think. This whole thing was way too much for my small head to even begin to comprehend.

So I just did the same.

I closed my eyes, even though. I wasn't really feeling sleepy.

About fifteen minutes later, I opened them again and turned around.

Jen was sobbing quietly, with her head firmly pressed against her pillow so that she wouldn't wake me up.

I called her name quietly. She looked at me.

Her face was all red.

I didn't know what to say, so I simply hugged her as tightly as I could.

She hugged me back and kept crying, no longer trying to hide it.

That night was the first time I ever saw her cry.

If only it was the last…

CHAPTER 4

I remember how nervous I was on my first day of school.

Ever since I started going to that terrible place two years ago, I became shy and closed within myself.

The only one who understood me was Jason.

I didn't really want to meet anyone else.

But my mom said I had to. It's what school was, after all.

She put the final adjustments to my uniform and allowed me to see myself in the mirror.

To be honest, I kind of liked the outfit. Too bad it had to be ruined with that out of place and out of season winter hat on my head.

But, even though I was little, I understood why I had to wear it quite well.

If I ever removed it in front of someone other than my mom or Jason, I'd be sent to that place permanently, and I would die.

So, naturally, I was a bit nervous about going outside, where the hat could fall off at any moment.

'You can't stay sheltered all your life, you know' my mom told me. 'You have your whole life ahead of you. Don't spend it in fear'

That really reassured me for a while. I felt like that "school" thing was worth a shot.

Not to mention, Jason would also be there.

Unfortunately, due to complications, we couldn't be in the same class.

But just the fact that we'd be in the same building reassured me.

Suddenly, the door opened, and my brother entered dressed in his own uniform.

'How do I look?' he asked.

'Wait, let me…' my mother crouched and fixed up the few details he got wrong. 'Perfect! You two are just the cutest!'

Jason grinned. I didn't say anything, but I think I blushed a little.

It wasn't often that I dressed so formally.

My mother entered the car. We followed.

After a 10-minute drive, we finally reached the school.

Jason immediately figured out in which room his class was. I needed some help, but fortunately mom was there and pointed me in the right direction.

We both walked to the door. I felt her give me a little push to make me go inside on my own, and then stepped back.

I looked at her. She gave me a thumbs-up.

"Everything will be alright"

I turned around and took a deep breath, then slowly opened the door.

Inside, behind the many desks, were sitting 20 other children, all of them my age.

That was the first time I had ever seen so many kids in one place.

'Ah! You must be Jennifer!' a woman standing in front of everyone waved at me. 'Come in, come in, we have a free spot for you right here!'

I gave my mother one last look, then slowly approached the place the teacher assigned me.

I remember how the other children were looking at me as I entered.

I figured it was because of the hat. At least I hoped that was the reason.

'My name is Miss Strickland, and I'll be your homeroom teacher all the way until the 5th grade! We'll be together for a long time, so I'm sure we'll get to know each other very well. But for starters, why don't you all introduce yourselves? Who wants to go first?'

I closed my eyes.

"Please don't pick me. Please don't pick me" I repeated in my head over and over again.

'Jen, how about you? Stand up and tell us a bit about yourself'

I started to shake. For a second I felt like my legs wouldn't hold me if I got up. Slowly, I used my hands to push myself up.

Now, my mouth refused to open. I was still shaking, and my eyes were locked on the desk in front of me.

'Come on, don't be shy, sweetie!' Miss Strickland smiled.

I focused my strength and took a deep breath.

'Uhm… Uhm… My name… My name is Jennifer, and… uhm…'

And that was about all I could say before the weak sensation in my legs started again and I had to lean on the desk once more.

'Why are you wearing that hat?' the girl sitting on my left asked.

'Eh?' I jumped.

All throughout the morning, I was afraid that the hat seemed too out of place. However, I never considered that someone would openly ask me about it.

'Yeah, it's not polite, you know! Take it off!' this time, the voice came from behind me.

I swallowed and started to sweat.

'I… I…'

I barely kept my tears in.

'It's okay, Jen' miss Strickland patted me on the head gently. 'Listen up, kids! I know I told you that everyone should take their hats off in class, but Jen is an exception, understand? She will have the full right to wear a hat at all times, and everyone trying to take that right away from her will be severely punished, got it?'

I looked around nervously. I wasn't quite sure what was going on.

'I had a talk with your mother yesterday' the teacher whispered into my ear. 'Everything's fine. If you have a problem, come talk to me, okay?'

I nodded and quickly sat down. A few of my classmates looked at me even more strangely than before.

'And keep the speculation to a minimum!' Miss Strickland said loudly. 'Now, who wants to go next?'

I sighed in relief.

The worst was over.

Years later, I asked my mother about her conversation with my teacher.

As I suspected, she never really revealed to her that I was a Diclonius.

Instead, she just said I had a birth mark on my head that I was ashamed of.

Embarrassing, but at least it worked.

CHAPTER 5

First grade ended before either of us knew it.

To be honest, I don't really remember even one of my classmates from that year.

Probably because neither of them left an impression in my 7 year old mind.

The most important thing that happened that year is that I got interested in sports.

I started with simple things – running, jumping, that sort of thing.

Over the years I started to practice more and more sports – martial arts, marksmanship, swimming, even free running. When I turned 16, there wasn't a sport out there that I wasn't good at.

Even when I was little people called me a prodigy.

That's why I spent most of my time practicing and neglected friendships and that sort of thing.

Jen, on the other hand, wasn't really good at sports.

I don't know if it was because she just wasn't fit for that sort of thing, or because she was still afraid to try anything more risky in public.

However, she was extremely intelligent – her grades had never fallen below an A- for all those years.

On the other hand, I was happy when I managed to score a B.

It's not that I'm dumb or anything like that, I just find school uninteresting and prefer to focus on other things, like sports.

I guess as twins we complemented each other.

The one thing we shared completely, however, was the fact that when we were 7-8 years old, neither of us had any friends.

I guess my sister's shy nature turned most people away.

I always knew she didn't really have friends.

However, what I didn't even suspect back then, was that she might have had enemies.

I first heard rumors of a girl from her class being bullied by her classmates almost midway through second grade.

However, I dismissed them.

My stupid little mind didn't even comprehend that the victim might have been her.

The rumors were confirmed right in front of my eyes one day because of a complete accident.

I was sent by my homeroom teacher to deliver some documentation to Jennifer's teacher, Miss Strickland, I believe her name was.

During the break, I went to her classroom, overjoyed by the fact that we'd get to see each other, as we almost never did during school.

The first thing I heard when I opened the door was a familiar, quiet sobbing.

A bunch of kids were gathered in the corner, watching something, or someone.

A girl stepped forward and demanded that this unfortunate person take something off.

My heart jumped out when I recognized the sobbing.

It was the same one I'd heard three years ago on the night of my sister's first visit to that place.

I was shocked. I didn't know what to do.

I didn't even realize that if no one intervened for only a few more seconds, Jennifer would have died right then and there.

Luckily, Miss Strickland appeared and started to shout at everyone.

It only took a few seconds for the group to disperse, leaving only Jen in the corner.

She had hugged her knees and was shaking, with her face red from the crying.

The teacher helped her get up, then led her out of the room.

On her way out, Jennifer's eyes met mine.

She gave me a look that I still don't quite understand to this day.

I'm not sure how she felt when she saw me.

But I know how I did.

I felt weak and guilty.

I knew I had to help her, but I was surprised and afraid.

I looked down at my feet in anger and despair.

I felt so useless that day.

At that moment, I decided to keep on training, and eventually become strong enough to protect her when I had to.

That incident contributed a lot to making me into the person I am.

But it also had the negative effect of being the reason for our first transfer.

CHAPTER 6

After what happened, I begged my mother not to let me go to school again.

She complied without hesitation.

What really surprised me, though, was that Jason also declined to go.

He said that if I didn't go to school, it wouldn't have been fair if he went.

Both me and my mom objected.

He was just getting interested into sports, so it was vital for him to have a place to train.

However, he absolutely declined.

'We have to be together everywhere' he said. 'We're twins. We're one'

Ultimately, my mom complied.

We were homeschooled by her for the rest of second grade.

At the end, we took exams to prove we had the knowledge to pass into next grade.

I scored an A in every singe subject. Jason scored primarily Bs.

During the summer vacation, neither of us went outside a lot. When Jason did, it was primarily to run or train something.

I stayed home all day, sometimes all alone, and read books.

In the beginning of the vacation, we discussed whether or not we should enroll to a different school.

My brother fully supported the idea. I understood him.

However, my mom and weren't very optimistic about the idea.

And the fact that I discovered my vectors on August the 1st also didn't help.

I don't like to remember how it happened. Suffice to say, I'd never felt so much pain in my life, and lied paralyzed from it for almost a day.

However, after I learned how to control it, moving things with my mind was pretty cool.

Of course, I was disallowed to do it in public, and in front of strangers.

Only Jason and my mom knew about my gift.

I'm not sure, but I think the fact that I had such a unique talent boosted my self-confidence just enough to make me accept the suggestion to go to a different school.

However, Jason had his own condition when Mom was picking it out.

He said that we had to be in the same class so he could protect me. My mother agreed.

Soon after my 9th birthday, me and Jason went to school for the first time in more than half a year.

Before I met my new classmates, I was even more nervous than before.

Of course, having my brother there with me was helping, but not nearly enough to make me feel comfortable.

Our new homeroom teacher was a bit younger than Miss Strickland.

I remember how, before she even introduced herself, she quickly assigned us to our desks.

'Hello again, class!' she began talking with a smile. 'I already know some of you, but due to a reshuffling in the classes, most faces here are new. So, I know you already did it two years ago, but I want everyone to get up and introduce themselves. Who wants to go first?'

I started to shake a little bit. I didn't want to speak first again.

Actually, I didn't want to speak at all.

I was too nervous and shy to do anything in front of so many people, and having Jason there seeing and hearing everything wasn't helping.

'Come on, who wants to be first? Anybody? If nobody wants to, then I'll pick someone. Let's see…'

She started to scan the room with her eyes.

I panicked.

Being "the girl with the winter hat", I stood out like a sore thumb.

My brother looked at me.

I don't know how, but he realized what was going on.

'I'll go first… Please' he smiled and got up.

'Ah! Of course!'

'My name's Jason, I'm 9 years old, and my hobby is playing sports' he smiled.

'Very good, Jason! You can sit down now. Next!'

My brother looked at me and winked.

I do admit, that calmed me down a bit.

Next, a girl got up and introduced herself.

One by one, more than half of the class revealed their names.

And finally, it was my turn.

The teacher pointed her finger at me and I slowly got up.

'Uhm…' I looked at my desk. 'Well… My name is Jennifer, and… I'm 9 years old…'

I tried to copy exactly what Jason had said. However, it didn't work out very well.

'Why are you wearing a hat? It's rude to be wearing a hat in class, you know!' a girl said.

'Yeah, you should take that hat off!' another girl supported her.

I started to shake again.

All the abuse I took from both that place and my former classmates had taken its toll, and I was ready to start sobbing from as much as a remark to take my hat off.

I looked at my brother.

He was just about to stand up and speak in my defense when I heard a boy's voice from the back:

'What's wrong with wearing a hat in class? I'm wearing a hat too, but that doesn't make me any more stupid, right?'

I turned around.

A boy with brown hair and a baseball cap on top of it was speaking.

'Maybe both of you should take your hats off' the teacher smiled.

'No way! That right here is my lucky hat! I'm always wearing it when I'm nervous!'

'You don't seem nervous now' Jason said.

'You see? The hat is working!'

They both laughed. The teacher and the rest of the class quickly followed for a giggle.

'Alright, alright, you can both keep your, ahem, lucky hats on. I don't see a reason you should take them off either, but keep in mind that you won't get that permission from my colleagues!'

I sighed in relief.

I was safe for now.

CHAPTER 7

After the classes had ended, I went to the boy with the baseball cap to thank him for earlier.

I never really expected anyone but me to defend Jen like that, so I was pleasantly surprised when he did.

He laughed it off, saying that he'd do it for any cute girl.

I looked at him, sort of confused.

I never considered my sister cute, not in that way at least.

Back then, she was more like a puppy than a girl – always loveable, but also very sensitive and easily hurt.

That was the first time I heard anyone comment about her being anything else in terms of appearance.

Maybe I found it weird because of my age, too.

Without giving it much talk, I just introduced myself to him.

He replied that his name was Mark.

We started to talk, and soon I learned about his ambition to become a professional baseball player, as he'd dreamed since he was very little.

I think it was this that officially won me over.

I quickly shared a few details about myself – what I trained, stuff like that.

I also revealed why I trained – to be stronger and protect Jen from whatever harm may come her way.

We agreed to do it together, like partners.

Following that day, me and Mark became very close friends.

When we graduated from elementary school, me and Jen were forced to move again and study elsewhere from 5th to 7th grades.

Mark agreed to come to our school just so we can continue our wonderful friendship.

After that, we stayed close friends for the rest of our lives.

CHAPTER 8

When we turned 11, we had to go into a new school and repeat the process of getting to know our classmates all over again.

Thankfully, because of some lucky star, both my brother and Mark ended up in the same class as me once again.

They helped me through the initial introductions once again, though to be honest, I felt much calmer this time, too.

Probably because I'd already done it twice.

It was around that time when my brother started to really take his training seriously.

His usual schedule was wake up in the morning, go to school, then spend the afternoon training with Mark or some other friends, finally coming back home when it turned dark.

I, on the other hand, spent my afternoons alone, sheltered in my room, with a book in my hands.

Of course, the fact that I was all alone didn't mean I enjoyed it.

The more me and my brother grew distant from each other, the more I craved for his company.

So you can imagine my surprise when one day, after school, he came to me and asked:

'Hey, wanna walk home? I feel tired, so I'm not gonna train today. What do you say?'

Of course, I was overjoyed.

We quickly got our backpacks ready and left.

'So, Jen…' he started to speak. 'How are you?'

'Huh?'

'You know… How're you doing?'

'Fine, I guess' I said, without really knowing how to respond.

'It's just that… You never go out, you're always all alone at home… Not to mention, you still go to that place every month, so I just wanted to check if everything was, you know, alright'

I smiled.

'Yeah, I'm holding up. Thanks!'

'It's been six years, right?'

'Yeah…'

Jason looked at me.

'Jen… What exactly happens there?'

'Huh?'

'You're gone for an entire day, and when you come back… It's like you're not yourself. What's going on when mom takes you there?'

I stopped and bit my lip.

'Please don't ask!' I shouted.

'Huh?'

'It…' I tried desperately to keep my tears in. 'It just hurts, okay? A lot…'

Jason smiled sadly.

'I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked'

I tried to smile too.

'It's okay… I just… I don't want to remember any of it, even for one second…'

'I understand. Come on, let's keep walking, or we'll be late!' he smiled.

After a second, I finally found the strength in me to smile.

Back then, Jason had no idea what I was going through in that facility.

And he was better off like that.

If he even knew what I experienced there every month, he'd have lost his will to live.

Like I did.

We kept quiet for about two minutes. He didn't speak because was afraid that I'd burst into tears if he said anything more, and I didn't speak because he was probably right.

However, someone else spoke for us.

'Meow!' we both heard a sad sound from an unknown place.

'Huh? What's that?'

'Sounds like a small kitten. But where did it come from?'

'MEOW!' an even sadder one.

'There!' Jason grabbed my hand and pulled me into an alley.

We kept on walking for no more than 30 seconds when we saw it.

A small gray kitten, in all probability stray.

It was no more than a few months old – it was so small you could fit it in your palm.

And right next to it laid a bigger cat, most likely its mother.

Jason kneeled down.

'Oh my God… She's dead…' he shook.

I kneeled down and took the kitten in my hands, despite the fact that it was all dirty.

'Meow!'

'Poor thing… I'm so sorry' I pet it.

My brother was still shaken by the sight of the dead cat, so he didn't say anything. I was the first one who spoke up:

'We should take it home! It won't survive on its own!'

'Are you crazy? What will mom say?!'

'We can't just leave it alone! Let's take it home for now, and then we'll find it a proper home where they'll care for it!'

'I don't know… Mom will be mad… You know she dislikes animals…'

'Please, please!' I begged him.

Jason sighed.

'Alright, fine… I'm so gonna be sorry for this… If she asks, we tell her it was all my idea, okay?'

'Huh? But…'

'That's my condition! Otherwise we leave the cat here!'

I smiled gently.

'Thank you so much!'

I hugged the small kitten in my arms and started to walk towards our house again.

'How will you name him?' Jason asked.

'Hmm… Happy'

'Happy? Why?'

'I don't know' I responded honestly.

'Heh. Alright then. Happy it is'

I smiled widely.

'Do you like your name, Happy?'

'Meow!'

We both laughed.

When we came home, my mom went mad. She started to scream and yell at my brother for "his" idea to bring the dirty cat in.

Ultimately, he was grounded for a week.

I felt so sorry for him, since not only was he punished without being guilty, the punishment also took away from him the only thing that brought him pleasure – the training.

As an "accomplice", I was given the lesser punishment of finding a home for Happy.

I asked everyone at school if they'd like to adopt him.

I don't know if it was because I wasn't especially close to anyone, or because nobody wanted him, but after a whole month of searching not a single person wanted to take care of Happy.

However, by that time, all three of us got very attached to the tiny, gray kitty.

So, just like that, without any of us realizing it at first, Happy became a member of our family.

CHAPTER 9

As time passed, one thing was becoming more and more obvious.

Jennifer's mental health was deteriorating rapidly.

It's not that I blame her. Anyone in her position would have broken a long time ago.

She has always been a very strong person.

However, nobody could last forever.

When we turned 12, she was almost like a different person.

She grew very distant from everyone, including me.

I tried to invite her to walk home together, or just go out and play, but she refused each time, and instead just went home straight away and read books.

So I tried the other way. I went home early and stayed with her.

I asked her to play cards, or some board game, anything at all, but she never felt like it.

What got me even more worried was the fact that she cried every single night in her sleep.

I got extremely concerned.

I felt weak once again, as I was all out of options.

For the last 5 years I had as often as I could, and I had actually become quite strong.

I was sure I could protect my sister from bullies, muggers, aliens or whatever threat went her way.

However, I wasn't sure about how I could protect her from herself.

So, all out of options, I decided to share my concerns with my mom.

We had a very long talk and threw a lot of ideas around.

One suggestion was to introduce Jen to a specialist; however, that option quickly went out the window for numerous reasons.

Ultimately, we decided that we could try going on a vacation to see if we can take Jennifer's mind off of her problems for at least a while.

We chose a small villa in the middle of the forest about 600 km from where we lived.

Not only would it have provided my sister with the peace and quiet she loved so much, there were also no people in a 2 km radius, meaning that she wouldn't need to worry about her horns being seen.

My mom rented the place for a week – from 2nd to 8th of July, which was the only available time slot for the next 6 months.

However, it worked perfectly for us.

When we told her, it was the first time I saw her smile in months.

Saying she was happy about it was an understatement – she was extremely enthusiastic.

That was only natural – it was her first vacation, and overall the first time she was outside of the city.

The time until the faithful day when we would depart approached quickly, and Jen expected it impatiently.

However, as always, faith threw something terrible at us in an effort to, once again, ruin my sister's life.

When she came back from the facility on the 1st of July, she felt sick and needed to lie down immediately.

That wasn't something unusual – with all the pain she experienced during whatever the hell they did to her there, she always needed to rest for a bit before she's back to normal.

But this time, it was worse.

An hour later she got a very bad fever.

She couldn't even breathe right.

Her look was faint, almost as if she was someplace else.

Of course, she was almost unresponsive.

I had never been more scared in my entire life.

She looked like she was about to die.

Me and my mom knew full well that we couldn't call a doctor, so the only thing we could do was give her pills and hope for the best.

My mom gave her an antibiotic, vitamins and some sleeping pills, as well as a shot to lower her temperature.

She fell asleep an hour later, with Happy on a ball next to her.

Mom sent me to go to sleep as well. I refused, so we both stayed by Jen's side throughout the night, and took turns to change the wet cloth on her forehead and monitor her temperature.

Finally, the morning sun vanquished the horrible night.

Jen woke up and faintly looked at us.

She was way too weak to speak properly, but still asked us if we were going.

My mom told her some half-assed lie about there being a problem with the reservation, but Jennifer was too smart to buy it.

What followed was probably the saddest scene that ever took place in front of my eyes.

My sister, who was so sick she could barely speak, was begging my mother to go on that vacation.

I felt guilty.

Partly, the trip was my idea.

If we didn't come up with it, now Jennifer would have rested quietly, without anything troubling her.

If only I knew…

My mom promised her that we'd go on a vacation, one way or another, but her health was most important at the moment.

With that, Jen closed her eyes once again, and didn't wake up for 24 hours.

Luckily, when she did, she was much better.

I guess all those pills my mom made her take really worked, as it was obvious at least some of her strength had returned to her.

When I saw her on the 3rd, she was sitting up on the bed and smiled at me.

Her face was back to its natural color, and she didn't appear to have temperature.

Despite all odds, she was recovering.

I hugged her and told her to never scare me like that again.

She promised me, that liar…

After my mom came, Jennifer asked her to go on the trip once again, claiming she was all better after having rested.

She complied.

My mom's heart was too big not to.

So, on the very same day, we gave Happy to some friends to take care of him while we were gone, then took the train (my mom thought about driving us there, but felt too tired to do it) and arrived in the villa late in the evening.

Mom apologized for the delay and quickly paid the owner, then both of us brought the suitcases in.

Jen wanted to help too, but she was still far too weak for anything like that.

After everything was ready, I helped my sister to our new room and let her lie down.

She asked me to open the window, so I did.

Immediately, I heard the birds singing, and a moment later I noticed the landscape.

Trees. Hundreds, probably thousands of trees all lined up beautifully.

And in the distance, right before the horizon, was al flower garden.

It was just a small patch of wild flowers, but the way they were arranged made them look like a colorful carpet.

My sister looked at it through the window.

She smiled and commented on how beautiful it was.

That's when I got this crazy idea into my head.

Every day for the rest of the now 5-days long vacation, I went outside and just walked around the forests.

I was extremely well-fit for a 12 year old, and I was always good at exploration and that kind of stuff, so my mom wasn't really worried.

The only thing I regretted was that Jen wasn't with me to see what I was seeing.

But it couldn't be helped. She felt a lot better, but still got light-headed when she got up, so she was still forced to lie down all the time.

However, me and my mom got one of those beach lounge chairs and brought it outside for her, so she could still enjoy the vacation despite her illness.

Three days later, she recovered almost completely.

Unfortunately, it was already the last day of our vacation there, as we had to leave the next morning.

But before that, I had to show her something – the fruit of my three-day search.

I took her by the hand and asked her to follow me without asking question.

She immediately agreed.

After all, we trusted each other, and she knew I had something good prepared for her.

It took us about three hours to get there.

I only did it for two last time I went there, but Jen wasn't used to climbing and walking long distances, not to mention, she had just recovered from a serious illness, so I had to sit and wait for her to catch her breath a few times.

However, it was all worth it.

When we finally reached our destination, Jennifer laughed cheerfully and thanked me.

It took me three whole days of searching in order to find the best and shortest path to the flower garden and back.

That was my gift for her, to make up for the nearly wasted vacation.

She spread her arms and started to run amongst the flowers happily.

I just sat down and watched her.

I had never seen her happier than this before or since.

She just ran, there and laughed, and when she got tired, she just lied down on the flowery carpet.

I lied down next to her.

She kept thanking me, over and over again.

It made me feel good.

Finally, she picked one of every kind of flower there, and we left.

However, I felt like she had no more strength left and was getting more and more tired with every step.

Halfway through, I just smiled and offered to carry her. Of course, she declined a few times, but finally realized she couldn't handle the rest of the way on her own and complied.

I carried her on horseback all the way down to our villa.

I don't know if it was because I was already pretty muscular at the time, or because of something else, but she seemed light as a feather.

When we reached the villa, I realized she had fallen asleep, so I got her to our room and laid her down on our bed.

She woke up with a smile on her face, despite the fact that we had to leave.

We gave the place a silent goodbye, then went to the train station.

CHAPTER 10

Ever since my illness from August, my health was never quite the same.

I don't know why, but I started to get very bad fevers that left me bedridden for a few days several times per year.

However, that didn't stop my visits to that place.

When September 1st rolled around, as always, my mom told me to get dressed and prepare to head out.

I quietly complied and headed to my room.

But, for the first time, Jason objected.

'Don't tell me you're bringing her there again!'

'You know the rules, Jason' Mom explained.

'Screw the rules! Didn't you see what they did to her a month ago?!'

She kept silent.

'Don't you know how they torture her in there? How can you do this to her?!'

'If you think I like it, then you're wrong!'

'Jason… Please…' I tried to calm him down.

I had already resigned to my fate.

After all, I was visiting that place every month for 7 years.

It was unpleasant, sure, but I had gotten used to it, to a certain extent.

'If you don't want her to go, then just don't lead her there! You're the one who's responsible! Just leave her alone already, she's suffered enough!'

'Jason, what's with you?' she asked. 'Go back to your room NOW!'

'NO! Stop doing this to her! Take me if you have to, but leave her alone! What did she do to you?! Why are you doing this? She almost died last month! You—'

Suddenly, my mom slapped Jason with all her strength.

He fell down on the ground and touched his red cheek, then started to shake, and I think I spotted a tear on his face.

I'm guessing it's because of all those emotions he held bottled up so far suddenly bursting out.

'Jennifer, let's go' my mom pulled my hand.

I looked at my brother.

And he looked at me.

'I'm sorry' he said before the front door was closed in front of his face.

CHAPTER 11

Two painful years passed since our vacation.

The stuff they did to Jennifer in that place got worse and worse each month.

I remember one day, when me, Mark and a couple of other friends were supposed to go to the beach.

I asked if I could bring Jen with me, and everyone (especially Mark) approved.

Enthusiastically, I went home and, of course, found my sister in her room, with a book in her hand.

I quickly explained my suggestion to her.

Her face saddened and she apologized.

I asked why.

She just told me she couldn't go.

I assumed it must be because of the horns, so I reminded her of the summer hat mom had bought her.

She said that wasn't it and, after thinking for a few seconds, got up and lifted her shirt up to her chest.

I got sick.

On her stomach was a large, freshly-sewn surgical scar, right below her bellybutton, from side to side.

For all these years, I spotted wounds on her body several times, but never this severe.

I started to shake and asked her if at least they gave her an anesthetic before cutting her open.

She looked to the side, as if to decide whether to lie to me or not.

That alone brought me to tears.

I hugged her tightly and promised her that one day, I'll save her from that place, no matter what.

She smiled.

Though I'm not sure whether she smiled at the possibility or the impossibility of my idea.

CHAPTER 12

When we entered 8th grade, both me and Jason had to switch schools again.

We picked one that would suit both of us and entered it.

According to the law, if one twin has grades high enough to enter a specific high school, then the other twin is automatically accepted as well.

Thankfully, my grades were enough to get us both enrolled, despite Jason's not being very good.

Once again, Mark followed us behind.

The bad thing is that, once again, we were separated, as Jason and Mark ended up in one class, and I – in another.

When my brother found out, he was furious, but I assured him it was okay.

I was in high school now. I wouldn't allow anyone to bully me.

At least that's what I told myself.

On the first day of school, I went through the "introduce yourself" routine again.

But this time, I was a lot more confident.

When my turn came, I just got up and introduced myself without any trouble.

Fortunately, no one even commented on the hat.

I guess it's because, by the time they enter high school, everybody matures and stops caring about such things.

I was really surprised that, unlike my previous two classes, I got really strong impressions from a couple of my classmates from day 1.

For example, Rebecca – the girl who spoke first during the introductions. She was the only one from the entire class who didn't wear a uniform. Instead, she wore a white top and a short skirt, with high heels. Her long, black hair was reaching past her shoulders, and the make-up on her face made her look much older than 14. However, despite all that, she turned out to be a very nice girl, and she quickly became my best friend.

From the boys, the one who impressed me the most was Toby. He was, by far, the most popular student in the class. Apparently, he was some sort of prodigy, with a huge IQ. Not only that, he was also… Well…

He was easy on the eyes.

That's why, throughout high school, most of my classmates were hanging around him.

But the biggest surprise was when he decided to hang around ME from time to time.

On the very first day of school, after classes had ended, he approached me as I was just preparing to leave.

With a kind smile, he raised his hands, aiming towards my hat.

Instinctively, I took a step backwards.

'Relax, I don't bite!' he laughed.

I don't know why, but something in his eyes allowed me to trust him.

So I did nothing as he tried to touch my hat once again.

He adjusted it a bit, then let go.

'There! Much better!'

'Th…Thanks' I only managed to say through my surprise.

'The pleasure's all mine… Jennifer, right?'

'Yeah… And you're… Toby, right?'

'Wow, good looks AND a sharp mind… Let me guess – you're taken?'

I looked at him strangely.

'Uhm…'

'Toby, come on already!' someone shouted at him from the back.

'Coming!' he yelled back. 'Well, see you tomorrow, right?' he winked and left.

It was when I passed by the mirror in the hall that I realized how red my face was.

I only hoped that I wasn't blushing that much while speaking to him, too.

But somehow, I knew I did.

CHAPTER 13

I couldn't be happier when we entered high school.

First, because I really studied in the school of my dreams – it was equipped with all sorts of sports equipment – courts, balls, bats, even bows and guns for marksmanship.

For some reason, I was particularly fond of the latter, and always spent at least half an hour shooting targets after school.

The second reason was that, from what I could see, Jen finally made some friends.

Even though I didn't like either of them very much (one of them looked like she… went around, and the other was pretty popular, but I saw something sneaky in him, I can't quite put my finger on it).

But still, I kept my mouth shut and pretended to like them to avoid hurting her feelings.

When we graduated from 8th grade, a few classes (mine and hers included) decided to organize an event and go on a vacation somewhere.

This wasn't anything new, as such events had happened before, but neither of us saw any point in going.

However, this time, it was different.

We thought about it a lot, and ultimately decided to give it a shot.

The location was a medium-sized hotel made to resemble the Japanese ones as closely as possible.

For some reason, Jennifer just loved Japan and its culture.

I remember how two years ago Mom bought her a kimono.

She thought about wearing it in the hotel, but ultimately decided not to, since she'd probably be the only one.

However, when we were preparing our bags, I noticed it tucked away at the bottom.

I guess she took it just in case.

We left with the rest of the students who signed up for the trip in one huge 2-floor bus.

Both of us were on the same floor, but I purposely sat a few seats away from her, to give her and her friends some privacy.

Instead, me and Mark sat together, alongside one other boy and one girl from our class.

We traveled for a couple of hours, talking about baseball and other sports all the way.

From time to time I turned around to check how my sister was doing, but fortunately, each time I looked at her, she was with a wide smile on her face.

When we finally arrived, we brought our suitcases inside the hotel, where we were greeted by an old Japanese man, probably the owner.

He told us the entire hotel was ours for the duration of our stay, so we were free to use it as we saw fit.

Everything was open for us at all times – the bar (which served traditional Japanese beverages, as well as most classic American ones), the onsen (which was naturally separated into two sections – boys and girls), and the backyard court, which was a pretty big playground charted for soccer, though the owner told me we could put a net in the middle and play volleyball too.

Me and Jen spent the first 3 days without much contact.

I occasionally checked on her to see if she was okay not only mentally, but physically too, but that was about it.

On the 4th day, however, we had the chance to talk for a while.

I was in the boys' onsen all by myself, relaxing.

I don't know what they put in the water, but I can say, without a doubt, that this was the best bath I ever took in my life.

Thankfully, most other boys weren't very interested in it, so they just stayed outside, played, or walked around the hotel, so 90% of the time I was all alone.

I heard the door slide slowly and immediately realized someone was entering.

I sighed and prepared to get out of there.

But, surprisingly, it wasn't a boy.

It was Jen.

She explained to me that she couldn't use the girls' onsen since there was always someone there, and she couldn't exactly take a bath with her hat on.

I smiled and invited her in, but warned her to watch out and hide if anyone entered.

With a smile, she accepted and undressed, then entered the water.

It's obvious that neither of us was ashamed from the other – we were twins, after all.

She lied down and relaxed.

I asked her if she liked the vacation so far. She laughed and said she loved it.

We spoke about different things for at least 30 minutes.

Suddenly, we heard the door slide again.

Jen panicked.

She desperately looked around for a place to hide as I went to the door to open it.

If it was a stranger, I could've just asked them to come back later and give me some privacy.

But it was Mark.

He almost forced his way in and jumped into the water, completely unaware that I wasn't alone.

I went to him and joined him, quickly scanning the room for where Jennifer was hiding.

There were a few big rocks in the back. I figured she probably hid over there.

I desperately tried to lead him away from there.

Maybe a little too desperately, as he saw right through me and asked me what was wrong.

I just told him to trust me and not go there.

However, Mark was no fool.

He immediately realized that there was someone hiding in there.

And he quickly deduced who was the only one with a reason to hide.

He yelled at Jennifer to come out and not to worry.

I sighed, realizing that even if she didn't have horns she probably wouldn't come out.

Then, Mark dropped the atom bomb.

He asked if Jen would come out if he revealed he knew about the horns.

My heart skipped a beat.

Hers probably jumped out of her chest.

I looked at him strangely, trying to shrug it off, as if I was trying to say "What the hell are you talking about" with my eyes.

It didn't work.

He told us to relax and that he had no intention of telling anyone.

He had figured it out years ago, but couldn't find a way to share with us, so he just kept quiet and pretended like he didn't know.

Of course, I trusted him completely, so I relaxed a bit.

It was weird to have another one besides me and Mom know Jennifer's secret, but kind of nice at the same time.

The problem was, did Jen trust Mark as much as I did?

Apparently yes, as she slowly peeked from behind the rock.

He smiled widely, then immediately blushed and turned around when he finally realized she was naked.

We spent the rest of the day in the onsen, talking and laughing, without any secrets.

It seemed like this happiness would go on forever, but fate had it otherwise once again.

The next morning, Jen got a high fever again.

The hotel wasn't really THAT far away from the city, so I called a cab and got my sister inside.

Me and Jen's friend carried her to the cab and let her lie down on the back seat, while I spent the entire trip in the front one.

That trip cost me most of my savings, but I didn't regret it one bit.

A few days later, she was all better once again, and I think the familiar atmosphere at home really contributed to that.

We spent the rest of the summer like we usually did, and before we knew it was September once again.

CHAPTER 14

I entered 9th grade very optimistic.

It was the first time I wasn't all alone on the first day of school.

Toby and Rebecca kept me company.

We talked about what we did in the summer, stuff like that.

Toby was especially happy to see I was all better, since he got extremely worried when I got sick at the hotel.

Back then, I had no idea how much everything would change.

On the 2nd of November, just after school, I was putting my books back in my backpack when, out of nowhere, Toby appeared.

'Hey, Jen, uhm… Well, can we… Can we talk for a moment? Alone?'

He looked so nervous, and that made me nervous too.

We waited quietly until everyone left.

Rebecca winked at me before she went outside. I didn't know why.

While she and Toby's friends were waiting in the hallway, he approached me and looked me in the eye.

'Jen… I have something very important to tell you, so please don't laugh'

'Okay… What is it?' I asked, unable to hide how nervous I was.

'Well, I thought about this a lot… I couldn't get any sleep last night because of it, too! But I've made up my mind!'

I remained quiet, unable to understand what he was talking about.

'Jen… Ever since I first saw you more than a year ago, I knew it was you. I always thought, for all this time, that it was you'

'Me? What was I?' I asked.

'The girl I'd fall in love with' he smiled.

I felt hot again, but it wasn't my fever coming back.

My legs felt numb.

I couldn't move, or say anything.

That was the first time anyone had confessed their love for me.

And it was Toby, of all people - the only boy I ever had a crush on.

'I… I don't know what to say' escaped my mouth.

'Please say yes. I love you, Jennifer, with all my heart!'

He put his arms around me.

I suddenly felt weak, so I leaned on him.

He slowly lowered his head towards mine, and in just one moment, we were sharing a kiss.

My first kiss.

I felt so weird, in a good way.

We kept our lips together for what seemed like eternity.

He put his hands on my head and held me while we kissed.

But my sudden adrenaline rush was so big, it didn't allow me to notice how he accidentally knocked my hat down.

Though even if I had noticed, I wouldn't have cared one bit.

I loved him. I trusted him. I didn't care if he'd see my horns, I had nothing to hide from him.

Finally, he lifted his head up and spotted them.

He stepped back and screamed in terror.

'You… You're one of them! The Diclonius, aren't you? You monster!' he said as he walked back.

'W…what?'

Just now, I noticed that my hat was gone, and realized what had happened.

'Toby, I-'

'STAY AWAY FROM ME!' he ran to the other end of the room. 'I should've known there was something fishy with that hat! You beast! How dare you deceive me like that?!'

I just stood there, motionless.

I couldn't do anything but look at him and cry.

Why? Why did he react like that?

It was still me, wasn't it?

'Oh, you'll see, you goddamn fiend! I'm gonna let the entire school know about you! They're not gonna leave you alone! They'll lock you up where you belong!' he screamed and headed towards the door.

I felt… betrayed.

I felt sad, and angry, and guilty, and afraid…

But most of all, I felt something I had never felt before.

Hatred.

This boy, who just moments ago confessed his love for me, now threatened to cause my death.

I started to shake with anger.

How dared he deceive me like that?!

I wasn't the monster there! It was him!

I screamed and hit him with my vectors just as he was about to open the door.

He jumped back and looked at his bloodied hand.

'What the—' was the only thing he could say before I hit him once again, this time splitting him in two.

I killed him.

And I didn't regret it one bit.

A second later, one of Toby's friends opened the door, followed by a few others.

They saw what I did.

So I killed them too.

All of them.

CHAPTER 15

I shot another target and pulled it back to take a closer look.

Mark gave me a couple of pellets, and I quickly reloaded my pistol.

With a smile, I aimed towards the target once again and prepared to shoot.

Suddenly, the door slammed open, and a girl entered.

I froze.

She was covered in blood.

Immediately, she collapsed on the ground.

Me and Mark went to her and helped her up, asking her what was wrong.

She said something we couldn't quite get at first – that a girl killed everyone, and that it wasn't really her.

She was obviously in shock.

But I suddenly got into an even bigger one when I realized who she was.

Rebecca, Jennifer's best friend.

I shook her up and asked her where Jennifer is, and if she was safe.

Rebecca kept talking unconnected things, but it was one word she said that made me figure out the entire situation instantly.

She mentioned "horns".

Mark looked at me.

I quickly told him it was Jennifer who killed everyone.

Naturally, he looked shocked and skeptical at first.

He kept talking that it was impossible, there was no way.

But I had seen first-hand what she can do with her mind.

And if someone really saw her horns, I can imagine her survival instinct would force her to kill them in order to protect herself.

At that moment, I stopped thinking.

For a brief time, Jennifer stopped being my twin sister.

She became a threat that just killed innocent students.

And I was no longer her twin brother.

I was just a guy who had to stop her at all costs.

I picked up my gun again and headed towards the door, asking Mark to take care of Rebecca.

My friend asked me if I was going to kill her.

I told him she was already dead.

CHAPTER 16

I met Jennifer in a narrow hallway.

She was covered in blood from head to toe, and her hat was nowhere to be seen.

She was looking down at the ground without acknowledging me, but I knew she saw me.

I raised the gun and aimed it at her.

'Are you going to kill me, Jason?' she asked.

I kept quiet for a second.

'Yes'

We just stood there for a few seconds that seemed like eternity.

Both of us knew that each could end the other's life in an instant.

Finally, Jen broke down and fell on her knees.

'I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!' she said as she started to cry. 'I didn't mean to! I never wanted any of this to happen!'

I lowered my gun and went to her, then hugged her tightly, like I always did when she was upset.

'It's too late for apologies now, Jen'

'I know…' she responded. 'I just… I didn't want to be locked up in that place. I didn't!'

'You won't. I swear to you on my life'

'Thank you'

I couldn't see her face, but I was sure she smiled a little.

'Hey, brother…'

'Yeah?'

'Do you remember that time when we went to that field of flowers?'

'Yeah…'

'It was so beautiful there, wasn't it?'

'It was the most beautiful place I have ever seen in my life'

'I… I wanted to build a house there when I graduated from school. I wanted to live there so much'

'A house, huh…'

'Yeah… A beautiful house, colorful as the flowers. And everything inside will be in color, too! The furniture, the electronics… And the entire second floor would be one big library'

'Sound perfect. I wish I could go there to visit you'

'Yeah… That would be nice, wouldn't it… You, and Mom, and Happy… Everyone would be there, in the beautiful field…'

Her speech was interrupted by approaching footsteps.

'They're coming' I said gently. 'Are you ready?'

'Yeah…'

I slowly raised my gun and pointed it at her chest, right where the heart should be.

'I love you, Jen' I whispered in her ear.

Then, I pressed the trigger.

Immediately, she went limp in my arms.

I hugged her even more tightly and held her as she passed away.

Even when I could no longer feel her chest moving against mine, I still held her in my arms.

I didn't let go until a bunch of people with guns grabbed me and forced me away from her.

I didn't resist.

CHAPTER 17

The facility took Jennifer's body and refused to let me and my mom anywhere near it.

We couldn't even bury her.

My mother was never the same after that.

She kept crying all day and all night, and passed away three years later, just as I entered college.

I, on the other hand, took it well.

And outsider could even say that I didn't care.

But I did.

I don't know why I couldn't cry.

I wanted to, but my tears just wouldn't fall.

I guess my brain was rejecting that I even had a twin sister because it knew that if I ever fully realized that she was dead, I would lose my will to live.

The same night when she died, I went home and climbed to the roof of the building in which our apartment was located.

It was raining.

The heaviest rain in 16 years.

I just stood on the edge and stared into space without thinking about anything.

I couldn't have cared less if I fell.

Suddenly, I heard some scratching on the side.

I turned around and saw a big, grey cat climb up.

Happy looked at me and meowed in the saddest way he could.

'Sorry, buddy… Just you and me now' I told him.

Slowly, he walked towards me and climbed on me, then lied down on my legs.

We spent the whole night together like that, until we saw the morning sun rise.

And with it, a whole new world.