Noll was seated in the study with a cup of tea in front of him and a book in his hand. Luella must have gone to bed since the house seemed quiet. After Gene's funeral earlier that day, Luella finally let it all out. Since he didn't know how to deal with the situation, he locked himself in the study while Martin consoled Luella.
Noll's eyes slowly started to droop. It had been very hectic since he came back to London a week ago and he was already reaching his limit. Even the book couldn't keep him awake.
"Noll!"
Noll sat up with a start, wide awake. He stared at the seat opposite to him. It was empty.
'That's right...' Noll thought.
It had been empty for quite a while now. A lump started to form in his throat. Not this again. Gene is still here, isn't he? He would be walking through the door any minute. Noll stared at the door hopefully. The door didn't open. Minutes passed and yet Gene didn't open the door. He wanted to open his mouth and yell at Gene to stop playing around and to just come inside but he couldn't. Because this wasn't a dream. Because he buried his brother a few hours ago. It was funny, how all of this feels like a dream. Did Gene really exist? Yes, he used to. No, he still does. Noll wanted nothing more than to hold his brother's hand once again.
"You aren't here, are you..." Noll whispered, laying his head on the table. Noll let himself slip into the world of dreams, the heaviness in his heart taking over.
Luella silently stood in the rain, in front of two graves, holding an umbrella, the graves of her sons who were supposed to be in the house, arguing with each other.
She should have never agreed to send her sons to Japan. It was all her fault. She clutched the umbrella tighter.
One more grave had been dug beside Eugene and Oliver Davis. Martin laid roses on the grave of Luella Davis. He knew she was suffering, but he didn't expect her to take her own life.
A brown haired and cinnamon eyed girl, too thin and too exhausted, was walking back to her apartment. Anyone who took a closer look could make out the light brown scars on her neck and hands. After she entered her really small apartment and closed the door behind her, she could no longer stand on her own legs and collapsed. She was too thin for a girl of her age. No longer having the energy to get up, she finally broke down emotionally. It was very evident that life has been very cruel to her and she was reaching her limit. She cried as much as she could and finally fell asleep on the floor.
The transparent figure of Noll stood watching with painful eyes as Mai started screaming in her dreams and more scars appeared. This time the scars were bright red. He ran to girl and was about to touch her when a hand stopped him from behind.
"This isn't reality Noll," Gene felt Noll's shoulders sag. Gene knew Noll held everything in for way too long. As Mai's apartment faded away; Noll fell down to his knees. Gene, although hesitant for a moment, went to stand in front of Noll and kneeled down.
"Why Gene...why wasn't it me? Why did you have to go?" Noll questioned softly, tears dripping from his chin. Only Gene knew this side of his younger twin. The great Oliver Davis, who became a doctor at the mere age of fifteen and who was assumed to be a robot can actually shed a tear. Noll crying wasn't a surprise to Gene. Gene placed his forehead against the warm forehead of his brother's and closed his eyes.
"Because I love you, Noll," Gene replied delicately, almost like talking to a lost child. Neither of them knew how long they had been in that position, Noll still silently crying. Gene didn't want to let go, not yet.
The study was warm enough for Oliver to fall asleep on the table, a tear drop rolling down his face and falling on to the table. The Davis house was filled with a serene calmness as each of its occupants came to terms with the death of Eugene in their own way. The photographs of the twins hung on the wall silently. There were photographs of the twins playing the piano together in the orphanage, their first day after being adopted, first day at school, their first birthday as Eugene and Oliver Davis in which Oliver's face was covered in cream while Gene laughed at him.
Gene ran his transparent hands through the frames as he smiled. He next walked to his room and saw that Luella fell asleep on his bed, holding his blanket closer to her.
'Luella, I'm sorry for being naughty and hiding from you. You don't have to look for me in my room or feel for my presence by holding my blanket. I promise I won't hide anymore and stay here with you.' Gene wished his thoughts could reach his grieving mother. As soon as he covered her with the blanket, he saw her relax due to the warmth. When he walked to his father's office next, he saw his father standing by the open window, his hand extended so that the snowflakes fell on to his palm.
'Martin, remember when we used to go skiing? You don't have to wait for me to catch up with your speed anymore since you have been an excellent teacher and a guide. Please start going into the snow again; I will be waiting for you with the big snowman.' Gene saw Martin smile as the snow continued to fall.
When Gene entered the study, he saw Noll who was fast asleep on the table. He wished for his next thoughts to reach to the two of the most important people to him; the one asleep on the table in front of him and the one asleep on the couch in Japan, holding a photograph of young Eugene and Oliver.
'Noll, Mai, search for me in your hearts and dreams for I will be waiting for you over there. Let's go ghost hunting together once again.'
