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When Alfred was young, he was already what he considered a master thief. He stole food from the cupboards and whined to his parents for more because he was 'hungry'.

Actually, he was just getting the food for his brother. The other boy was almost paper thing with malnutrition. Poor Matthew was never noticed by their parents, it was if he wasn't even there. It was up to Alfred to get him food and water.

Alfred was nearly caught at first, but through the years of opening the door for someone who 'wasn't there'; they always assumed that he just talking to his 'imaginary friend'. They never knew it was actually their other, quieter son.

Alfred loved his brother a lot. Matthew was so small and weak, but so sweet and smart. Alfred was determined to protect his brother no matter what, even if that meant running away to join the circus or something.

Unfortunately, his parents didn't share his sentiment. Every year on the twin's birthday, they'd singly celebrate Alfred's with a big cake and random kids that he didn't really know. Afterwards, Alfred would sneak off with a cupcake and candle and celebrate Matthew's birthday.

Sometimes, Alfred would wake up in a cold sweat, images of war and death in his mind. A black haired man was crying in those dreams or screaming but it depended on the nightmare.

Matthew would always be the one to comfort him into the early morning. They were completely inseparable. They didn't wish to be apart and one of the upsides to Matthew's invisibility is that no one questioned them.

By the time Alfred turned 16, his parents were practically indifferent to his 'overeating'. He wasn't even sure if they'd noticed that he wasn't as big as he should be, or that he snuck food under the table at dinner.

He was in the middle of grabbing a bag of chips to share with Matthew when he felt a tap on his shoulder.

"What do you think you're doing?" It was his father and the man looked both annoyed and concerned. "Is your stomach a bottomless pit or something? You just had a massive lunch a little while ago; you're going to get fat."

Alfred pouted, internally attempting to calm himself. He needed to keep up a façade so that his father didn't get suspicious. "What do you mean Pops, lunch was ages ago!"

"Alfred you've really been stuffing your face recently," His father shook his head. "What's going on with you? Is there something wrong?"

Alfred was quick to deny this. "No, no, I'm fine." He grinned but knew it looked completely forced.

His father didn't look convinced. "Are you sure? You shouldn't eat as much as you do..."

"I was only going to have half the packet!" Oh no, now if he came back with an empty packet, he'd be called a liar. Curse his mouth for running a hundred miles per minute.

"Oh really?"

"Yeah!" Alfred argued.

"And who's gonna eat the other half? Several chip packets have disappeared recently, were they just you eating 'half'?" His father's eyebrows raised, irritation sinking into his voice. Alfred gulped. He'd been caught. Time to take a shot in the dark.

"It was Matthew." His voice came out hesitant. "Matthew has been eating the rest."

"Matthew, who's Matthew?" His father looked confused; to his knowledge, Alfred didn't have friends come over. His words made Alfred's blood boil.

"Your other son." He hissed under his breath. He was completely fed up with his parent's ignorance.

"What?" His father's brow creased. "Alfred, you don't have a brother, that's just silly."

"What would you know?!" Alfred suddenly cried. It took his father by surprise. Matthew, who had just been stepping out to see what was taking Alfred so long, jumped back at the volume of his brother's voice.

"Alfred, that is no way to talk to me," His father scolded. "You don't have a brother; I know you wish you d-"Alfred broke him off.

"Shut up! Matthew has been forgotten and mistreated and malnourished because you are just so BLIND!"

Alfred's fists were clenched, eyes glistening with unshed tears. Matthew went to stop the conflict but he knew he wouldn't be able to do anything with his invisibility. So he simply tried to persuade Alfred to back off. "Alfred, come on, let's go!"

Alfred crossed his arms and held the bag of chips to his chest. He then followed Matthew to their shared bedroom.

Once he'd stepped inside, he slammed the door loud enough to echo through the house. He imagined his mother would be woken up from her mid day nap with all the noise.

Matthew sat down on the bed and he followed the action. He was still fuming, even with the door slam.

"I'm sorry for interrupting your fight but I don't think you should fight Papa." Matthew looked down.

"I hate it!" Alfred suddenly burst out. "I hate how no one can see you! How you're mistreated and forgotten!"

Matthew patted him on the back. They just sat like that for a bit. Alfred's head on Matthew's shoulder, his tears soaking Matthew's shirt.

"I wanna run away." Alfred's voice came out shaky. Matthew looked up shock on his face.

"What? No!"

"I wanna run away with you and look after you." Alfred looked extremely determined. Matthew wondered if he'd be able to talk him out of this. Probably not but he was going to try.

"But where would we get the money? Yeah, sure we could steal some cash from mama and papa, but it would only take us so far. Certainly wouldn't feed two people. And neither of us are old enough to get a job. And even after that, no one can see me so I can't be hired. I'd basically be useless."

"I don't care, I'm sick of you being treated like this! I don't want to be here anymore." Alfred whined. He stood up and pulled his suitcase out of the cupboard. "We're leaving, I need to protect you and I can't do that here."

"Alfred!" Matthew protested, but Alfred was already stuffing warm clothes into the suitcase. Luckily the twins were the same size.

"Brother!" He kept on, Alfred continuing to ignore him in favour of packing the suitcase full of things he thought they would need. "Alfred, please!"

Once finished, Alfred snuck out of the room and returned laden with toiletries and blankets, placing these in a second suitcase.

"I'll take this bag and you take that one." Alfred told Matthew. "We'll hide these under the bed and once Mama and Papa are asleep, we get them out and steal some cash from Mama's purse."

He pushed the two suitcases under the bed as he continued. "Mama always has lots of money in her purse, so we nick it and leave out the front door. Then we catch one of those night buses and head north towards Canada."

"Wow, you've put a lot of thought into this." Matthew commented, defeated. He'd given up trying to talk sense into his brother.

"Well, I do think about it a lot when I'm alone." Alfred admitted. They'd finally dug into the bag of chips.

The room was silent after that.

The twins' mother and father had come in to say goodnight hours ago. Their father had done it with worry in his eyes while their mother was still blissfully ignorant.

The house was now silent. Alfred tensed up in bed and Matthew gulped. He was going to do it.

Alfred climbed out of bed, making sure the sound of his feet hitting the ground was virtually non-existent. Matthew followed him, not caring if his footsteps were silent or not. No one ever heard him anyway. Gently, Alfred pulled the suitcases out. The pair winced as the wheels made a screeching sound. They stood, frozen, but nothing happened. So Alfred lifted one of the suitcases onto the bed, Matthew following suit.

Alfred then handed Matthew a pair of trousers and a shirt, keeping another pair for himself. Once the two were dressed and lacing up identical boots, Matthew spoke. But it was more of a whisper.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" When Alfred turned to him, you could see the determination written in his expression. But his eyes betrayed his uncertainty.

"I don't know if this will work," He looked down. "But we need to try."

Matthew grasped his hand. "I'm also unsure, but if you really want to do this then I will follow you." Alfred looked up at him with a thankful gaze, keeping silent. "Even though you're a gigantic oaf, I love you."

Once the pair had shoes on they stepped out of the room, eyes scanning the hall for anyone. Not that there would be anyone but it would be better to be careful.

In the kitchen, their mother's handbag sat, alone and in the open. Alfred rifled through it, finding her purse and taking many notes out of it.

Matthew gulped again when he discarded the purse on the bench and walked casually towards the door, suitcase in tow. Matthew rushed to follow.

It was a little tricky to get the door open. The handle had always been stiff. Alfred rattled it slightly, cringing at the sound it was making. Matthew hoped this wouldn't be the thing that got them caught.

A few more rattles and the door was open. Cold air chilled them to the bone but they continued outward.

It was the closing of the door that really screwed them over. Once the pair were free from the clutches of their childhood home, Alfred was determined to take off as quickly as possible. He let go of the door, expecting it to swing closed soundlessly.

But no. The blasting wind caught the wood and it slammed shut with a bang. The twins eyes widened in fear. A light flickered on and they started moving.

From the window, their parents saw Alfred sprinting with a suitcase out the gate. Alarm bells rang in their heads and the couple split up. Alfred's mother opened the window and yelled for him to come back, while his father rushed out the door to follow his son.

"Alfred!" Matthew cried. "They're coming!" Alfred sped up.

"Alfred." It was his father this time. His tone was a lot different to Matthew's. Angry. "Alfred, come back!"

Alfred and Matthew were running towards the bus stop. Luckily there was a bus there. But it was about to leave.

"Alfred! Please!" His mother had followed them out. Alfred put on another burst of speed. The doors to freedom were closing. The bus pulled away and Alfred cried out in a mixture of fear and disappointment.

Matthew had caught up with his brother, who had fallen to his knees when he saw the bus pull away. "It's okay, Alfred. We tried."

"No!" He yelled. "I need to leave!" Their mother and father were approaching. Alfred slammed his hand against the ground, tears streaming down his face.

Matthew sat down next to Alfred and let him lay in his lap. Their parents finally caught up and his mother's face was heartbroken. She was both confused and absolutely terrified.

"Alfred, why?" Was all she asked. He didn't look up at her. It simply looked like he was lying on the concrete.

His father had come up behind them. He kneeled down and moved Alfred's head to his own lap. "Alfred, what is wrong with you?" Alfred moved his head away. "Alfred, answer me."

"Matthew." His voice was quiet.

"Not this again." His father sighed.

"Who's Matthew?" Alfred's mother asked, calmer this time.

"His brother, he says." His father's voice was getting was getting distant. Immediately alarm bells started ringing in Alfred's head. Spots were appearing in his vision. Matthew also felt light headed.

Before they drifted off completely, Alfred heard one thing. "Matthew is probably his coping mechanism. He's lonely so he dreamed up a brother."

And the twins were then sucked into a black abyss unanimously.

Alfred woke up in an embrace. For a minute he had forgotten what had happened. All that mattered was that both him and Matthew were safe and together.

Then everything came back to him. His heart started pounding against his ribcage and he quickly blinked his eyes open. White walls, white floors. He reached over and shook Matthew awake.

"Mattie! Wake up!" He almost yelled. Matthew yawned slightly. Footsteps echoed behind them, getting closer.

"Good morning Mr Jones." Said a sickly sweet voice and he immediately knew he would hate the person speaking. A cold chill went through him, freezing him to the bone.

A woman with a plump face and chubby cheeks sat across from him. He'd realised that him and Matthew had been squished together on a couch. He helped Matthew sit up and the two sat facing the woman.

She wore a lab coat with shoulder length golden hair and brown eyes. "Now, you must be confused on what is happening," She said. Alfred gulped, her large form was defiantly intimidating.

"Where are we?" Assuming he was talked about both himself and her, she continued.

"This is Blackwood Mental Facility. Your parents admitted you last night. They were very worried about you." She explained, every word making Alfred's heart drop even further.

"Why? They're the ones who should be here."

"Why do you say that?" She asked, the calm never leaving her voice. It was kind of creepy.

"They forgot Matthew." Alfred clutched Matthew's hand tighter, she noticed. "They always forget Matthew!"

"Tell me who Matthew is."

"My brother," He responded quickly. "No one can see him."

She nodded. Her eyes grazed back over his hand, still intertwined in Matthew's.

"So he's here then?"

"Yes."

"Since the last few chapters were pretty short, I've decided to bless you with a rather long one. This is officially the longest chapter yet, 11 pages when I originally wrote it.

I do apologize for the long wait, I kinda lost my muse and my time to do it has cut down.

I would like to thank everyone for leaving kudos and commenting on chapters.

Next chapter will probably be a bit shorter and more filler-ish, but the action will start soon. Don't you guys worry, I've got a lot of interesting things planned for future chapters.

This is the last backstory chapter planned so far. There will be one to explain everything but that will be way into the future."