DISCLAIMER; I DO NOT OWN GHOST HUNT!
Without further ado this is…
Chapter 7 of; 'Uneven Odds'
Gene
He had always been there for him.
Even in the prime of their youth.
Especially in the prime of their youth.
Oliver picked up the photo staring at it, analyzing each and every aspect.
His brother's face was burned into the center of his mind… it wasn't something he'd ever forget.
And that wasn't because they were twins and shared a face.
His face was the last thing staring at Gene's face reminded him of. Besides people had always commented that Gene was the more attractive twin. While Oliver would beg to differ, it wasn't something that could have been helped at the time.
He had refused to speak to anyone much less look at anyone.
Gene on the other hand was bouncing from person introducing himself with new found vigor every time.
He was the brightest of the twins. While he was the dumber twin that term didn't even count considering that his IQ was only three points behind Noll's.
Now he was alone.
Now he was the only twin left… he was more attractive by default.
Oliver wasn't one to mess with religion. He'd happily go along with whatever was expected of him… it was never like he cared much of the works of a being he'd only heard of from prehistoric books.
As far as he knew religion did nothing but cause pain.
But he thought about him a lot.
He thought about God a lot.
He wondered constantly about why… why he had separated two people who had been born together.
They had been born together… didn't that mean something?
Didn't that mean anything?
He wondered why 'he' had gone first… 'He' was the better of the two… 'He' deserved to live longer… to experience more… at least Gene could.
He was born with a happiness unlike any other.
A mind that adapted far too quickly for Oliver's liking.
The ability to sympathize with every and any given situation.
He was a medium… his talents had use.
Noll's only gift was to feel other pain.
He couldn't even bring himself to count the amount of times he'd wished that the rolls were switched.
It didn't make sense… why hadn't he been the first to go?
He placed the picture back down… he had no doubt that it was his girlfriend that had placed it there to begin with.
'Girlfriend…'
Even now the words still felt sour in his mouth.
He'd never asked her… she'd never asked him… it just happened.
Sighing he placed the keys in their tray before taking his jacket off and placing it on its hanger not bothering to turn on the lights.
"Mai?"
Silence greeted him as he walked through the halls of their apartment.
He frowned.
She should have been home by now… but then again, she did way that she needed to go shopping.
Deciding to leave her be Oliver fell into the couch placing his arm over his eyes sighing in relief.
He could hear Cappuccino meowing beside him before he pounced on top of him settling himself against Oliver's chest.
He was getting bigger… that of course was the work of Mai.
He had warned her about cat's size but she had waved him off saying that if he wanted to eat she'd let him.
He placed his arm on top of him gently moving his thumb back and forth digging into his warmth.
Oliver sighed in content as the cats weight finally settled atop his chest comfortably. Cappuccino's rhythmic breathing reminded him so much of Gene's.
He could distinctly remember his brothers sleeping position. He would curl up as tightly as possible pulling his knees as far into his chests as he could.
It was a position that Oliver could only tell looked excruciatingly painful and uncomfortable.
It was a habit he had picked up from living in the orphanages they had gone through.
Seven in all.
The first three he could hardly remember… the memories flooded him randomly while he was doing seemingly petty tasks.
Like, for example, earlier that day while he was placing a book he had used back in its designated area he remembered the library the second orphanage had. It was the only thing that appealed to him.
And two days ago he was brushing his teeth and could remember Gene playing with the soap bars blowing bubbles and getting into trouble for making a mess out of the bathroom.
The fourth orphanage was one of the worst they had stayed at. It had only taken them a week before realizing that if they didn't run away they wouldn't last long.
They were constantly beaten.
For idle things.
If you misbehaved they'd put a bar of soap in your mouth and force you to swallow it. If it wasn't swallowed in fifteen minutes they'd give you another one.
It still boggled his mind that the place was found acceptable by the government… rats surrounded them and the refrigerator, when you were allowed to open it, was full of food that had long gone bad.
Gene would steal food for the both of them risking beatings. It was the reason he learned to sleep the say he did… he'd hide the food under his shirt and pull his knees up to cover the obvious bulge in his clothing.
They had snuck out in the middle of the night on a Saturday. But not before robbing the woman in charge. They had entered her room and stolen the stash of money Naru had seen her use.
They were seven and on the run with only seventy three dollars in their pockets.
They were found living in an ally way and forced into another orphanage.
That's when Gene met the love of his life.
A girl named Emma.
They had fallen for each other instantly.
While she, on the other hand, loathed Noll.
The fifth orphanage was one of the best they had stayed in.
Hot and fresh food served three times a day with snacks served twice.
At the end of the day deserts were given out depending on what you had done in the day. It was a church owned orphanage so religion was something the nuns who owned it constantly referenced.
At the end of the day all 37 children with hold hands and they'd go around the table and ask what our daily accomplishment was.
For Gene it was always something that seemed irrelevant but very important in his eyes. Emma would clap obnoxiously loud no matter what it was.
He couldn't help the smile on his face as he recalled his best memory of that place.
They had been eight at the time.
He had proudly announced that he had graduated from primary school. The nuns had been so proud of him. They cheered and had given him two helpings of ice cream.
When they had gone around to Gene he smirked before standing on top of his chair and clearing his throat.
In a loud and clear voice he had said the following words, "Today… my dearest of friends… I have learned about the finest of interactions between a man and a woman. Yes… I have learned about sex."
It was so silent you could hear a pin drop.
And then all hell broke loose. Laughter so loud Oliver was so sure you could have heard for miles erupted.
But none of them cared.
At least not at that moment.
Gene had looked around confused as to what was so funny…
Naru chuckled running his hand across Cappuccino.
That was when the orphanage had closed down.
They didn't have the funds to stay open.
They had been separated and transferred to two different orphanages.
Even now he couldn't help but shiver at the memory.
They abused him constantly.
If it wasn't the owners than it was the older children who constantly hurt him.
He could remember going to the library across the street and being pulled into an ally way by one of the boys and beaten so hard he could hardly stand.
He had been the youngest at the time and was so secluded that he seemed like the prime target.
But there was one thing that kept his hopes up… it was there that he had met Eve.
The only girl in the entire facility.
She cared for her and often hid him and took the blows herself.
When he was sick she took care of him.
But there was never anything he could do for her.
He could still remember hearing her screaming from the bedrooms. She had banned him from going in when he heard her screaming… she told him to go into their room and hide under the bed with his hands against his ears.
He thought she was being completely irrational at the time but that didn't stop him from following her directions.
They were separated for six months… it was the longest they had ever been separated.
It was on a cold day in August that he had almost lost complete control of himself and his powers.
The eldest there was a boy named James.
An English boy transferred from a European orphanage. He had strapped Oliver down and stripped him almost completely. He and his friends had taken logs from the fireplace and attempted to burn him with them.
That was when she walked in and took his hand and ran out.
He had lost complete control after that.
It was only two days later that he and Gene were reunited. And in the midst of their reunion Oliver had lost sight of Eve.
They searched for her for weeks before hearing news of an orphan found in an ally raped then killed.
At the time he didn't understand what rape was.
If only he had.
They were found by officials and put into the care of the seventh orphanage. A quant place in the Aomori Prefecture north of Tokyo.
A Buddhist temple.
He was there for two years.
They taught him exorcism and Buddhism.
It was then when the lead monk realized that the twins weren't ordinary and called in other psychics.
Luella and Martin Davis were among them.
Luella had barely glanced at the two before pulling out a pen and signing adoption forms.
While it usually would have taken months they were given on the spot.
He still hadn't figured out why.
He was taken to England and given a home and food and love and warmth.
And yet he hated it all.
Every bit.
He hated their fake love and their smiles and their acceptance of a 'freak'.
Luella had hurt him for the first and last time when he had finally told her what he was feeling.
She made sure he understood all too well that what he was feeling was not fake and that they were trying to help him live a normal life.
He had finished high school only three years later at the age of thirteen.
Only to get his degree at the age of sixteen.
He was all set.
And yet something was still missing.
He missed him.
He missed Gene.
The door opened and he could hear a string of curses muttered.
"Naru… what have I told you about the lights!"
He cringed at her voice… the voice he had grown to love.
He chuckled lowly… why is it that he felt this way…?
He watched as Cappuccino jumped off his chest to greet his mother.
Mother…
The thought made him smile.
"What's wrong… are you feeling sick…?"
Noll looked up watching his girlfriend's brows knit together slightly.
He shook his head sitting up, "No. I was just thinking."
She smiled, "About what?"
"That picture."
She turned flashing him a smile, "Luella sent it… she told me to hang it up in front of the door. Hey Naru?"
"Yes?"
"How old were you when that was taken?"
He shrugged standing up pulling her into a hug, "I can't remember."
It was a lie.
Of course.
He could remember the exact place and that the photograph had been taken but he didn't want to.
He had had enough nostalgia for one day.
Thanks for reading the seventh chapter of 'Uneven Odds'
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and I'll see you guys soon for the next edition.
PLEASE IF THERE ARE ANY MISTAKES DON'T HESITATE TO LET ME KNOW!
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See you soon!
-Lucy
