Chapter 9

George kept quiet as we walked down the hallway. I glanced at him from the side as we walked. I studied him. I knew Fred would look just like that. He would act just like that too. Being with George gave me a longing I had never felt before.

We slowly walked towards my quarters. When I reached the end point, I sat down like usual and waited.

"Needing to talk?" The correct familiar voice broke through the silence.

I stood up and turned.

There was George, watching me, solid and alive.

There was Fred, watching me, wispy and wonderful.

Then Fred saw him.

He sunk slowly to the floor as if he was standing with us.

"Why didn't you tell me you were a twin?" I asked him as he stared at his brother. George's eyes grew wide as he watched me talk into thin air.

"Is he…is he here? Is Fred here?" George gasped back a sob and tried to look around to find his brother. I shook my head yes.

I watched the brothers, a few feet apart. Fred wanted to touch George as much as George wanted to see Fred.

"Tell him I miss him." George couldn't hold back the tears. I could hear Fred starting to sob too.

"He can hear you."

"Ask him…" Fred tried to contain himself, "Ask him if he ever created the whirring wingdings we had talked about."

"He's asking about whirring wingdings." I turned to George. George let out a cry and fell to the floor.

"I did Fred, I did." George fought his sobs, "And I created many other things. And I got married Fred. To Angelina. I….I wish you could have been there. You were to be my best man Fred…and now, now we're going to have a baby." George's sobs echoed the tears that flowed down Fred's face. "If it's a boy," George gasped, "I'm going to name him Fred." He broke down again, sitting crumpled on the floor.

"Tell him," Fred barely held it together, "Tell him I'm sorry. That I didn't mean to leave him so soon."

"He said he was sorry," My throat tightened as my eyes filled with tears. "He didn't mean to leave you so soon." I could feel the wetness fall down my face.

"I don't want to live this life without you." George lost all control. The very center of George's soul wept. I walked over and gently placed my hand on his shoulder.

"Tell him that I see he's still holy." Fred smiled through his tears.

"He says you're still holy." I repeated. George felt the side of his head where his ear should have been. He laughed through his pain.

"I wish I could see you." George talked into the air.

"He wants to know how the family is doing."

George talked into the air and updated his brother on their family. They couldn't see each other but I could see both of them. They had to have been a pair. I felt a longing and a sadness as I watched them. George kept on talking.

I stood there and watched them.

Two mirror images.

Only one had begun to fade.