Thorn broke the surface of the lake he used to play. Life had seemed so simple here, while the rest of the world just offered confusion. Nothing seemed right or fair anymore, yet life just carried on. It tortured Thorn.
"Yaaaawwwwwwwww", Thorn howled to the trees around him. So many emotions tore at his insides. The worst of which seemed to drive him. Hatred. He hated his family for abandoning him. He hated Scarlet for ignoring him. He hated the world for carrying on. But most of all, Thorn hated Thorn.
Why, why, why? I feel so wrong, it shouldn't be like this. No one understands me. Not anymore.
Thorn had known the truth for a long time now, but it still ate him up inside. What am I supposed to do? Thorn knew the answer to this question, but still he asks it, hoping everything would somehow magically change.
Thorn took one last look at his childhood, before he ran.
...
Scarlet was so tired, she hadn't slept in months. Her whole life was obsessed with fighting. How to destroy him.
The young hedgehog stalked into her room, locking the door behind her.
"Hello Scarlet, long time no see. Why is that?" Scarlet jumped. She knew that Thorn would appear eventually, but his presence in her room was still unexpected. She looked at him. Thorn was taller and more serious than she remembered. He looked tired and fed up. She understood this.
Scarlet gulped. "Hello Thorn. I've been a bit busy. Why is that any worry of yours anyway?" Scarlet was short and flat.
Thorn smiled. Not a happy smile. More of a, I'm about to eat you now, smile. "I guess I thought you were my friend. Friends stick together. But hey, what's the difference between sticking together, and running from me?"
"Thorn." Scarlet fell to the floor and burst into tears. "I'm . . . I'm sorry Thorn."
The cat didn't move, but his expression softened. Thorn understood what Scarlet was going through. He had been going through it all too recently. "Scarlet–"
"This is all my fault. I pushed, and I kept at it, and I guess I pushed too much. Now my whole world has fallen apart, and so has everyone's around me. You're obviously in hell, my mother's drinking, and Eggman. . ."
Scarlet burst into tears again. She had been holding it in for so long, that she needed a good cry.
"I'm so sorry Thorn."
Thorn walked over to the crumpled heap, pulled her up, and kissed her. Neither Thorn nor Scarlet had ever had a first kiss before, and even if they had, this one would have won by miles. As Thorn kissed Scarlet, she started to kiss back, until they suddenly both pulled away. Then Thorn ran. He had left the window open, and jumped through it. The ship was hovering, but not high enough, for the fall to have hurt. He kept running, until he reached the forest, where he broke down. His feelings for Scarlet were so strong, yet they felt so wrong. He knew that they weren't blood related, but how important is blood anyway?
Thorn curled into a ball, and just lay there. No one understands. I'm in love with my sister. It's wrong. A new thought occurred to Thorn. Am I just embarrassed? Sure I love Scarlet, but who's to say it is wrong? Everyone is a hypocrite. Has there ever been anyone who isn't? A married man says he loves his wife more than anything, and then looks at a younger model. A friend who says forgive, while spiting an ex-partner. A mother who teaches her children not to lie, while making excuses for work. Who hasn't done it, and who are they to say I'm in the wrong?
Thorn sat back in the grass, with a smile on his face. He had finally gotten over the last of his issues. Unfortunately at the same time, Scarlet lay in a pile on her floor, unable to comprehend what just happened.