A/N- Yaya, I've got another chapter here for you all! By the way, I added something in the prologue of this fanfic, so feel free to go check it out if it piques your interest! I hope you enjoy this chapter, and I will get on with responding to replies!

Mushishixxxholic: Thank ye!

Plague Doctor 2035: Thank you so much, my friend! Lol, I certainly try my best when it comes to writing, and I'm super glad that people seem to enjoy what I bring out! And thank you for what you said in your other review and for giving me a heads-up about the subject that I'll keep anonymous ^^

princesspuresarahk: Well, you're in luck! You now get to read the next chapter! Perfect timing, too XD

Chapter 5

After escaping those rounds of gunshots, Gemina and the Great Prince came to a halt somewhere within the woods, safe from harm. Gemina's heart beat erratically as tears still blanketed her eyes, her body shaking uncontrollably. Fear thickened her throat, making it hard to breathe as her body had been fed with so many aches that she could hardly stand, and if the Great Prince hadn't been there to barricade her fall at that moment, she would've passed out from the amount of horror and exhaustion binding her.

I… almost died, Gemina realized, dread pooling in her gut. I almost died… again.

"Gem!" Gemina and the Great Prince brought their gazes up to see a worried Friend Owl just now perching on a tree branch. "Gem, are you alright? I came looking for you when I heard that Man was here."

Gemina's voice was lost in her throat, failing to utter a word. What was she supposed to say? What were you even supposed to say in a situation like this? She was too wrapped up in her thoughts, feeling so small and helpless, like when someone gets stage fright in a school play.

"What were you thinking?!" The Great Prince got across in a steely voice, making Gemina flinch. "Do you realize what could have happened to you back there?! Man may have been your friend where you came from, but Man is the enemy here! Think rationally the next time Man steps foot into these forests before you decide to try and seek them out! Do you understand?!"

Gemina squeezed her icy-blue eyes shut, her lips trembling as her ears were pinned against her head. More tears threatened to escape her, and she was still frightened out of her mind to utter a word. She could still hear those gunshots echoing in her eardrums and couldn't remove the images from her mind's eye of the events that occurred, like when that quail got shot to death. Gemina wished she could erase all that and forget that it ever happened… but she couldn't, and while those images came rushing in all at once, it felt like a vise was trying to close her lungs while in the middle of trying to catch her breath.

Friend Owl glided to a tree limb closest to Gemina and gently rubbed the back of her neck. "Come along, let's get you back to your den," he said caringly, like a grandparent trying to comfort their grandchild.

All Gemina could reply with was a weak nod, and as soon as Friend Owl took wing, the white doe slowly followed along with her head hanging dolefully, not once sparing the Great Prince a glance over her shoulder, even as she could feel his gaze burning into her.

The Great Prince watched Gemina for several more beats and then sighed when she and Friend Owl were gone from sight. He realized she was shaken and scared, but she had to understand that Man always meant danger. Man didn't care what happened to any of the animals, just so long as they could collect a few bodies or more for the flesh, hides, and bones. It didn't matter how the stories of them were told, as everyone in these forests knew that you should never trust Man.

In Gemina's case, it appeared that she grew up with Man her entire life—raised by them, to be exact.

It all explained her odd behavior and why the scent hanging around her smelled like Man's. She had been brainwashed and stripped of her childhood from the wildlife, almost like the other Man-touched animals Man had in their control and enslaved. It was so cruel and awful that such a thing could happen, like being the hunted, if not worse. The Great Prince could only imagine all of which Gemina had been through, and yet, it begged one question. How did she end up in these forests in the first place?

After Friend Owl helped guide her back to the den, Gemina was lying all alone in it, her ears still flattened against her head, wallowing in sorrow. She barely moved from her spot, even as nighttime soon settled in. How could she have been so naive to think that a random human would swoop in to rescue and help her like a knight in shining armor, especially as she now was a deer? Her hopes were so high a while ago that she didn't consider this carefully. However, after the events that transpired, she saw her situation from a whole new perspective.

As long as she was a deer, communicating with the other humans was but impossible; they would never understand her.

Gemina was lost on what to do. How was she ever going to be human again? How was she ever going to get back home? What of her family? Would she even last out here? These questions were too impossible for Gemina to answer that she scrunched her eyes shut as if all her worries would suddenly vanish in a snap. She felt so hopeless… weak… afraid. It was like she was now stuck in a hole she could never escape.

Gemina managed to pry her eyes open and gazed beyond the forest longingly, the depression hitting her hard when she thought of her family, her human body, and the moment she caught Josh cheating on her with Desiree. Everything was happening too fast for her, too much to process. Her world had shaken and shattered into more pieces—if it hadn't already—and piecing her life back together seemed too far from her reach.

A faint sigh slipped from her lips, and she decided to try and get some sleep. Before she did, Gemina did something she wished she could do in front of her family. "Goodnight, Mom," she whispered into the night. "Goodnight, Dad… Goodnight, Jesse…" The next name she was about to bid goodnight to was clogged in her throat, and a fresh sob wracked her body, tears quivering down her cheeks as she closed her eyes, begging for sleep to overtake her with her heart aching to go home more than anything.

6/13/1961

11:45 am

The Kellgers family was on their way to a commercial audition for a cereal brand that Gemina wanted to try and land so she could start her acting career after graduating high school. She wasn't anticipating that she'd be chosen, but it never hurts to try. Besides she also promised her parents that she wouldn't go to any casting calls until she got her high school diploma.

Gemina always liked the idea of acting as someone or even something. Heck, even when she was little, she loved to play dress up and have tea parties with Gemini and their toys, and now she was in school plays, mainly getting the leading roles in them due to her outstanding singing and acting. If her acting career didn't go so well, Gemina had a backup plan: going into the baking career as she did like—no loved—to bake sweet treats and had quite the sweet tooth.

While Gemina usually drove herself to these commercial auditions, this audition was far out, so her parents offered to drive her there. Plus, they wanted to support her, and this was their way of showing that. Gemina was so thankful to them.

"Okay, give me your best smile," Gemini said, wanting her twin to do just that as she was helping her prepare for the audition.

Not arguing with the request, Gemina pulled her lips into the best smile she could muster, flashing her pearly white teeth.

"Don't force it; they'll think you're not serious about the audition. Make them believe that you're ready to take on the role. Oh, and make sure your voice sounds cheerful, too. That might get you better chances."

"And yet you've never auditioned for a role in your life," Gemina pointed out.

A sassy smirk tugged at the corner of Gemini's mouth. "I think I know what I'm talking about. Do you doubt your older twin sister?"

"Do you really want me to answer that?"

"Hey, let's not forget I made that outfit for you for your audition."

Gemini was striving to be a fashion designer and was pretty good at drawing out ideas for clothes and then whipping them up. The outfit she made for Gemina was a sherbet pink polka dot dress with thin straps, a knee-length skirt, sherbet orange trimming with the same color as the ribbon around the waist, and four buttons lining down the bodice. It was easy to move in, and it never once suffocated Gemina—the perfect outfit for the summertime and a commercial audition.

Gemina snorted in response. "Fair enough. I don't doubt you."

Pride took over Gemini's features. "And that was music to my ears."

"Are we there yet?" Jesse whined as he was sandwiched between the twins in the backseat.

"No, son," their dad responded as he focused on the road while driving. "We still got quite a ways to go and are not even five minutes in."

Jesse squirmed in his seat. "But it's so uncomfortable back here. Why did you even make me go?"

"Jesse, we talked about this: we're here to support your sister's acting career, and you won't get to see her and Gemini a lot once they graduate high school in a few more years. It'll be good for us to make the most of it with your sisters before that time comes."

"Yeah, and besides," Gemini casually commented to Jesse, "it's not like you even got anything better to do, especially given that you're still a kid."

A line appeared in between Jesse's brow as he crossed his arms. "I do, too."

"Picking your nose and eating the boogers doesn't count."

"I don't do that!" Jesse swiveled his head to their parents. "Mom, Dad! Gemini's doing it again!"

Gemini wasn't bothered by Jesse's tattletailing and just seemed amused. "Are you really going to be a crybaby about that? You're so bad at sibling banters."

Jesse set his narrowed gaze back on her. "Meanie!"

"Shorty."

"Knock it off, you two," their dad scolded them.

"She started it, though!" Jesse complained.

"Jesse, I'll make you a deal," Gemina chimed in before things escalated. "If you support me today and do not complain about this car trip to the commercial audition and back home, I'll bake you your favorite dessert."

At what she said, Jesse's eyes lit up. "Pineapple upside-down cake?"

A smile shaped Gemina's mouth. "You know it."

Jesse thought it over, but it didn't take him long to decide. "Okay…"

If anyone asked Jesse who his favorite sister was, he would admittedly choose Gemina. Not just because she made tasty treats but also because she didn't pick on him much like Gemini. Gemina loved her brother, but he was sometimes difficult to deal with.

"Gemina, you know I don't like it when you bribe your brother with treats," their mother then spoke up.

"I don't always do that," Gemina tried to defend herself.

"I don't mind," Jesse piped up, "because I know that she'll make the treats, and they're sooooo good."

"I'm more concerned about you losing your appetite," their mother clarified. "No dessert until after your main meals of the day."

"Aww…"

"Your mother's right," their father came in. "The day's main meals are more important than dessert."

Gemina did not argue against that. While she loved sweets, she always tried to keep her weight under control whenever possible. She was still a healthy girl, though, so she had nothing to worry about.

The Kellgers family eventually rolled to a stop at a gas station and parked their Mercedes next to a gas pump. They all got out and stretched their legs a little, and the kids' father went to feed the gas pump some money. As he was, Gemini noticed a familiar Ferrari.

"Say, isn't that Mayor Wendell's car?" She asked, drawing the family's attention to it.

"It certainly looks like it," the kids' father replied. "Must've had the same idea we did."

"And it appears he did as well," the kids' mother said with disdain in her voice, and they all noticed her looking at another vehicle: a Dodge Farm truck.

Gemina immediately recognized it, and what she saw in the trunk almost made her emit a gasp. There was a red fox in a cage trap, and it looked like it was dead. It was hard to tell, though, as it was curled up in a ball.

"Would you look at that! Open Season isn't for a few more months, and Laurence already killed a fox." the kid's mother growled with frustration. "That guy really gets on my nerves."

The twins mirrored each other's expressions and pursed their lips.

Laurence Garret was not very well-liked by anyone, the Kellgers family especially. He was a farmer and was known to be an avid hunter. Not only that, he often got into trouble with the law. Gemina couldn't even fathom how that guy was still roaming the streets and was not spending time behind bars. Her parents have been trying to seek justice and get Laurence arrested ever since he almost 'accidentally' shot one of the kids, and so far, they weren't having any luck, but they wouldn't give up until the guy was in jail.

"Perhaps Mayor Wendell can do something about this since he's here," the kid's father thought. He dragged his gaze to the kids. "Kids, you stay here. Your mother and I have some business to take care of. And girls, while we're inside, can one of you fill-up the gas tank?"

"Don't worry, Dad," Gemina assured him. "We'll take care of it."

Knowing they would, their parents went inside the gas station store to confront Laurence Garret about the caged fox and speak with the mayor about it.

Gemina went to insert the gas pump into the gas tank, and right as she was filling it up, she and her siblings heard some scratching and rattling. They lifted their heads to see the fox was alive and trying to escape his cramped prison.

"Oh, hell no," Gemini said in disapproval and ran over to Laurence's truck.

"Gemini," Gemina called out through her teeth. She quickly told Jesse how to use the gas pump so the Mercedes could still get gas and then hurried over to her sister. "Gemini, Mr. Garret's going to see you."

"Screw him, he's got no respect for anyone, especially not animals. I'm not going to let him hurt this poor fox." Gemini then scanned her surroundings to ensure the coast was clear before attempting to open the cage. "You know how he is, Gem: he has no remorse for anyone or anything. You know that we gotta help this fox."

A sigh escaped Gemina's lips, knowing her sister was right. Quite frankly, she didn't want Laurence Garret to kill that poor fox, especially when it was not Open Season yet. Besides, how could she say no when that fox was shaking in fear and had no idea what was happening?

Her jaw set with determination, Gemina told Gemini, "Let's do this."

With that, Gemini helped her sister with the cage, and after a few seconds of meddling with it, they were able to slide open the door. The fox carefully approached the opening, sniffing around him and flicking his ears. He then darted his gaze between the twins, and seeing that he was now free, it almost looked like he gave them a thankful look before jumping off the trunk and scampering toward the woods.

"Bye, little guy," Gemini said her farewell to the fox as he got farther away.

A smile took over Gemina's face, feeling a rush after helping that fox. It felt so good and right. However, the moment didn't last long when the gas station store door suddenly flew open with such force as the doorbell rang.

"Hey!" A masculine voice shouted that Gemina recognized, and her heart stopped in her chest. "He's gettin' away!"

The girls turned around to see Laurence Garret at the doorway, his rifle aiming toward the fox, and they let out a gasp. However, someone came rushing out of the gas station store and pushed the rifle up toward the sky right as Laurence pulled the trigger, a gunshot shattering the air.

"Kids!" The kids' mother screamed, and she and their father burst out of the store and sprinted to where the girls were.

"Girls, you alright?" Their father asked, worried.

"We're fine, Dad," Gemini reassured him.

"Where's Jesse?" Their mother then queried.

"I'm still over here!" Jesse cried out, popping up from where he was hiding by the Mercedes and had abandoned the gas pump that was now leaking gas.

Their parents sighed with relief and then quickly ushered the girls to the car, and as they were, Gemina saw that it had been the mayor who stopped Laurence from shooting that fox. Thank god… She thought, grateful for what Mayor Wendell did.

"Laurence!" The mayor reprimanded the farmer. "No shooting in town!" Mayor Wendell was much smaller than Laurence Garret, but he still had authority over him.

"But, the Kellgers girls went over to my truck and uncaged my fox!" The farmer protested. "Didn't you see them?!"

The mayor laughed with disbelief. "You've been living in the woods too long, Laurence!"

Laurence Garret threw his ticked-off gaze toward the twins. He was a tall, slender, muscular white man with a greasy black mullet, a standard goatee, amber-brown eyes, a large hooked nose, and poorly shaped yellow teeth. He was disgusting to look at, not just because of his appearance but also because of his personality.

"I saw you girls uncage my fox," Laurence fired his words at Gemina and Gemini. "You may look innocent, but you're not."

"Funny when you say that when you've had quite the history of breaking the law," Gemini countered. "We don't feel guilty about what we did because it was right, asshole."

"Gemini," the kids' mother said, trying to keep the eldest kid's mouth shut.

"Might want to watch your tongue, hippie," Laurence sneered. "A sharp tongue like that won't get you anywhere in life."

"You can go to Hell for all I care, and I hope you catch a deadly disease," Gemini bit out. "Better yet, I hope a bear mauls you."

"Kids, let's go," the kids' father ordered. "Get in the car."

Gemina grabbed her sister's hand and tried to get her in the car, worry burrowing in her chest. "Come on, Gem."

"Enjoy the rest of your day," Laurence taunted them. "And you girls better think twice before–"

"Laurence, I strongly suggest you get in your vehicle," the mayor warned the farmer, "or I'll have to get the police involved." He then looked at the Kellgers, giving them an apologetic look, and they could see that he'd handle this.

Accepting it, the family then retreated into the Mercedes and drove away.

Relief washed over Gemina as she rested her hand on her head. She always felt uncomfortable whenever she saw Laurence Garret and was glad they left.

"Girls, that was risky what you did there," their mother spoke to them, concern laced in her voice.

"Mom, relax," Gemini calmly spoke. "No one got hurt, and that's all that matters."

"Still, I don't even want to think about what could've happened if–"

"Honey, don't worry," the kids' father cut off their mother's sentence. "As long as they're not alone with Laurence, they're safe. They know not to go near him anyway."

"I have a bad feeling that we made an even bigger enemy of him now."

"All the more reason why he should be locked in jail, and we'll keep fighting to make that happen. If he tries to hurt them, though, he's got another thing coming."

Gemina, Gemini, and Jesse glanced at each other briefly before holding each other's hands as if that would keep them safe from harm. They argued and disagreed, but their sibling bond was strong, and so was this family. Gemina knew that whatever happened, they would try and keep each other safe, no matter what.

Present Day

9/19/1963

7:01 am

Sunlight filtered in through the den, stirring her awake. Gemina's eyes were red and puffy from crying all night, and she barely had the energy to get up. All she could do was zone out and remain in her position. She looked like she had woken up from the dead.

A gusty sigh left Gemina. After what happened yesterday, she didn't think she'd return to the meadow anytime soon. It was too risky, and as long as she was a wobbling mess, she would keep as far as she could from the meadow. Gemina wasn't sure how long, but it was better than receiving a gunshot wound.

As she was in her thoughts, someone landed in front of her. "Gem?" The voice of Friend Owl's spoke, sounding worried.

Gemina didn't utter a word, mute as a fish.

"Gem, I know you're still frightened about what happened, but you have nothing to worry about now."

You're wrong, Gemina wanted to say out loud. I have too much to worry about…

Friend Owl sighed when he was only met with silence. "Do you wish to get something to eat? Perhaps go on a little walk?"

Gemina still didn't answer.

"Well, if you need me, I won't be far. Just holler out to me if you need anything."

Friend Owl waited to see if she would say something or even acknowledge what he said with some kind of body language, but Gemina did not at all. The old owl took flight without another word, leaving the white doe be. Gemina wasn't giving Friend Owl the silent treatment on purpose. She just couldn't bring herself to speak at all, and she felt like if she even tried to talk, she'd only end up sobbing again.

Gemina never wanted this life, and now she was forced to survive out here. Why? What did she ever do to deserve this? She was not cut out for this at all. If anything, she may die for good without another chance at life. Gemina was scared for the future to come.

The poor girl, Friend Owl, sadly thought as he latched onto a tree branch.

Yesterday seemed to have traumatized Gemina, and Friend Owl was very concerned for her mental health. He did not want to leave her like that and wanted to help her in any way he could, even if she was touched by Man, and it appeared that the Great Prince was right about that. Friend Owl wanted to ask Gemina, though, if it were true— when she recovered from yesterday's events, of course—and whether or not it was, it would not matter to him as it was clear either way that she needed help.

Friend Owl swore he'd be someone Gemina could rely on for that. Did he care what anyone thought? No. She was just trying to do what every animal in these forests does: survive. Surely, she could pick up on the natural ways of living in the wild in no time, right?

It remains to be seen, Friend Owl knew. But perhaps there is hope for her. She just has to believe that, even in the most dangerous of moments.