The Realm of Truth (Book 1) [In the process of editing]

Chapter 7: A Repeat of History

Celeste and I were standing in front of the gates. Luckily, it was still bright outside, so it didn't feel too creepy. Eventually, I'd have to be here on my own, and I'd have to investigate the tombstone myself. "Who's ready to delve in the mysteries of the Brown family?" Celeste asked with such optimism. I took a deep breath and sighed.

"I guess I am." I said, sounding a little bit upbeat.

"Good, I was afraid you'd back out." Celeste said. "Plus, I really didn't want to go on my own." I looked at Celeste and nodded. Celeste was very tan and I wasn't anywhere near where she was in color. I was lightly tanned, and she had the body of a sports girl. She pulled a camera out of her jacket pocket and was ready to take some photos. "Should we take one of our own in front of the gates as an introduction page?"

"Sure, why not."

"Wow, you look glum."

"You're surprised?" My arms were crossed. "I only came here just for the research."

"Fair point." Celeste said, and she frowned. "Come on, let's get going. I'm sure the tombstone is right over here." She walked ahead of me and I was looking around myself. There were dozens of tombstones with a white Baptist church off to the side, and there was a slight breeze that actually made me shiver. I walked along the road and Celeste was standing in front of the tombstone. We looked at the tomb and saw the name and year engraved.

"Wow," I said, with my eyes scrunched together in concern. "They reinforced the tombstone?"

"Probably because they don't want it being stolen." she said, and took a couple photos. There was a metal band that connected to the post in the ground. "Isn't that their plot over there?" she pointed to the triangular stone with a wooden door a while away from us with an evergreen tree. "Alright, I think I got enough photos for the project."

I was still investigating the tombstone until I realized Celeste went silent. "Celeste?" I asked and she looked like she saw a ghost. "You alright?"

"But that's impossible..." she whimpered, and pointed shakily to the woods. "You're here, that can't be you over there. Please tell me that you have a sibling that's pulling creepy pranks."

I looked to where she pointed, but I didn't see anything. "I don't know what you're talking about, Celeste. Are you okay? Did you wanna go back to school? We should probably get going anyways since I think visiting hours are almost over."

"No freaking way." Celeste said, and she was still staring out at the woods. "She looks exactly like you. How can you be in two places at once? Do you have a twin?"

"Maybe." I said, tightly. I just realized who she was talking about, and I silently cursed. I put my hand on her shoulder. "Come on, let's get out of here. It's too dangerous right now to be here."

I don't understand why this is happening to me. I couldn't have a twin... I hurried Celeste out of the tombstone and we opened the doors to her car. She put the key in the ignition. "Celeste, I need you to step on it." I said as I saw my twin heading straight for us. I noticed it wasn't staring straight at me, and I saw the black/red eyes glowing at Celeste. "Right now, and I mean, right now."

"Uhh...o-okay." she said, nervously. She had absolutely no idea what was going on, and I needed her to not be aware of any of this. The only thing I could do is to just tell her that it was definitely my twin sibling, and obviously it's got problems.

Something crashed right onto the side of Celeste's car and I found my head against the glass of the window. "Holy-" I started to say, and I heard Celeste groaning in pain. "Celeste?"

"I couldn't...I don't know what-" There was panic in her voice. I managed to look at her and saw the blood seeping from her, it dripped to her forearms.

We had to leave, now. I tried to unbuckle myself from the seatbelt and I reached over to open the car door next to me, ignoring the sweet nectar of blood. I got out, and stumbled. I looked around but I didn't see anyone anywhere.

"Whoever's out there, would you be so kind as to show yourself so I could rip you apart?" I asked. I sounded like an idiot, yelling out to the open like that. No other cars were around us too as witnesses.

I turned around once more and saw her standing in front of me. On a scale of one to ten, with ten being the most bizarre thing in the world, this was an easy fifteen.

"I can't believe this. I have a twin?"

"Doppelgänger, twin, lookalike...Same thing." She shrugged. I blinked, I didn't think she could talk.

"How is this possible?" I asked.

"Well, there must've been a bloodline somewhere where you're a descendent from a family of mine." She explained. "But hey, at least you have good tastes in looking like me." She smiled in acknowledgement.

"Huh, yeah, too bad I am the better looking one." I retorted back.

"You're the delusional freak."

I lunged myself towards her out of anger and she fought me back. We tumbled and tumbled over as I tried to have the upper hand. I looked down at her amulet. Would it work if I snatched her amulet away? Would she turn to ash?

I reached for her amulet, and then I saw her reach for mine. Okay, so that was a bad idea. I let go quickly, and noticed she let go too. God, this was weird, watching a mirror of myself.

"I'll ask again." I said, as I kept my hands over her fists. I tried to keep them from hitting my face. "What do you want from me?"

We waited for what felt like a while, until she said, "I'm here to ruin your life, basically."

My head felt like it wanted to burst. I had the chance to kill her again, but she pushed me away with great force from her feet and I hit Celeste's car with my back. I grunted in pain and I heard her grunt inside from the jolt. I slid down from the side of the car to the ground, and I looked up to find my doppelganger was gone.

"Celeste? Stay with me!" I said. "I'm going to get some help, okay?"

I reached into my backpack for my phone in the car and I started calling an ambulance.