Changes // Toni Shalifoe (DISCONTINUED)

2:1

Day 23

"I know this isn't easy to talk about. But we need to hear your side of what happened that day, Emma." Dr. Faber says, looking at the brunette whose eyes gloss over.

"Do any of you have siblings? Kids?"

"I have a daughter." Agent Young says.

"And how would you feel watching them die?" No one answers, "Losing someone you love is one of the worst experiences someone can go through. We all have to face it one day. But something that very few will understand is losing a twin. It's the worst, unimaginable pain someone can feel."

"From our file, we can see you lost a twin. It was one of the reasons you were signed up for the Dawn of Eve."

"Ethan... yeah. I guess it's good that Rachel never saw Nora's body. Having that image would haunt you forever." I take a breath, "We weren't able to see them, but we could hear them in the water. We saw flashes of dark hair and red. It was Dot who found Rachel at shore. Her arm gone, already feeling the pain of losing her twin. Both physically and emotionally," Both Agent Young and Faber look at me, "Losing your other half really tears your soul to pieces."

"Rachel!" Dot shouts, finding the girl on shore. I push myself out of Toni's arms and go to help Dot with the girl. I tear my shirt off and hand it to Dot, who gladly takes it and prepares it to wrap around Rachel's arm... stump, "Hold her down." Dot says, "We're gonna have to cauterize it."

I grab Rachel's arm. Some of the girls were frozen, but Toni, Fatin, Martha and Shelby were the first to come over and help. Dot grabbed the axe, putting it in the fire. She gulps, walking over to Rachel and puts the burning axe on her stump. I jump when Rachel screams, but try to focus on helping her.

Once the wound is cauterized, Dot takes my torn shirt and wraps it around Rachel's now missing hand. Rachel ends up passing out from the pain. Her screams silenced and no longer filling the scared and tense atmosphere.

"I-I'll make a sling." I tell the group. My voice shaking as I walk away from the group. I quickly look at Leah who is standing there frozen.

"We became really close after that. Bonded over shared trauma, I guess. Some of us held it together. Other's completely broke. But we had each other, at least."

I feel slight tears fall down my face as I look through the clothes to find any we can spare to make a sling. Rachel's screams still echo in my head.

I jump when I feel someone place their hand on my shoulder. When I turn around, Toni is standing there with her hands up slightly, "Hey. Are you okay?"

"N-no... Nora's... Rachel-" Toni doesn't let me finish my sentence before pulling me into a hug. I wrap my arms around her, letting myself relax as a small sob comes out.

Toni doesn't say anything. We both know there is nothing to say. Nora was gone. She drifted away into the ocean... just, gone.

I remember seeing her with the phone. Something was going on, and now, I can't even confront her. Maybe all this time Leah was right, and there is something wrong about the island, but there is no way of finding out.

God, what is wrong with me? Nora is gone and I can't help but wonder what fucked up shit was going on? I need to focus on Rachel. Making sure she's okay.

I pull away from Toni, wiping my eyes, "I should get this to Dot. Make sure we sling up Rachel's arm."

Toni nods at me. Grabbing my hand comfortingly and walking us over to Dot who is sitting next to an unconscious Rachel. I can't help but see the complete exhaustion coming from Dot. She's really had to keep herself together, always.

When I sit next to Dot, I start to work on building the sling, "Here, I can-" Dot starts but I cut her off.

"It's okay, you've already done enough. I can do this." I tell her. Dot nods appreciatively at me, looking back down at Rachel.

"How are we going to handle this?" Dot asks. Shelby, Martha, Fatin and Toni come over and look at her.

"What do you mean?" Martha asks.

"Nora... being gone. How are we going to handle it with Rachel?"

"Let her process," I say, "Rachel's gonna feel a lot of pain. Both physically and mentally. She asks something, we do it. She needs comfort, we provide it. But moving forward, the Rachel we knew is gone."

"Gone?" Shelby asks.

"Losing a twin kills you. It changes you. You lose a part of yourself. She's gonna change." I say. Most of the group stay quiet. In this situation, I'm the only one who actually knows how Rachel will feel.

Losing a twin changes you. It changed me.

~~

Leah and Fatin emerge from the woods. Fatin has a conflicted look on her face while Leah looks crazed. Her eyes are puffy and red while her body is stiff. I get up and walk over to Leah, smiling at Fatin quickly.

"Can I talk to you?" I ask Leah who nods at me. I grab her hand, dragging her into the woods and farther away from camp.

When we get to a more remote section, Leah looks at me with a confused look, "What are yo-"

"I believe you, okay?"

"Yo-you do?" Leah looks at me, shocked that someone was actually listening. Actually believing what she has been thinking. Maybe she wasn't crazy.

Or maybe we both were.

"Yes... well, kinda. I-I saw Nora with a phone. Right before, well," I sigh, shaking my head, "Whatever. I heard you screaming her name. Nora was acting... strange. I found her on the phone. I don't know what's going on, or what she was doing, but I want you to know that you're not alone. I believe you."

"We-we have to tell Rachel. We have to tell the others-"

"No," I cut Leah off, "You are not going to tell Rachel. When she wakes up... she's going to be devastated. God who knows how bad she will be but she will sure as hell not be in the state to have her sister be accused. We have to be smart about this. Find evidence."

"O-okay." Leah nods, "Evidence. When? How?"

"Let me work through it. No offence you look like a walking time bomb," When Leah opens her mouth to speak, I cut her off and shake my head, "We will figure this out, Leah. Just know, you're not alone."

"I'm not alone." Leah whispers to herself. She looks up at me, her eyes watering, "Thank you."

"Of course," I whispers, "We just need to be smart. Keep it between the two of us until we can find something to help convince the others. Can you do that?"

"Yeah," Leah nods, "I can."

"Near the end of this experience, you got close with some of the girls your hadn't been with before. Care to explain why?" Faber asks.

I shrug, "Finally seeing eye-to-eye, I guess."

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We are in season 2 now baby!!!

Thank you to everyone who replied to my previous update! It was all so helpful and I really appreciated the responses!

I don't want to give away anything, so I'm not gonna say what I'm doing, but I hope you all enjoy because I am so excited to continue Emma's story ;)