Two

The Kitchen: Part 2

"You're a two?!" I asked.

"You stole my lighter!" You snapped back, snatching it from me.

"Stole?!" I asked, holding my arms out. "What do you mean?! I just found it lying on the ground! That doesn't change the fact that you're a TWO, and you didn't even tell me!"

"I don't even know WHAT a two is!!" You exclaimed. 

"How could you NOT KNOW!" I exclaimed. "How could you even be a two?! I checked your wrist and everything-"

I paused, remembering that I only checked one wrist. I let out a short breath, then grabbed your left hand, holding it near the lighter, which you were holding in your right hand. Surely enough, there was a tiny 2 engraved, so small that I could hardly see.

"What are you looking at?!" You asked, almost sounding worried.

"THIS RIGHT HERE!" I exclaimed, holding your wrist up so he could see.

"My birthmark?" You asked.

"It's a MARK!" I clarified. "It's your number! You're a TWO!"

"Okay, I get it! Quit yelling! You're saying that like it's a bad thing!" You exclaimed, yanking your hand back.

"That's because IT IS a bad thing!!!" I exclaimed, covering my face and leaning against a wall. "This isn't good, this isn't good!"

A one on its own could grab anyone's attention, but a one AND a two together?! We were basically walking targets now. The fact that the chef knew it only made everything worse. I had no idea how you got through your entire life not knowing that you were a two.

"Why isn't it good?" You asked.

"Because people are afraid of us!!" I explained, holding my arms out. "A one and a two together is exactly what the world is afraid of!"

"Why?" You questioned.

"Because we have the potential for a lot of power! They're afraid of us doing something crazy that could end the world or something!" I cried. I then lowered my hands, a serious expression on my face. "You need to buy gloves and cover that up before anyone sees."

"What?" You cried. "But you're not wearing gloves!!"

"I will be as soon as I find some!" I pointed out, letting out a long sigh. 

The two of us waited for a few moments in awkward silence, though those moments felt like years.

"... Are you mad at me?" You asked after a long time of being quiet. "F-for being a two?"

I frowned.

"... No. I'm not mad," I told you, looking down and remembering all the screaming I've had to endure. All the people trying to find and kill me, just because I had a low number. All the running and fighting. "I'm just... scared."

"I... I'm sorry I yelled at you for the lighter," you breathed, looking down. "I just... it's important to me, so my mind kinda flipped out when I saw you with it." You then flicked the lighter off and held it out to me, softly smiling. "Go on. Take it."

I looked at the shiny metal, which I could now hardly see in the dark atmosphere. I softly smiled at you, then took it, holding it carefully in my hands.

"I promise to keep it safe," I told you.

Not that I was worried about the lighter. I was more worried about you. The world was cruel to ones, but I had no idea what it would do to a two. Would it treat you the same way it treated me, or would it perhaps have a little more kindness to show you?

"Come on," I breathed, turning the lighter back on and looking forward. "Let's just find your brother."

I secretly wondered what kind of powers you had. Could you use them yet? Could you also teleport through mirrors or something? Did the world also hate you and want you to fail? What number was your brother? Was he powerful like you were, or was he different? Were you two even humans?

So many questions, none of which I was brave enough to ask.

. . .

We didn't backtrack into the main area of the kitchen since you dropped your lock picks and it was safe to assume that the chef picked them up, so the next best thing we could do was look around for either another exit or for the key. Luckily I was great at finding keys! 

We stayed low to the ground, walking through what looked to be sleeping quarters for workers. Perhaps it was the chef's room. There were two large beds sitting next to each other in a dark room. One bed was nearly made while the other looked all lumpy.

We were sure we were all alone when we heard the sound of soft snoring. We looked up to see that the lumpy bed wasn't just sloppily made, but actually occupying a person! I covered my mouth and took a brief glance at the person's wrist, which was hanging over the side.

45. A little worse than the 54.

The floor creaked beneath me, causing whoever was sleeping to toss and turn over. Luckily, they didn't wake.

"That's the chef's twin," you whispered in my ear, making me jump a little. I was about to ask you how you knew, when I looked at all the pictures being hung in the room, revealing family photos of twins along with baking competitions involving different kinds of meats. I shuddered, then looked at the sleeping lump. He did look remarkably similar to the chef.

"Okay..." I trailed off, holding up the lighter and scanning the room. It was hard to see what was in the furthest corner away, but on the desk closest to us was a small golden key, set right on top. 

"Bingo," I whispered, looking at you and silently asking you to give me a boost.

You nodded and rushed over, holding your hands down. I nodded at you, then ran and grabbed the top of the counter as you boosted me up. I then gathered all of my strength and pulled myself onto the counter so I could grab the key. The metal was somewhat warm as if it was being held not long ago. I smiled, then attached the key to my belt, right next to my mask. I softly patted the mask, whispering a soft, "Don't worry, we're making progress."

I was about to hop down and come up with a plan for our next steps when I heard a soft noise come from the far corner of the room.

"Psst!" 

You seemed to hear it as well because you immediately turned around and cocked your head to the side, taking a step away from the direction the sound was coming from.

"Psst! Over here!" The voice begged in a short, yet huffy manner.

Your eyes went wide.

"No way," You whispered, stepping towards the dark corner.

"What? What is it?" I quietly asked, not really appreciating the fact that I didn't know what was going on. 

You smiled and looked back at me, holding your hands up as if you were silently asking for the lighter back. I reluctantly agreed and tossed it down to you, carefully getting myself down soon after. You smiled at me, flicked the flame on, then grabbed my arm with your free hand and pulled me towards the dark corner.

"One, I'd like you to meet my brother Mario. Mario, this is my new friend, One!"