The Chosen.

Different

The flicker of the kerosene lamp dances around the dark room of the cabin. Soft murmurs and snores can be heard around the room as they come from my friends mouths. Sloane and I lie snuggled up, her arm wrapped securely around me.

Sloane, Mia, and I sat on the porch of the cabin watching the boys burry the bodies all morning. The ground was hard and dense from the cold temperatures. The rest of our day was spent filling in Sloane and the boys of all the occurrences since we all went missing. My eyes trace the edge of the paper sitting on the kitchen table. I felt as if my heart shattered in my chest when Sloane handed me a missing persons poster, my face printed across the front.

She said my mother was inconsolable for weeks, even taking to sleeping in my dorm next to Sloane when they weren't out looking for me. My father being the tough country man he is, had done a great job of hiding his emotions. But Sloane says when he hugged her his hugs lasted a little longer each time, agony glazed across his eyes when he was finally able to let go. Willow has been staying with my grandmother. It hurts so much to know not only did she lose me but my parents seem to be emotionally gone too.

I want nothing more than to call them up and shout from the rooftops that i'm alive and coming home soon, but i can't. Not until i finish the job i set out to do.

"Which ones yours?" Sloane whispers from slightly above me, breaking the silence.

"Hmm?" I ask.

"The twins. Which one? I see how you look at them i just haven't figured it out yet." She asks again through a small smirk.

"Oh. Neither... well, both... but neither." I try to explain as simply as i can, but it does no help.

"Junie, don't tell me..." She says with implication as she coos at me.

"Remember when i mentioned the twins and i were experimented on as babies... well, the lab soul tied us. Both of the twins are my soul mates. And i don't know how to handle it. I don't want to hurt either of them so i removed myself from the situation." I sigh, looking up at the shiplapped ceiling.

"You can deny your self that kind of love because you're afraid of hurting other people's feelings." She whispers, taking a strand of my long dark hair between her slender fingers.

"Yeah... but i'd never forgive myself if i hurt the twins." i murmur.

"You always think too much. Life is too short June. Just love with out the fear of consequences."

I nod my head. Who knew the best advice of my entire life would come out of the mouth of my erratic best friend Sloane?

"When did that happen?" i gesture my hand towards Georg who lies sleeping across the room next to Tom.

"Probably about four months ago... We hated each other at first. Couldn't stand a thing about him. He was a stiff, too practical about everything. But i think that's exactly what i needed. I've felt like a new person since i met him." She smiles faintly as she speaks of him. i've never heard her talk about a guy this way.

"You do seem different." I mutter.

"You do too." She whispers.

I know she meant it as a good thing, but i don't have the heart to tell her. The trauma i've gone through has shaped me into someone i never thought i'd be.