Elenor 'Nell' Bennett is an overworked and underappreciated cake decorator. Stressed out after being taken advantage of yet again by her manipulative and gaslighting manager, she joins her sister on a trip to Costa Rica. One day while hiking, in the...
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The first sign that I was not in my universe was the bitterly cold wind. Shivers ran down my spine, which chilled me to the core. Gone were the heat, humidity and smells of the Australian bush. Instead, I found myself standing on top of the stairs that were now placed in a field of snow. My heart leapt in joy at the thought of being reunited with Jimin, and as I began my descent down the steps, I froze.
I was here... But not alone.
Standing on the last step, shivering from the biting wind, was my twin sister. Panic ran through me as I rushed down the steps towards her. I had no idea she was still on the staircase as I said the words, nor that she could also be transported the same way I was. As I slipped the winter coat over her shaking shoulders, I murmured a rushed chant of 'I'm sorry' over and over again.
"N-N-Nell, wha-at's h-happening?" Esther's question was broken by her uncontrollable stuttering from all her shivering. "Whe-ere are w-we? H-h-how d-d-d-d-id I get h-h-here?"
I engulfed her in my arms as I tried to pass some of my body heat into her. All I felt was an immense sense of worry. Guilt and panic rose within me as I tried to prevent her from going into shock from the cold. Esther was dressed for the summer heat—the short shorts and thin t-shirt she wore provided no warmth from the cold. Her lips were turning a similar shade of blue as the dress that I wore.
I yanked the cosy woollen dress over my head; the thermals I wore underneath kept me warm enough that I didn't need the other layer. I slipped the coat from my sister's shoulders and dressed her in the blue garment. As I was slipping the coat back on over the top, I heard a shocked gasp, followed by hurried footsteps crunching over the snow.
"Baby? Have I been missing you so much that I'm seeing double?" Jimin sounded confused as he took in the sight of not only me on the stairs in his universe but also my twin sister.
"Jiminie, help me warm her up, please," I pleaded, trying to convey the urgency of the situation. My voice shook as I frantically tried to soothe my frightened sister and warm her up. I wanted to cry as Jimin ran in the opposite direction.
Was he abandoning me as soon as I had come back to him?
I breathed a sigh of relief as I saw him coming back. My breath billowed from my body like a plume of smoke.
"Here, use these," he said, handing over the large bundle of blankets, "And see if you can get her to drink this. It will warm her from the inside out."
I grabbed the thermos and poured some of the steaming liquid into the accompanying cup. The aroma was unmistakable; it was the scent of pine needle tea, which he frequently brewed for me as a preventative measure against illness during the colder months I'd spent with him. I brought the cup to Esther's lips and helped her take in the hot beverage. I was able to encourage her to drink about half of the tea, which brought back the natural pink hue to her lips.
