Twinsies: Double Trouble

Chapter 5

The humid September air clung to Brittany's skin as she approached the old Miller farm, her heart pounding in her chest. She tugged nervously at the hem of her long, modest skirt—an outfit carefully chosen to blend in with the members of The Enlightened Path.

"You can do this," she whispered to herself, remembering Valerie's words of encouragement from their hushed planning session the night before.

As she neared the farmhouse, Brittany spotted a group of young women tending to a vegetable garden. Taking a deep breath, she plastered on her most convincing smile and approached them.

"Excuse me," Brittany called out, her voice shakier than she'd intended. "I'm... I'm interested in learning more about The Enlightened Path. Is there someone I could speak to?"

The women looked up, exchanging glances that Brittany couldn't quite read. Finally, one of them—a girl about Brittany's age with long blonde hair—stepped forward.

"I'm Molly," she said, her voice soft but guarded. "What brings you to us?"

Brittany launched into the story she, Valerie, and Tom had concocted. "I've been feeling lost lately, searching for meaning. I heard about your community and... well, I was hoping you could tell me more about your beliefs."

Molly's face softened slightly. "Of course. Why don't you come inside? We can talk there."

As Brittany followed Molly into the farmhouse, she couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. She glanced over her shoulder, catching sight of an older man observing them from an upstairs window. A chill ran down her spine.

Inside, the farmhouse was sparsely furnished but meticulously clean. Molly led Brittany to a small sitting room and gestured for her to take a seat.

"So," Molly began, folding her hands in her lap, "what would you like to know about The Enlightened Path?"

Brittany's mind raced. She needed to find out about Kentwood and Kirsten without raising suspicion. "Well, I guess I'm curious about how you all came together. Have you been here long?"

Molly smiled, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Our community has existed for generations, but we only recently moved to this farm. We came here to escape the corruption of the outside world and live according to our true purpose."

"That sounds... peaceful," Brittany said, trying to keep her voice steady. "Do you have other communities like this one?"

A flicker of something—suspicion? fear?—passed over Molly's face. "Why do you ask?"

Brittany's heart raced. She was treading on dangerous ground. "Oh, I just wondered if there were other places where people live like this. It seems so different from what I'm used to."

Molly relaxed slightly. "We have sister communities, yes. But we don't discuss their locations with outsiders. You understand, I'm sure."

Brittany nodded, her mind working furiously to find another angle. "Of course. It's just... well, I have a friend who I think might have visited one of your communities recently. Her name is Kirsten. I was wondering if maybe you'd met her?"

The change in Molly's demeanor was instant and alarming. Her eyes widened, and she stood abruptly. "I think you should leave now."

Brittany stood too, panic rising in her throat. "Wait, please! I'm just worried about her. She's been missing, and I thought maybe—"

"I said leave," Molly repeated, her voice hard. But as she moved to usher Brittany out, she leaned in close and whispered, "Meet me behind the barn in ten minutes. Come alone."

Confused and frightened, Brittany allowed herself to be led to the door. As she stepped outside, she saw Valerie and Tom waiting in Tom's truck down the road, just as they'd planned. She gave them a subtle signal to wait, then made her way around the side of the house towards the barn.

The ten-minute wait felt like an eternity. Brittany's every nerve was on high alert, certain that at any moment she'd be discovered. Finally, she heard soft footsteps approaching.

Molly appeared around the corner of the barn, her eyes darting nervously. "We don't have much time," she said in a hushed voice. "You shouldn't have come here asking questions. It's dangerous."

"Please," Brittany pleaded, "I just want to find my friend. Do you know where Kirsten is?"

Molly hesitated, then nodded. "She was here, a few days ago. She was asking questions too—about Alex, about a book he'd shown her. The elders... they weren't happy."

Brittany's heart sank. "What happened to her?"

"They sent her to Kentwood," Molly said, her voice barely above a whisper. "To the Great Church. That's where they send people who need to be... reeducated."

A chill ran down Brittany's spine. "Where's Kentwood? How do I find this church?"

Molly opened her mouth to respond, but suddenly her eyes widened in fear. "Someone's coming. You need to go, now!"

Brittany turned to see two men rounding the corner of the barn, their faces set in grim expressions. Without thinking, she bolted, running as fast as she could towards the road where Tom and Valerie waited.

She heard shouts behind her, the sound of pursuit. Her lungs burned as she pushed herself harder, the truck seeming impossibly far away.

Suddenly, the truck's engine roared to life. It sped towards her, Valerie leaning out the passenger window. "Britt! Come on!"

With a final burst of speed, Brittany reached the truck. Valerie's hand grasped hers, pulling her into the cab as Tom floored the accelerator. They sped away, leaving a cloud of dust and angry shouts in their wake.

As they raced down the country road, Brittany gasped for air, her heart pounding. "Val," she panted, "I know where Kirsten is. She's in Kentwood, at something called the Great Church. But I still don't know where Kentwood is."

Valerie's face was grim as she nodded. "Then that's our next step. We find Kentwood, and we find that church."

As Tom's truck carried them back towards Sanhattan, Brittany couldn't shake the image of Molly's frightened face, or the ominous words about "reeducation." Whatever was happening in Kentwood, she knew with chilling certainty that Kirsten was in grave danger.

The race to save their friend had become a race against time—and against forces far more sinister than they had ever imagined.