ɢʀօաȶɦ, աɛ ɢʀօա ȶօɢɛȶɦɛʀ | Enoch O'Connor

The Twins

It was late in the day, and Enoch had left Adrenna alone in his room to assist the other children with an injured animal. He had offered to bring her along, but the sun was still high in the sky, and Adrenna wasn't keen on being bathed in its light.

So, she had stayed behind, left to her own devices. Alone and with little to do, she wandered around Enoch's room, memorizing every detail—the number of jars lining the shelves, the various dolls strewn about. She found comfort in the shadows, but even they grew tiresome when nothing changed.

Just as boredom began to settle in, she heard grunting and agitated huffs coming from outside the room. Curiosity piqued, Adrenna crouched down to peek under the door, just enough to make out the silhouettes of two small figures tussling with one another. 

The shadows' familiar shapes gave away the identities of the twins, who seemed to be locked in a silent but heated struggle over something. Adrenna stood back up, nibbling on her fingernails as she debated whether or not to intervene.

"Meet them one at a time," she remembered Enoch's advice. If meeting everyone felt too overwhelming, then starting with just one or two should be manageable. She sighed, biting her lip as she mentally prepared herself, trying to muster the courage to step outside her comfort zone.

Taking a deep breath, Adrenna flung open the door, perhaps a bit too forcefully—the doorknob was still in her hand, and the suddenness of her appearance caused the twins to freeze. They glanced up at her briefly, their eyes wide with surprise, before they resumed their struggle over the teddy bear.

Adrenna felt her initial nerves start to ease; the twins didn't seem particularly fazed by her sudden entrance, almost as if her presence was already familiar to them despite never having met her before.

She crouched down to their level, offering a tentative smile. "... Hi," she said softly, trying to sound as friendly as possible. The twins' bickering quieted down a little, and they gave her curious glances. "Um, may I see your d-doll?" she asked, nodding toward the object of their disagreement.

There was a moment of hesitation as the twins glanced at each other, silently debating whether or not to trust her. But finally, they handed over the teddy bear, each letting go at the same time as if to avoid any accusations of favoritism.

Adrenna felt a flicker of warmth in her chest as she hugged the teddy bear close, grateful for their willingness to share despite having been fighting over it moments ago. "Thank you," she said, her voice a little stronger now. With one hand still clutching the stuffed toy, she lifted her free hand and focused.

The twins watched intently as a swirl of darkness formed on her palm, shadows coalescing into two small figures. Within moments, two baby bear-shaped shadow creatures with ruby-red eyes emerged, their forms flickering and shifting like living silhouettes. The shadow bears leaped into the twins' arms, and a delighted giggle escaped their lips.

Adrenna's heart fluttered at the sound, her own lips curving into a smile as she watched the twins marvel at the tiny creatures. The shadow bears nuzzled the twins' cheeks, their forms playfully flickering as the children reached out to touch them, only for their fingers to pass through like mist.

"I-I made them just for you," Adrenna said softly, feeling a mix of pride and relief. For a moment, she had feared the twins might be frightened by her powers, but their joy was unmistakable.

Adrenna watched as the twins giggled, their laughter a rare sound that echoed down the hallway. They darted around in circles, trying to catch the shadow bears that playfully evaded their small hands. She took in their appearances more closely now, seeing the details she hadn't noticed before.

The twins looked to be around eight or ten years old, their small frames covered head-to-toe in worn, old-fashioned clothes. The fabric was patched in several places, and the edges were frayed, giving their outfits a tattered look, as if they'd been worn for far longer than they were meant to be.

The most distinctive feature was their masks—pale white, porcelain-like, with expressionless faces that seemed to lack any sort of detail. It was as if the masks were made to erase any hint of individuality.

As Adrenna's eyes lingered on one of them, she caught a brief glimpse of something unusual. One of the twins jumped up to help his brother as a shadow bear leaped onto his back, and in that moment, his mask shifted just slightly, revealing a sliver of snake-like skin underneath.

It was dark, scaly, and out of place against the mask's smooth surface, but before she could make out any more, the mask fell back into place.

Adrenna didn't question it. There was no need to pry into their peculiarities; after all, who was she to judge? Instead, she pushed herself up from the floor, satisfied that the twins were all right and happily occupied with the shadow bears she had conjured. She made her way back to Enoch's room, closing the door softly behind her, and set about steadying the teddy bear she still held. It felt oddly comforting in her arms, its worn fur reminding her of a time when she had nothing but shadows to keep her company.

She had just begun to count the jars on Enoch's shelf for what must've been the tenth time that day when a knock came at the door. Her brow furrowed with confusion as she glanced back over her shoulder. Setting the teddy bear down on Enoch's desk, she hesitated, then reached for the doorknob and opened it.

The twins stood there, hand in hand, the shadow bears perched on their shoulders like loyal pets. Their porcelain masks tilted up at her as if waiting for her to do something. Adrenna blinked, taken aback. "Um?" She didn't know what else to say; interacting with children wasn't something she was used to. They usually kept their distance from her, their natural wariness reinforced by the whispers and rumors that followed her wherever she went.

But before she could say more, the twins moved forward, slipping past her into the room. They closed the door behind them, pushing it together with a faint creak, and then scurried around her in a flurry of motion. Without another word, they climbed onto Enoch's bed, sitting side by side and looking up at her with silent expectation.

"Uh..." Adrenna scratched the back of her neck, glancing from the twins to the teddy bear on the desk. "What are you...?" She trailed off, not sure how to phrase the question. She had no idea what they wanted, and their silence was unnerving. Still, their eager anticipation pulled at her, like a rope tugging her forward.

She took a hesitant step toward the bed, then another, until finally, she sat down between them. As soon as she did, the twins scooted closer, pressing into her sides as if seeking her warmth. Adrenna noticed how heavy they felt, almost as if two stones had been placed against her. It wasn't an unpleasant weight, just unexpected. 

The shadow bears hopped from the twins' shoulders onto the bed, circling the three of them playfully before curling up near Adrenna's legs, their ruby-red eyes glowing faintly in the dim light. Adrenna fiddled with the teddy bear she had retrieved, twisting its fabric ears between her fingers as she tried to make sense of the situation.

"You two... don't talk much, do you?" she murmured, not really expecting an answer.

The twins merely glanced up at her with their masked faces, one of them giving a small, almost imperceptible nod. It was the first acknowledgment she had received since they had come back into the room, and though it was subtle, it felt like progress.

Adrenna allowed herself to relax, just a little. She leaned back against the headboard, her grip on the teddy bear loosening as the twins nestled closer. Their presence was strangely soothing.