Celestial (Book One)

Chapter Three: Gemini

16/03/2016 - 11:00 am

The Gemini twins strolled up the gravel path, towards the grand stable that stood proudly looking out over the surrounding countryside. As they approached the vast building, two voices could be heard from inside, along with the stomping and braying of horses. One twin held out her hand to the other, stopping him. She continued to walk through the great oak doors that lay open. 

"Ahem" The woman smiled, as two young girls spun around, shutting stable doors behind them. The two girls grinned, running into the woman's arms, "Hello girls!"

"Aunt Minnie!" The girls exclaimed in unison. One of the girls, her hair slightly shorter and lighter than her companion's, stood away, a face beaming with happiness.

"How are you? Is everything okay?" Her expression suddenly changed, her brow furrowed with worry.

"I'm fine, everything's okay. I'm just here to collect you!" Minnie smiled,"We need to talk."

The two girls shared a confused look, they weren't usually allowed near aunt Minnie, due to 'family politics'. Maybe their parents had sent her or a modelling job had come up. It was a possibility it was nothing unordinary  after all. Their hazel eyes blinked in agreement. The two tall girls followed the older woman outside, to where the other twin was waiting. Both had doubts but, knowing the other was there, they walked on. Who was this strange man waiting for them?

Gemini smiled at each other upon their reunion. The girls snuck sidelong glances at each other. "Why did you call us, Auntie? What did you want to tell us?" Asked one of the girls who had longer, slightly darker hair. The questioning tone was answered by a nervous smile from her 'Auntie'.

"Well, this may take a while... Would you two mind just getting in the car? I've been sent to collect you, with my...friend." She gestured towards the man standing next to her.

As soon as she'd finished, the man continued seamlessly with a quick "I'll tell you in the car" and opened the back door of a Mercedes G Wagon. It  was almost as if the two had a telepathic link. Despite their slight confusion at this, the two girls accepted the invitation to take a back seat and entered the car. Gemini followed, their Aunt taking the driver's seat. 

"Girls, this is James. Or Jem. He's my... well, twin brother of sorts. " The girls' eyes widened with surprise, "Now what we're about to tell you, you might find slightly, or majorly, unbelievable. But, you have to listen closely."

The two girls sat in the back, the woman's words washed over them in a haze of disbelief. Gradually each of them began to slowly comprehend more and more of the situation. As this knowledge grew, their eyes widened and one of the twins would occasionally reach out for the other's hand. Their eyes would cross over to each other just to confirm that this wasn't a dream.

The car glided along the quieter roads slowly coming onto smooth motorways on the way to somewhere at least several miles away. Green farmland passed the windows along with neatly trimmed hedgerows. Civilisation had shaped the hills and landscapes surrounding them through thousands of years of farming and cultivation. And now nobody in the car paid the slightest bit of attention. They were too enthralled by the explanation the 'Aunt' was giving.

"Okay, my little gemini twins, do either of you have any questions?" asked Minnie. Both the twins fell still, apart from one look at each other which said everything. They believed her.

Jem turned around for a second to say,"Since you two seem to have accepted this kind of quickly, would you mind telling me your names? Your 'aunt' sort of forgot to tell me..." Minnie looked questioningly across at him.

"You know these two. They're Ebony-", she pointed to the twin with darker and longer hair- "and Amber. They're my 'nieces'." at this both Ebony and Amber began to realise what they had gotten themselves into. What had the been thinking? To get into a hardly known relative's car with a stranger Minnie had proclaimed to be her twin was simply asking for trouble. But if what the two had said was true then this was going to get a whole lot worse than mere kidnapping. Besides, the twins still had each other, and that was better than nothing.

"So... Where are we going?" asked the twins in unision. Both of them had only just realised that gemini hadn't actually told them where the car was headed. For all they knew the whole zodiac story could simply be covering up for something slightly more sinister.

"HQ." replied the two people in the front.

" And HQ is in?" Questioned the two in the back. Minnie shared a look with Jem. 

"Northern Ireland... A place called the Mourne Mountains. I'm sure you'll both love it!"  replied Minnie. The twins looked at each other in distress. They had never gone abroad without their parents. On top of this, they were going to a mountain range with a relative they barely knew anything about. 

"I can't see mum or dad agreeing to this. You are taking us to a different country; I'm sure this counts as human trafficking." Argued Amber. Ebony nodded in agreement with her twin. The whole zodiac story was... questionable to say the least. 

Seeing their hesitation about the whole ordeal, Gemini turned around. "Look, your parents have agreed to this. They bought the ferry tickets if you want any proof. We have a long journey ahead so try and calm down a little. We're almost at the port now!"

Amber and Ebony looked out of the window to see a sea mist beginning to surround the car. They were actually getting on a ferry to Ireland. A sign welcoming them to Liverpool passed by and fog horns could begin to be heard in the distance. A couple of minutes later the car was driving through the  bustling streets of Liverpool. The seaside city grew up around them as buildings rose to new heights and the streets became more crowded with tourists.

Finally they reached the port. Massive ships rose up from the docks and seagulls cried out from above.  Other cars joined them,all following the signs saying "ferries this way" or "keep right for ferries to Ireland". They pulled to stop at the back of a boarding queue. This was it. The twins were leaving British soil..