Twins Till Death(short story from If Only You Were Alice)

Poison yourself

"What's the easiest way, to poison yourself", you remember asking the stranger. 

 You don't know why you asked him.Maybe it was because he looked peculiar, like he did not belong in the sea of people around us.

 Everyone had thought it was a joke. You were joking, you were too young to understand the real meaning of "poison". 

 He paused as his eyes flickered towards mine.
 He smiles, "why?" 

 I stare at him, rings of smoke dancing away from him as they faded away in the passing breeze.

"I don't want to be alone."I am horrified and in disbelief by what came out of my mouth. Wincing, the corners of my lips turn upwards in a smile, masking away the truth of my words. 

 He smiles curiously like a cheshire-cat. Opening his mouth to reply,smoke escapes from his mouth. "Your smile is insincere but your words say otherwise." 

 Upon hearing his words,I became enraged.Letting go of my self-control, all traces of 'that' disappeared.Clenching my teeth ,I snarl at him.

"We were born and we will die together."
"I told him, please stay."
 "He is not going to abandon me"
"There is a connection between us that most can't see, I can."
"No one will ever come close to what we have."
 "If he can't stay in this world, I wouldn't either."

 And then I realized what I had said... My face falls as I curse myself mentally.How could I had shown lost control of myself so easily. Father had told me to never show my emotions and here I was baring them out.A stranger had seen through me so easily...Fighting the urge to cry, my eyes blur with tears. I can smell him approaching me, the sweet and musky aroma of citrus and pine. Hear his footsteps crackling over the fallen leaves lining the footpath.

 "Kid," He carefully stroked my hair to the side and wiped the tears from my face as his brown eyes fix mine in a serious gaze. "Your eyes...I get it now."

 A pair of yellow and blue eyes glance back, lashes heavy with tears. The child was attempting to hide his raw grief but he was so overcome by it that he looked like he would break down any moment.

 "There is nothing I can do for your twin but I can offer you a temporary relief from your pain." He holds up a short white stick in the air, twirling smoke from it, just like a magic wand.
 "This is a cigarette and it can-" "Also-"

 -----------------------------

 To me, that man was like my fairy god mother.But now I know, wishes don't come without a price. 

 I will pay the price, for my wish.  

-Jo Bay