The Doppelgänger Effect ❃ lashton

disconnected

A S H T O N

     Ashton was on a walk, his eyes nervously scanned the streets. Ever since the incident in the alleyway, he felt like he was being watched everywhere he went. Since the alleyway, he hadn't seen the boy that had so called, 'claimed' him. But that's because Ashton hadn't had the guts to go outside after dark anymore. His heart thumped in his chest as he walked towards his house at sundown. He started to jog, he was just coming back from his job at the video store and they had made him work later than usual. His eyes searched the streets, afraid of every moving thing. The sun had finally set it's self over the horizon. Ashton was alone in the dark and shaking as he clasped his phone tightly in his hands.

"Ashton, baby." A husky voice spoke, the spiky hair reminding him of the dark alley and the voice. It was him.

"H-Hi." Ashton whispered as he backed up a little, making sure he wasn't cornering himself.

"Aw, baby are you scared of me?" The boy made his way over to Ashton as Ashton backed away,

"L-Leave me alone. I-I don't know you.” Ashton whispered as his timid voice shook.

“Oh sure you do. Baby, think back. C’mon. Think about your dreams.” Leo’s smirk only grew as Ashton’s face twisted in horror,

“My nightmares. You’re the…the angel in them.” Ashton was only shocked was the boy’s face was uncovered just a little.

     The difference between doppelgangers and the ‘originals’ was, the doppelgangers that could use their six sense had a reddish tint to their hair. No one noticed it. It was too hard to see unless you were up-close or they’d told you.

“Bingo, baby.” Leo winked, “see, Ashton. I’m good. Not bad.”

Ashton’s stomach was in knots, feeling uneasy. “I don’t feel so well.”

Leo frowned, rolling his eyes but going over, “Shh,” He rubbed his back, "It’ll go away, Ashton. Just breathe."

"How are you here? Are you from my dreams or actually Heaven? Or am I dreaming?" Ashton said, feeling a bit better realizing the boy here…well angel, was the boy who made his nightmares go away.

"Well, babe. I'm here for you, to protect you." Leo watched as the boy hugged him, wrapping his arms around his torso.

"Protect me? What's wrong. Is it like those action movies, where the boy saves the girl or victim where a bad guy is after me and like--" Ashton's voice had become chirpy but soon Leo cut him off.

"we're not in a movie, Ashton." Leo spoke, his voice low. He restrained from adding a 'grow up' as he started to walk with Ashton hand-in-hand.

Ashton was tugged along, frowning for a moment. "How can I touch you if you're angel?"

"Enough questions." Leo didn't know how to respond, it burned when Ashton even mentioned being an angel. 

"Oh you're right, sorry." Ashton walked with him silently for a few moments, before he spoke again, "Where are we going?"