An Underswap AU: A Tale of Seven Book 1

Entry # 3: JUSTICE

"JUSTICE: Fell down with his twin sister, KINDNESS. Underneath his icy exterior is a caring brother who will go through lengths to protect his family."

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"Are you sure this is a good idea?"

"Yes. This way, they'll never be able to separate us."

And he held her hand tighter, as if afraid that she would vanish the second he let go.

Two children disappeared in the dead of the night, under the dark of the new moon and dimly lit stars. Satchels slung over their shoulders, clad in layered clothing and jackets, a pair of siblings hiked up the mountain hand in hand.

They promised to stay together through thick and thin, share their fortune and pain as one. That promise will stay intact no matter the cost. No plane crash or bossy headmistress or blasted adoptive parents will ever break it.

By morning, none of the authorities will be able trace their footsteps. After all, no one in their right mind would inch near Mt. Ebott, fearing the legend of monsters and the point of no return. This shady yet historical tale, passed from one generation to another, served the twins very well in their escape.

Well, one of the twins that is.

"But everyone who climbed Ebott never came back." The younger sister whispered to her older brother, warily glancing at the shady flora surrounding them. Nighttime twisted the serene forest into a terrifying realm of shadows, the kind of setting usually seen in horror movies. She tried not to imagine an axe wielding cannibal or a vengeful ghost stalking them from behind trees.

"That is exactly the plan: never return to that stupid town." The boy huffed, shoving a stray fern leaf out of their way.

"I'm serious, Justin." The girl said, tightening her grip around her satchel's cord and her brother's hand. "Remember that kid last year? And all those other people decades before that? Their bodies were never found. Cases turned cold, investigations met dead ends. . ." She trailed off, wishing that they aren't hiking a supposedly haunted mountain right now.

"Those stories are a bunch of babble and balderdash." Justin said, palm on the holster housing his late father's revolver. "Adults just use that to scare the kids into behaving." He glanced at his sister. "Don't tell me you believe them, Jaede."

"Well, I do." The normally mild-mannered girl narrowed her bright emerald eyes. "What if the same thing happens to us?"

"No one will dare step a foot towards an armed man, sis." He unsheathed his gun and waved it at her.

"Of course." Jaede shook her head in fond exasperation. Blame their parents for introducing him to the wonderful world of firearms at the tender age of five.

"No one will hurt you as long as I'm around, I swear that on our old man's grave." His stoic features held that steadfast sincerity only he can muster. Justin rarely ever jokes around. If he makes a promise, he he will keep it; he will fulfill it.

He is the most honorable boy Jaede has ever known and she is very grateful to have him as her brother.

"Thanks, bro. Papa and momma's proud of you." She beamed at him, the tension she's been feeling since the moment they climbed Mt. Ebott fading away.

"They're proud of you too, sis. Very proud." Justin returned the smile; an absolutely rare occurrence. But if it will make his sister happy, then so be it.

What happened next wasn't something he nor she had expected.

Justin took one step forward and he found himself dangling over a large gaping hole, veiled by traitorous shadows and hawthorn bushes. He dropped his revolver in shock and it descended into the abyss beneath his feet. Jaede, lying on her stomach, has an iron grip on his digits, her newfound calmness immediately replaced by a pang of terror. A eerie void stared back at her from below, threatening to swallow her brother whole.

Is this how the missing people died? Is the culprit not a monster, but a barely noticeable hole in the middle of the woods?

His sister's scared expression is enough to snap Justin out of his daze and focus. His sister isn't as physically capable as he is. They'd both fall down if he can't find a solution to this dilemma fast enough. He planted his soles on the side of the cliff to keep himself from falling. The boy scanned the earth for a ledge, a vine or a root thick enough to carry his weight.

"Drat." He cursed under his breath. He can't see anything without a source of light.

"J-Justin–!"

He snapped his head upwards at the mention of his name. Jaede's fingers began to slip.

"Sis, I think you gotta–"

"Not a chance!" She cut him off, knowing what her twin was thinking. She'd sooner fall down with him.

A second later, she got what she wanted. The two of them slid into the hole, darkness consuming them both.

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Justin woke up to the sound of rustling leaves. Sitting up, he gently laid her unconscious sister on his lap. He nearly whimpered when pain suddenly spasmed from his right arm.

Good Lord, he must've broken his arm, of all times.

Well, at least he managed to cushion Jaede's fall, leaving her uninjured. And fortunately, this bed of golden flowers cushioned his fall too. Pain drilled his arm again. Justin corrected himself: somewhat cushioned his fall.

Behind the pillar, a pair of orange orbs gazed at them with curiosity.