The Identical

Chapter 1-Selena and Verity

Selena
It's dark in the van. So. So. Dark. I can see nothing. And mama, she is not here. She is gone. The bad men killed her, and then left her, lying in a pool of her own blood. There is no-one else here. I am alone. Metal chains bite at my skin and my bracelet digs into my skin. Papa made me that bracelet last winter. And so even thought it hurts so bad, more than when I fell off the swings at the park, I am happy it is there. It keeps me from crying. I don't like crying. When the bad men came, mama told me to be brave. To not cry. So I don't. I wouldn't have anyway. Mama cried when Papa died. She cried for so long and even I couldn't stop her. That's why I hate to cry. I was brave for mama. I hate when she is sad. It makes me sad to. But now she is dead. She is dead. And I am alone. Suddenly the doors of the van open. The light shines through the gap, so bright. I squint in to the light, it hurts my eyes if I look properly. The bad men are there. They are holding something. But the light hurts my eyes so much, I can't see what it is. The thing moves and shrieks. The soldiers throw it into the van. I can get a proper look at it now. It's a girl. Like me. She looks my age too. 3. Maybe the bad men aren't bad. Maybe they have brought me a friend. But I don't want a new friend. I have friends at home. I want to go home. The girl shakes and screams as the men tie her up. And I want to hug her. I want to tell her not to scream. But the bad men are angry and I don't think they'll be happy if I speak. So I don't. I sit and watch as they put chains around her wrists. Maybe I will be friends with her, if she has a friend here, maybe she won't cry.

Verity
I scream. I scream until I can't scream anymore. I want mummy and daddy. I cry at the scary men as they put chains around my ankles and wrists. The chains are cold, and I cry even more. The scary people just laugh at me. Then they shut the door and it's dark. I don't like the dark. There are monsters in the dark. And daddy isn't here to protect me from the monsters. The van shudders beneath me. We are moving. Daddy once told me never to let myself be moved or he wouldn't be able to find me. Daddy's gone now. So is Mummy. Those people killed them. Something moves in the corner of the van. I almost scream, but I don't, tears well in my eyes. I cannot see what it is. I can't see anything.
"Hi", says a voice.
There is someone there. A girl. She doesn't sound old. Not like sister. Sister is 8 years old! I'm only 3. Maybe this girl is the same age as me. Maybe we can be friends.
"Hi", I say back, "where are we?"
"I don't know", says the girl.
She sounds scared, like me. I wish I could hold her hand. That's what mummy use to do when I was scared.
"Who are you?", says the voice again.
"I'm Verity, I'm 3 and 1/4", I reply, "Who are you?"
"I'm Selena, I'm 3 as well, but I'm 4 in 6 months."
I don't know what to say. I am not good with people. I don't have many friends. Only Jacob. And he's not here. Actually, Jacob is my boyfriend. I love him. Mummy laughed when I told her that. She said you're only young Vivi. But I do love him. I love him as much as I love mummy and daddy and sister. But Selena is not Jacob, and I don't know what to say. So I don't say anything. All I can hear is my breathing.
"My mummy died", Selena says, "The bad men killed her."
"They killed my mummy and daddy as well", I say.
"I'm scared", I whisper to her.
"Me to."
"Let's be friends then."
"Okay", she replies. And I don't feel as scared anymore. I have a friend.