Creative Writing Ideas

6

writing prompt: Your character finds out that their deceased twin had multiple passports IDs with different names and faces. To find out more, your character must assume these identities in their place.

"Thanks for the drive, here's a tip." I say to the taxi driver as he nodded his head and sped away into the setting sun. I take my luggage in my hands and look at the luxuriously extensive suburban home I stood in front of. I hadn't been back here since the funeral. I had to leave my dorm and everything. I instantly regret having to return home. It just reminds me of all the memories I made with her.

I shook off the thought of Tammy, and continue walking to the front door. Before I am even able to knock, the dark washed wood complimented by a thick glass casing, bursted open. On the other side of it stood my mother, teary eyed and smiling with elation. I threw my bags to the side and hugged her tightly. I felt water starting to brim in my eyelids, I promised myself I wouldn't cry. She pulled away to look me in the eyes. She wiped away the traitor tears that were cruising their way down my hot cheek. As she gazes at all of my features I begin to think how hard this must be for her... To have a constant reminder of what she lost, because I look just like Tammy; I mean she's my identical twin, how could I not?

After the whole cry-fest I shared with my mom, I made my way up the stairs. I go down the hallway to the one, lone, secluded room. The door was closed and the knob was dusty. I could easily tell this room hasn't been touched since the accident. I inhaled deeply, I held it in for a little 'cause I could already feel another tear trying to escape. I open the door and see my bed; it's a small single bed. It was neatly made, with a couple of college books on it. I set my belongings towards the end of the mattress. I didn't dare to look to my right: the bed where Tammy slept. I knew it wasn't made. The comforter was dismantled as if she had just woken up and the pillows were scattered on the floor next to her bed. She always slept crazily, I used to find it annoying, but now I miss it. Seeing the bed look so chaotic gave me a sense of calmness. It felt like prior to when I left for college. And how I would always get onto her for not making her bed up. She would retort with the excuse of "Why remake my bed if I'm just going to go right back to sleep and mess it up again?".

I decided I'd stop taking a trip down memory lane and start unpacking. The first item I took out of my bag was a picture frame. It read "Tessa and Tammy, Together Forever!" It was us when we were about seven? No, eight; we had just finished sharing an egg mcmuffin from McDonald's. I sigh and set it on my night stand. I unpack the rest of my things, and plunk down onto my very creaky mattress. It's already gotten pretty late and I notice I'm having a hard time keeping my eyelids open. I eventually fell asleep behind the bright screen of my phone...

~

I wake up to see it's as bright as day outside. Birds are singing their songs, and the sun is beaming its lustrous rays through the sheer curtain that swayed gracefully by the wind of the fan. I turn to my side to see Tammy's bed still unmade. A sudden pain strikes through my heart and I turn away. I let out a sigh and roll myself out of bed. I walk over to the bathroom and bring out my toothbrush and face wash. This is how I start my day every morning. I believe it's better to brush your teeth before you eat, because you don't want to be swallowing down the germs that made a home in your mouth while you slept, aka: morning breath.

Once I finish my morning routine, I exit my bathroom. As soon as I'm back in my room again, I can feel the radiance of the sun on my face, and the faint smell of sausages and toast from downstairs. I decided to follow my nose to the inviting scent, which led me all the way downstairs. I opened my eyes to the sight of hot, sizzling sausages on the stove and fluffy eggs on the other side. I inhaled all the smells and could tell that someone burnt the waffles. I scoff to myself and sit at the table by my younger brother. He's on his phone, making girlish giggles. "Awww, Toby, are you texting a girlllll?" I tease while rustling his hair. "Stop, Tessa!" He says, stowing away his phone in the back pocket of his ripped jeans. Since I got in kinda late last night, Toby was already cooped up in his room, possibly asleep; hence why there was no family reunion with him until now. As I'm making small talk with Toby, the food is set in front of me as If I was at a diner. I look up at my mom, and thank her for the appetizing meal she had made. She wore an apron that had stains of pancake batter smeared on it. I shook my head to her messy cooking and dug into my food.

"Uh-uh, Tessa! You know we bless the food before we eat in this house." She said scoldingly. I look up at her mid chew, realizing how long I've been gone. I set my fork down and do a quick nursery prayer and swallow my food. Toby laughs at me and my mother rolls her eyes as she takes her seat. They both say a prayer to themselves and begin to eat their food.

After breakfast, I use my laboring abilities to wash the dishes, and my mom decides to help. As I'm scrubbing the pancake maker, she says she needs to talk to me. "What's up?" I ask in return. She sighs and picks up a dish. "We're going to be... moving." I look at her quickly, giving myself whiplash in the process. "The hell are you talking about?!" I say dropping the pancake maker in the sink. "Please, Tessa. We're really low on money and we just can't stand to keep looking at that room, with all of her stuff in it..." She said in a somber tone, "With all of the memories" she averted her gaze downward, feeling guilty that she couldn't face her grief. "But mom... This is our home. There are good memories here too. Please, this is the only way I actually even feel close to Tammy. I can't lose that." I say pleadingly. She looks at me and shakes her head and repeats her argument. "Tessa it's not just the memories of her, it's money too. This place is so expensive, I've only been able to keep it because of the money your dad left in his will; and that money is running out. We have to sell, I'm sorry." She says placing a hand on my shoulder, "Now, I need you to go upstairs and pack some stuff up. It'd help if you went through some of Tammy's things and packed them up too, if you would..." I swat her hand off my shoulder and storm off. I can't believe her sometimes. I run back up the stairs to my room and slam the door aggressively. I jump onto my bed, landing face first in the pillows, and let out a scream.

You might think this is dramatic, but think about if it was you: A family house that you've lived in all your life. Your twin sister or very close sibling dies from a drug overdose, then you leave for college. When you come back you're hit with all of these memories of your twin, and then BAM, your parent is selling the house; a place where you made all of those memories with that deceased twin. It's frustrating!

I decided to try and see my moms side of the argument, I take note of where she's coming from, but I can't help but have have my separate opinions about it. I know she means well, and she's trying to do everything she can to keep a roof over our heads, but it just sucks.

I lift myself off of my bed and mosey my way to the closet where some of Tammy's stuff was. I bring down a box that was sitting at the top shelf in our closet. I've never noticed it before, must be some old storage stuff that the movers put in here when we first moved. I removed it from the closet and set it on my bed. I was just going to repackage it, but I got curious at the last second. I made the choice to open it, and immediately regret doing so. There were sex toys and multiple fake ID's. I am scarred for life now that I found my sisters secret stash. I decided to look at all the ID's and see who she was pretending to be. One was a passport with the name Brynn Taylor assigned to it. Another read Alaya Mark, it was a driver's license. There was bus pass with the name Kylie Witton. The last one was a work badge for an exotic night club, the name assigned to it was Kaia Nieves.

I am in disbelief of my discovery; I thought I knew my sister, but I didn't know her at all. Maybe these ID's will help me find out more about her OD. But there's only one way to find out... I have to be her.

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If this writing is found stolen, it's considered plagiarism; always cite your sources, and be respectful of writers. You may use the idea of this writing and the writing prompt, but do not copy my writing word for word. Thank you.
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by Brooke Salyers