My Other Piece // A Short Story

Instructions

I walked alongside the dark narrow streets of London, rain droplets catching on my hair. Fingering the half locket that I’ve had since I was a small child, I stopped by a small house, walking around to the only window there. It looked as it always did, dingy and dusty. I tapped once. Twice. Three times. It opened, revealing a boy, no more than 14. My twin. I waved at him, climbing in. Dean smiled wearily, turning on a lamp. His room filled with dim light, shining out the open window. “It’s late. You don’t usually come at this time.” I turned to the clock, wincing. The bright numbers read 12:37. “Sorry. I couldn’t get out.” He sighed, running a hand through his messy hair. “We have to stop doing this. Why can’t we tell my parents and get it over with? There’s no need to wait any longer.” I shook my head, biting my lip. Suddenly, I heard quiet footsteps coming closer to Dean’s room. He hissed, “Go! Unless you want my mom to know.” I obeyed, quickly rushing out the still open window. Landing on my feet, I walked away, back to my home, where I didn’t belong. Dean’s words still echoed in my head. Why can’t we tell my parents and get it over with? I shook my head over and over, stumbling into someone. I looked up, seeing my guardian, Margot Thomas. She looked furious, dragging me along with her. Making it back to her apartment, I stood, leaning by the kitchen wall, expecting the worst. Instead, she spoke in an unusually soft voice. “Why did you leave again?” Breathing in and out, I replied slowly, “I wanted to see my real family.” She sighed, sitting in a vacant chair, motioning me to sit down with her. “You don’t know the real story, do you?” “I know all I need to. They left. And took another baby girl, one that wasn’t me.” Margot shook her head, taking a breath. “You got mixed up in the hospital with that baby girl. To be more specific, my baby girl. At the moment, your parents are out there, still believing that my little Thea is you, Cindy.” Her words still washing over me, an idea popped into my head, but Margot quickly dismissed it. “You cannot tell them. If Thea knows, her reality will crumble, and I only want what’s best for her. And that means hiding the truth. She can never find out, you understand? And that also means you- you can’t see your brother again,” she murmured. Slowly walking away to leave me alone to my jumbled thoughts, I slumped back in my chair, a tear slipping down my cheek, knowing I would never see the other piece of me ever again.