Tethered Twins

Emmie Keyes

“Why are you doing this?” I asked, as I saw The Deck get attacked.

“They are a threat … and all threats … must be stopped,” replied Tobias, his focus had shifted now, away from me and onto the battleground. I could hear it from the gaps in his voice.

I sensed my opportunity and took control of one of the orange eyed men. I controlled the man through the crowd and towards the downed members of The Deck who were on the floor. Using his body I kicked the orange eyed men off them and held out a hand.

“Take my hand,” I said.

The man looked back with fear in his eyes but held out his arm regardless. “Thank you,” he replied, unsure what had happened.

“Grace,” I thought, as I saw my friend up close. A little too close. Grace ran towards my orange eyed body and shone a blue light at me. I was stuck in a frozen body once again.

I switched bodies to one at the back of the pack that wasn’t exposed to the blue light and shouted. “It’s me, Emmie!”

“More mind games?” asked Grace.

“No, it’s me. Two years ago on the 21^st September we kissed. Remember?”

Grace looked at me dumbfounded. “No one knows that,” she said.

“I do,” I replied. “Trust me.”

Before Grace could confirm if she did indeed trust me, she was tackled by an orange eyed woman. I tried to save her but another member of The Deck shone blue light on me.

“Dammit!” I shouted. I pulled myself back away from the light and tried to find another way to help. There were so many lights in front of me, each one a different body to control and a different way to help. Then I realised there was another way to help.

I saw an orange eyed man that was fighting Chris and I took over his body. When Chris threw a fist I did nothing. I took the impact and let the body fall to the floor. “One down,” I said to myself.

I continued to jump from body to body deliberately losing any fights they were midway through. I jumped into the body on top of Grace and threw myself to the floor away from her.

“What are they doing?” asked Chris. “It’s like they want to lose.”

“It’s Emmie,” said Grace. “This is our chance, form the line,” she said.

Grace and March ran into the stadium and the remaining members of The Deck formed a line with enough blue light to block the entrance.

As I watched them run into the stadium I jumped back into the darkness and a voice was waiting.

“Impressive,” said Tobias. I had his full attention now. “Now do you understand your power?” he asked.

“You have to stop this before someone gets hurt,” I replied.

“People will get hurt,” he said with certainty.

I jumped back into Rex’s mind just in time to see Grace and March enter the stadium. They looked around and saw my body in the chair.

“Emmie!” shouted Grace. What have they done to you?”

March hobbled over towards me. He seemed injured but was determined to reach me. I held out my arms to hug them both but it was Rex’s arms that raised not my own.

“What have you done to her?” asked Grace.

I felt myself kicked back to the darkness and I could hear Tobias speaking through Rex.

“I gave her what everyone wants. Power.”

Grace looked at Rex. “What happened to you Rex?” she asked.

“Rex is gone,” he replied. “I can control anyone now. Except you and your team, Grace. Why can’t I control you?” he asked.

“It’s a mystery.”

I felt happy knowing I had one up on Tobias. Without twins there was no way he could control any of The Deck. I hoped that would be enough to keep them safe.

“No matter. I’ve killed most of your team now so no one will be able to stop Emmie and I.”

“Don’t make me a part of this!” I shouted, although only Tobias heard me.

“You have been a part of this since the day you were born Emmie,” he replied to only me.