Short stories

James

TW———⚠️

Fire. It's everywhere. It suffocates me as I attempt to escape its fury. Run. I need to run. My legs are giving up, aching with pain. I must find James, but I cannot. My brother, my twin. Please be alright. I pray to God you have escaped this night. Closer. Im nearly there. The sweet reminisance of home calls out to me. But wheres is James. It can't be. I snap my neck in the direction of the devil. He's taken my brother, my other half. Why is it me-why is it me whom is always the lucky bidder. I lock my soul in my room, I refuse to leave. Tears overwhelm my face and the demons consume me. It's all so tragic. How could this be? I rest my head on my pillow, longing for an escape. "I beg of you my Lord," my thoughts instead of being trapped in my mind, are portrayed through my voice.
"Grant me an end. Do not let this be true! Exchange my life for his. I shall give in." I pray. Never have i ever prayed so desperately in my life. My eyes start to feel heavy and darkness consume me as I close my eyes for some much needed rest.

Rattling. Rattling of the trees? No. rattling of the lock on my window. I wearily open my eyes. The window is now open. I can feel it. It's warm breeze that killed mother nature breathes on my back. The remains of the earlier events that destroyed my life.
A shiver gets sent down my spine. The air which burns my skin gets replaced with an uncomfortable chill. A shadow looms over me.
A shadow...or a figure? My eyes widen. I recognise the person hovering over me. It couldn't be.
"James?"
My voice cracks and my heart shatters.
My mind explodes and my lip quivers.
I cannot believe what I see. Are my eyes betraying me? Is my mind in a state of hallucination? Has this whole night been a lie.
I attempt to open my mouth but I freeze as all that comes out is a pitiful whimper. Tears stream down my face like how a waterfall falls off a cliff.
"Surprised?" His voice echoes throughout the silent room. He scoffs. "You always got the good end of the bargain. Mother and Father repeatedly favoured you over me before they died."
I feel my breath hitch. Is that really how he felt? Had he previously been this jealous towards me. Our whole lives...
"Despite doing everything in my power to please them, I was never good enough." He grits through his envious teeth.
"I hope you've suffered significantly this past night, because it shall. Be. Your. Last."
I feel my heart drop to the pit off my stomach. I feel my face forced down with the palm of his hand. A small bottle filled with some unknown liquid gets poured in my nostrils. My pillow is violently grasped from beneath me and planted over my face..suffocating me. I lay on my bed, unmoving.
All my sense begin to grow faint. Is this what death is? The immense struggle to fight for your life. My limbs flop and my eyes close. It hurts. It burns. That must be the poison. God...this is not what I had meant when I said trade my life for his. He is well...was well. No..he was never well..and this..will only cause him to suffer more. The guilt. The pain. And the regret. My Lord. I beg of you, do not allow him to regret this. Feed his anger and rage, so that in the end..this would have all been worth it and he can live the rest of his life in peace. And for now...allow me to rest. Take me to the eternal paradise that you so enjoy. Where you reside..Is where I shall go, and someday...be reunited with my dear. Brother. James.