The Twins • Book One • Wattys2017

Bonus Chapter- The Prayer

I enter my room and slam my door shut, locking it immediately. After a few moments of hesitation, I push my dresser in front of the door too, just in case someone in here can pick doors. To be honest, I wouldn't be surprised if John could. He creeps me out. Therefore, extreme measures are necessary.

I hate this place as much as I hate the people in it.

I sit on my bed and pick up my book again, reading from where I left off before lunch. I am able to ignore the loud pounds on the door and the voices calling my name, all because of the amazing world Colleen Houck has created.

I stay in my room for the rest of the day, not even leaving to get dinner. I finally finish rereading Tiger's Voyage around midnight and decide to sleep. Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day. Hopefully I'll be out of here. Hopefully Marie will come back.

I sigh at the horribly hopeful thoughts I'm having. I know they're useless, yet some part of me can't help but hope for a better future, which I find quite weird considering I'm a pessimistic person most of the time. Oh well, I'm sure I'll get out of here one day. But, it would be nice to know for sure that I will.

So, for the first time since I was seven, I kneel down at the end of my bed and pray.

I pray to any deity or god-like being that will listen. I broadcast my message out for all of them to hear. I stay there at the end of my bed, asking them all to send me a sign that one day, I will have a family. I ask for them to show me a reason to keep hoping. Yet, nothing happens.

Tears lightly fall down my face as I stand back up again, crawling into bed and hugging my spare pillow to my chest in order to try and calm myself down. It works a little. It helps distract me from how utterly idiotic and hopeless I feel. I don't know how long I stay just lying on my bed, not really doing anything, but soon enough, I drift into a fitful sleep where during the night, I have a really weird dream.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Carrying a baby, a woman swiftly moves through the forest so familiar to her. Her long brown hair flows behind her as she runs along the path to the clearing where so much has happened to her in the past. Checking behind her for followers, she carefully continues forward.

A stick cracks in the distance, making her freeze and clutch the baby closer to her chest protectively. Not moving, her blue-green eyes widen in fear as she looks and listens for any other signs of movement. She decides to go through the forest as rapidly yet quietly as possible.

As soon as she reaches the clearing, she breathes a sigh of relief. In the middle of the large space a man cloaked in black paces back and forth, his short blond hair glistening in the moonlight. Held in his arms, there is another baby. He hears the arrival of the woman, and his sparkling blue eyes lock onto her blue-green ones.

"Regina!" He calls out in relief.

"Marcus!" She replies. They run forward to each other, but are unable to embrace because of the two precious bundles they carry. Their eyes show the years of love and trust they feel towards each other across the space between them. One of the babies lets out a cry, and Regina calms her down, brushing the blond hair away from her bright blue eyes. The other baby smiles up at her father, her blue-green eyes shining.

"Are you sure you want to do this Regina?" Marcus asks with sadness coating his soft voice. Regina starts to silently cry and answers

"It must be done to protect them." Marcus somberly nods in understanding.

"I'm taking Antonia to my brother so they can take care of her, and you're taking Ivory to your trustworthy human friend, Marie." Marcus clarifies. Regina agrees sadly

"Yes. It's best to split them up. They'll be harder to find and bring together to be used..."

"To either unite or destroy this realm, I know. I was there when the prophecy was said as well." Marcus interrupts, speaking softly. "But just know, they will be reunited anyway when they're about 18, there's nothing we can do about that. I get what you mean though, we don't want anyone finding them and raising them to be evil." He maneuvers the baby Antonia into one arm so he can caress Regina's face, and pull her in for a kiss. The kiss is sweet and soft, yet over too soon. "I will see you soon my queen."

"And you too my king." Regina says, and runs out of the clearing, still cradling Ivory close to her. Marcus runs off in the opposite direction, heading to the outskirts of his kingdom, to where his brother and wife await.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A dream. What a strange way to give me hope that I'll find my family. Oh well, I won't complain about the dream. I choose to view it as a birthday present instead.

The dream makes no sense to me, but I don't really care. If that is me in the dream, then it shows that I did have a family once, and they didn't want to get rid of me, but it was necessary. It also shows that I have a sister somewhere out there. I don't know if it's true, but I will stay hopeful anyway. For this dream has given me more than an image of my family, it's given me hope.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Author's Note:
Hey kittens! Long time no see! I can't believe you guys got my book to 25K views though. That's insane! I appreciate you all so much, thank you for supporting me and reading my book(s?). Also, sorry it's kinda crappy. I knew I wanted to do the chapter, I just didn't know how to write it properly. I hope you enjoyed regardless!

~Cat Queen