•••
The heat kicked in as soon as the car was on the highway. It wasn’t an ordinary car, of course not, someone with as much money as Mika’s father had to drive around in something striking. Her father was just as obsessed with cars as any other male, and so, this car was custom made. Cars didn’t interest Mika, hence why she didn’t have an earthly idea what it was called. As her father stared at her, she made sure to avoid his gaze. A faint hand grazed over Mika’s, grasping it. She could feel the smile staring at her, and she knew who it was. Mika smiled and turned, only to finally meet her father’s gaze. He was sitting on the far left seat, with her brother in the middle of them. Of course, only Mika could see her brother. He was there, but only visible to her. A wide smile crackled on her father’s face, assuming that his daughter had finally wanted to look at him. He didn’t have to order her to do anything. “My beautiful daughter is going to such a prestigious school…..I’m going to miss you so much” he said as he extended his hand outward to touch hers. Mika recoiled, bringing her hand into her lap. Her brother, Mike, glared at their father. A wave of pain washed over her father’s face, saddened by her rejection. Mika didn’t care, he was the reason her brother died in the first place.
“Father, you know you paid my way into this school.” she said softly, slowly turning her head to look out the window. Her light brown locks flowed in front of her face, acting as a barrier. Her lifted himself from his seat and knelt down in front of Mika, resting his head gently onto her lap. Mika absently began to stroke his head, his hair weaving through her fingers. Her father watched, anger striking across his face. Her father found it hard to accept his daughter’s abnormalities, and refuses to send her to a doctor. She, too, refused. Mika believed if she was sent to a doctor, or something of the sort, they will make Mike go away. She couldn’t live without Mike, she needed Mike, it would be devastating if he was to leave. “Don’t worry Mika, I’m not going anywhere… I promise” he whispered, reassuring Mika’s thoughts. Mika nodded and hummed a soft yes. “The only thing I regret is not taking you to the doctor….but then word will get out. This is why it is best you go here” , his voice showed his pure frustration.
Mika whimpered softly to herself, she hated her father when he was angry. He did irrational things, and it usually ended up with Mika having more and more scars. She was happy she was leaving, other wise her father would kill her too. Mika looked down at Mike, her eyes tracing the hollow scars still visible over his dead body. He looked just like the way she remembered him last. Just like her, except a boy version. It was obvious they were twins, and both breathtakingly beautiful. “Father, when will it be time you realize that no one cares about you? You are selfish” she mumbled, but her words still audible. Mika gasp as a hand landed hard across her face. She had momentarily forgotten that her mother was in the front seat, sitting in the passenger seat. Mika tuned her out as she yelled at Mika, complaining that she was an ungrateful little brat. Mike whipped around and was yelling himself, but no one could hear him. Only Mika could… he was defending her, despite his futile attempts. Mika breathed a sigh of relief when they reached the school.
“Your stuff arrived here a while ago, take this sheet of paper. It will tell you your schedule, room, and everything else you need to know.”
Her parents were as cold as ice, colder than the wind that greeted her as she departed from the car. Mika stood there, letting the wind rustle her long brown locks. Her turquoise eyes scanned the school in front of her, taking it all in. Maybe it would be different here, just maybe. “Mika, my dear sister, we should find your room…or at least your first class.” Currently, Mika had no idea if she was the only student going to live here, or if it truly was a boarding school. If not, where was she staying? Where was her stuff located? Mika became panicked, not knowing what to do. Her pale arms wrapped around her, tugging her light-weight jacket closer to her body. It was early, too early, proven to be true by the lack of human bodies roaming the school. The skirt and shirt known as the school uniform failed to provide warmth, and so now, she was shivering. Mike hugged his sister, wishing greatly to be human again. To hold his sister and give her his warmth, to make her happy again.
Mika trudged forward, her gaze weaving past the structures from left to right. She had no earthly idea where to go, and Mike wasn’t helping. He was speaking encouraging words, trying to lighten the mood. Mika was frightened, scared. The feeling of being scared brought back other memories, the memories of her father molesting her. Mika hated her father, but loved to tell her mother that he loved Mika more, and that she would never compare. It was easier to see others suffer than accept hers. Mika looked at the paper, now noticing a small map. It lead to a small shack in the back of the school, where she would be staying. It was hidden well, and this was the only way to get there. Mika walked through the school garden and found a path, winding itself into the forest near the school. It didn’t take long to reach the small, wooden house. Mike hesitated, but soon followed his sister up to the front door. It creaked open, the musty smell coming in a great rush. Mika covered her nose and continued to walk in, leaving the door open. It was small, but big enough to live in. Her stuff laid on the naked bed, messily, like it had been thrown there without care.
Mike gasped, “Mika…did it break?” .
Without a second thought Mika lunged towards her personal luggage and ripped it open. She searched through it until she found the newspaper surrounding a precious object. She carefully unwrapped it to revealed a broken dolphin. The dolphin Mike had made her when they were seven. It was broken, she couldn’t believe it. She had made sure it would not break, made sure it was impossible. Nothing was impossible. Mika frowned and fell to her knees, shaking. She began to laugh, a painful and sorrowful laugh.
•••
Laughter filled the empty halls, echoing from one corridor to the next. Two small children raced, their goal the end of the hallway. Wide smiles suppressed their tiny features, enveloping in never ending happiness. “I beat you again brother!” chirped a young female, standing at four feet only at seven years old. The little boy struggled to catch his breath as he admitted his defeat. The boy was an exact replica of the young female, just slightly shorter hair and height. Both children fell to the ground and took a moment to catch their breath, waiting for it to return to normal. “How are you so fast sister…. No one would ever be able to catch you!” breathed the younger brother. The girl in return just simply laughed, and nodded in agreement. As her brother stood up, she noticed a faint scar on his back. She opted not to say anything.
“I know what we can do! Sister, lets go make each other something, something precious.” The two children agreed and were off to make their own precious items, in which they would exchange. Now finding themselves in the art room, a different air was about the room. The two youngsters were intent on making something special, their determination fierce. In front of the young boy was a wad of clay and some blue paint, while in front of the young female was a picture frame. Beside the frame was a picture of twins, her and her brother. Every now and then the two would peak at each other’s work, plotting to make something bigger, something better. “Done!” squealed the boy. What he held up was a well-shaped blue, dolphin. That dolphin would later become the young girl’s prize possession. With the boy being done, he took it upon himself to help his twin sister, creating a lovely frame of the two. “Its so pretty brother! Promise me you won’t ever leave it somewhere? Take it wherever you go!” she chirped, a wide smile stretching across her peachy face. The boy nodded and promised it, that wherever he went, he would take it with him.
When her brother died, he kept his promise. He took it with him.
Mika woke up to the sound of her brother’s lullabies. From her position on the dust-covered floor, she could see her brother sitting in the opening of the door, singing. His song was soft, yet filled with pain. She knew he longed to be alive again, to make his sister happy. To make her smile again. Mika sat up and blinked at a steady pace, waking herself up. After realizing that her prize possession was broken, she was sent into a spiraling fit. Instead of crying, she laughed an eerie laugh, one that was filled with pain and sorrow. Another missing puzzle piece. Mike abruptly stopped and stared at his sister, waiting for her to resume her mourning. When nothing happened, he smiled. “Mika…..school has started and I think they are waiting for you. Why don’t we go meet some new people?’. Wrong, we wouldn’t meet any new people. Mika was the one doing the meeting, the one being visible. “Okay, brother, we shall meet new people…”
•••
“Class, class, please settle down. We all know having a new student is big news, and you are all eager to find out who it is, but you mustn’t cause such an uproar!” croaked the teacher. She was an old lady, her face etched with wrinkles. If you watched closely you could see the small strands of hair fall off as she turned her head, taking turns glaring at each student. What an odd old lady. Mika shuffled slightly into the room as the teacher waved her in, a smile never ceasing to leave. A wave of sounds rushed over the crowd of students, both pleasing and displeasing. “Students, please welcome Mika Lorell.” With just the mentioning of her last name, everyone’s eyes widened. Of course in a place as resolute as this, even her father was still well-known. The teacher patted Mika gently on her shoulder and asked her to introduce herself, and perhaps share something. Mike stood off the side and nodded, gesturing a yes in agreement. Mike only wanted Mika to be happy, and hopefully new friends would do her good.
“My name is Mika, please do not associate me with my scum of a father” she said matter-of-factly. The class was sent into a hush noise, and the teacher hesitated as what to do. It was true, her father should not be forgiven, and he should be sent to the pits of hell where he belonged. Mika wasn’t crazy, she just knew the truths. Faint laughs escaped the teacher as a wave of nerves settled onto her, and then she ushered for Mika to take a seat. Although sitting in the back didn’t avert the eyes, they still stared. Their eyes boring down into her, hating the fact that she disproved of her father, of her fame. In fact, they all envied her. She was medium height with a thin body and long, brown locks. The same question echoed in their heads, pondering on how she could hate her father so much. Mike stood behind his sister, his arms slowly wrapping around her body, holding it in his arms. “I don’t need anyone but you Mike…” she whispered. These students judged already, and their choice was final. She was not to be accepted.
For the whole fifty-five minutes of class, she was the topic of discussion. The males talked about her features, the females talked about her abnormalities. If only they knew she could see her deceased brother, oh how splendorous it would be to see their reaction. They would all hate her then, and she would be an outcast once more. Mike shifted on top of her desk, clearly disapproving of her thoughts. It was odd how he could read her mind, bore into the midst of her thoughts. It was like they were connected somehow, physically or mentally. “Mika…if they knew you could see me then they will send you to a doctor. They will take me away from you, do you want that?”His voice turned hard and cold, almost scolding. Mika’s eyes widened and she shook her head back and forth fiercely. The thought of her brother leaving was unbearable.
From the corner of the room, a boy watched Mika’s every move, ignoring the boy sitting on her desk, scolding her.
•••
The classes passed by quickly, and she was asked to present herself in every single one. The school was small, and by the time lunch rolled around, everyone knew her. And everyone despised every ounce of her. Mika didn’t mind, it was nothing new. People would use her for their own benefits, and then cast her away. It was better to be cast away at first than to be used first. It saved her the force of pain. Mike followed his sister as she stood up and left the classroom, the lunch bell had rung. Mike took it upon himself to evaluate and examine every single person they passed. Mika just simply kept walking forward, clinging her bag to her side. Inside were not books, but merely her prize possession. That broken dolphin. Neglecting the pang of hunger stirring in the midst of her stomach, she roamed the school in search of the art room. A keen sense of direction was something she never regretted.
The art room was beautiful, and it reminded her much of the happy times she spent with her brother Mike. A soft smile spread across her face, causing Mike to pause in hesitation. Its been a while since he has seen his sister smile truthfully, and to his dismay, it was a beautiful sight. The walls were decorated with an abundance of flowers, all colored a different shade of blues and purples. The colors blended and guided your eye onto something else, urging you to keep grazing the walls. The counters and desks were painted freshly with pictures of people. Some where crying, some where elated, some were just happy to be alive. Mika trailed her bony fingers across the tables, tracing the bold lines that demanded your attention. “So beautiful,” she choked out. This room would prove to be her sanctuary, other than her wooden home. Reluctantly taking her eyes away from her surroundings, she looked for clay, or anything to fix her broken dolphin. Mike joined Mika in her search, and he was the one to find the materials.
Mika sat down at the farthest table, where the sun rays spread most. Her fingers worked into the clay media, working it into a shape that would mend her dolphin. Mike sat next to her, talking her through the steps to fix it. Besides, he was the one who had made it in the first place, of course he was to help. The two broken pieces lay to the side, yearning to be whole once more. Like her brother yearned for her to be whole once again. Mika sat there for a few hours, her attempts to fix it becoming more and more futile. It wouldn’t mend. It wouldn’t stick. It just wouldn’t work.
As another hour passed by and the clay still not sticking, Mika began to cry. When molding the clay, her pounding became harsher, more fierce. Mike stepped back, watching his sister indulge herself in pain, knowing he couldn’t do anything. Right now, all he could do was let her relieve her anger and frustration. Better the clay than an innocent human being. The clay fell to the floor as she let her hand fall limply. Her breathing was jagged, and her body was shaking. Underneath her eyes were streaks of red, and her nose had turned a burning crimson. “Why won’t it work? Why won’t it work? Why won’t it work?” the words echoed and kept playing like a broken record.
She couldn’t mend the broken dolphin.
•••
Blink once. Blink twice. Her eyes fluttered open to find the moon staring straight at her. She was caught in its spot light, all glory on her. Mika slowly lifted her head up, her eyes intent on the moon. As if moving by an invisible force, Mika lifted her hands up. The wrist of her right and left hand came together as she cradled the moon in her palms. Her fingers gingerly caressed the moon as if it was her own child, taking it all in with its exquisite beauty. Slowly she brought it closer and closer to herself, embracing it. Mika held it closer, smothering it. It began to loose its shine and wither away as she put more force on it. Before she knew it, it was completely dark.
Mika jolted her head up, breathing in a gasp of air. It was a dream, only a dream. Mike was gone, no where to be seen. Mika looked from left to right, still no sign of Mike. Her heartbeat quickened and she immediately jumped out of her chair. The stool fell, a loud clanging noise echoing in the art room. Now as Mika examined every nook and cranny, she came to realize that this art room was abandoned a fairly long time ago. No one has been in here for a while, except herself. It wasn’t enough to calm her, she was more frightened about Mike. He was always there, always and always. Where was he? Mika took steps forward, forcing herself to leave the room and look for her brother. He had to be here, he just had to be. He promise that he would never leave her. Never….
Her breathing deepened as she picked up the pace. The school was empty, she couldn’t ask if anyone has seen him. That would be ludicrous. Mika went from door to door, busting it open with a great force. It was frightening to think how such a frail and fragile girl like herself could possibly be so strong. After searching on so many floors, her search revealed to be fruitless. Mika fell to her knees and cradled herself. Her back was hunched over, her long brown locks flowing over her shoulders, and she was gasping for air. Tears didn’t come, they were all dried up from earlier. Her eyes resembled deep, hollow pits. They were empty, just like her heart. Mika stayed in that position that seemed like an eternity until he came along.
“Are you alright?”
The voice echoed in her head, sounding like the purest of all things. An angel? Mika looked up at him, it was the same boy that was staring at her in first period. Mika gasped as she saw Mike standing behind him, smiling. Mike….he was still here. Mika smiled brightly as she stared past the boy and to her brother. “You found him! Mike you’re still here…” she said, choking out the last few words. Mike merely nodded and glanced at the boy in front of him. The boy was around seventeen, and he had deep brown eyes and pitch black hair that reached to his shoulders. He was staring at her like she was crazy, his lips parted, waiting to be able to ask his question. Mika already knew what he was going to interrogate her about, just like her father. Questions after questions, but this time, the boy might turn her in. Make her go to the doctor, and then Mike would surely disappear.
“He led me here.”
Mika’s eyes widened, utter shock enveloping her. She wasn’t crazy after all.
