Dawn and Dusk: Just Watch It Burn.

Dawn and Dusk, two violent, pyromaniac twin brothers, burn their house down.

My eyes glittered passionately as I watched the flame leap from my lighter to the trail of gasoline, immediately igniting into a frenzied mass of yellow fire. How easy. My face split into a delighted smile, and I flicked my gaze to the side, settling it on the masked face of my brother. I couldn’t see what his mouth was doing, but his eyes were clearly smiling, just as eager as I was. He was clutching an empty gallon bottle labeled ‘gasoline’ in his hand, which he quickly glanced at before tossing into the inferno. The plastic remained untouched by the fire for a moment, and then began to blacken, bubbling and melting into a thick puddle not soon after.

 

We glanced at each other – my brother and I, and then we turned around and ran. We couldn’t afford to be caught at the scene of the crime – not now, after we’d gotten so far. We wanted to get away safely; we wanted to watch our doing from afar and be able to see the results.

 

I stuffed the small lighter into the black fabric of my hoodie pocket, and then turned my head to see my brother again. He was running right beside me, his onyx-coloured hair flowing behind him as his legs propelled him forward. For a moment he didn’t notice I was looking, but then he turned his own head toward me and I smiled at him through my mask. He was so adorable.

 

I extended my hand out toward my brother after a moment, and he took it, our fingers lacing together while we ran. It was reassuring, holding his hand, and we both bounded forward with an extra dash of energy, quickly leaving the town behind us. The terrain sloped upward, but the adrenaline coursing through our veins caused us to be immune to the extra exertion. To us, there was only distance.

 

For another five minutes we ran, finally reaching the top of the hill and halting our flight. Panting breaths slipped from between our lips, and I cautiously lifted off my mask. My brother did the same, and as we shot each other nervously enthusiastic looks we turned. I followed my brother’s bright blue gaze down the hill, all the way to where our house stood, alive with crackling fire and puffing black smoke into the sky.

 

“It looks so pretty, Dawn,” my brother whispered to me, and I felt his grip on my hand tighten a bit. My smile widened by a degree, and I only nodded. Our parents would understand now; they would /finally/ realize that they couldn’t separate us. They had no right to attempt such a thing in the first place, and now they would know that.

 

“Mommy and Daddy are sleeping,” I sang gently, my gaze locked on the inferno, “never to ever wake up ever again.” As I said this, I looked over at my brother and he giggled gently, face alive with amusement.

 

“Now we can stay together. Forever.” My brother’s soft voice was filled with so much meaning, and I only nodded a bit, still gazing into those bright blue eyes.

 

“I love you, Dusk.” I leaned forward and hugged him, and he replied with the same words as I.

 

“I love you too, Dawn.”

 

We remained in that pose for a while, completely peaceful, until we pulled away and he ran his slim fingers through my milky blonde strands of hair. I never wanted him to leave; he was mine now, and I was his. Our parents would never be able to tell us what to do again. Never.

Reviews

[Jess_l_y]

*sarcasm* I can't imagine why their parents wanted to keep a pair of such lovely, kind brothers apart. :P So I had this review all written out, then my internet died :/ so sorry if I can't rephrase everything right, but I'll try. I was so sure that "winter is not a cold, dead place" was my favorite of yours, but then read this! I really like how you give the reader information a little at a time, like how at first it sort of seems as if the first boy is alone, then his brother is introduced beside him. And also that the reader doesn't know what exactly is being burned down until near the end of the story. Then there is the suspenseful part of not really knowing what their parents did to "separate them", and never knowing if the brothers had any sort of justification in their actions. The brother's relationship is also quite deep; it seemed to me as if they were definitely closer than is usual for brothers, but the story does not really say exactly what their relationship was past their kinship. I really like this one!

[M. McDonnell]

This is so delightfully twisted. Your description is excellent. I felt like I was there with the characters. The ending was completely unexpected, but it adds a nice, sinister quality to the piece. I love that there are elements to it that are left up to the reader.

A great piece overall. (: