Paranormal Twins: The New Beginning

I ran into Tadashi on my way to the facility- literally. Neither of us were paying attention to where we were going. I fell backward and he stumbled before catching himself, but all of his papers flew from his hands and all around us. He stood still for a few moments, disoriented before he realized what happened and held out his hand. I smiled gratefully, took it, and he helped me up.

I pointed to where a gust of wind was dragging his papers away. “Tadashi, your papers!” He looked over to where I was pointing and snapped his fingers. The papers stopped and started flying back towards us. I watched the papers go back in Tadashi’s hand. He skimmed through the papers, making sure they were in the correct order. I stared at him in shock and he looked up over the top of his papers and winked. “Perks of magic.”

“But… Don’t you have to say a spell or something?” I asked him.

He glanced up from above his glasses and smirked at me. “A spell? How much Harry Potter did you read as a child?” I bit my lip and rolled my eyes at him. He smiled and looked up fully. “Witches use spells. Sometimes. It really depends on the type of magic you do. Witches need spells because they don’t need a wand. Wizards, who need wands to center their magic, don’t need to use spells. Though sometimes we use them to make the magic stronger.” He could tell I was confused because he hesitated. “It’s difficult for non-magic people to understand.”

I sighed, changing the subject. “Are any of those papers Rachelle’s housing, by chance?” Tadashi nodded and flipped through his papers.

“Bills… Interrogations… Lawsuits… Blood supply… Aha!” He pulled out a group of stapled papers. “Housing.” He glanced over the names on the papers. “Rachelle Waters. She moved in with the Dawsons. 9624 Clark St.” He looked towards the gate surrounding the housing edition. “I know where that is… Kind of...” He looked at me and smiled. “Ready to see your sister?”

I nodded and he put his paper stack into the messenger bag he was carrying over his shoulder. He led me to the gate and pulled a keycard out of his wallet, opening the gate.

“What is the gate for? I would think the gate would be around the facility.” We walked through the gate and it locked shut behind us.

“The gate surrounds the housing edition because of how many humans live there. Usually, if Rogues attack a facility, they’re going for the humans that live near the facility that wanted to be close to their family. The people that live in the neighborhood, family, and the ones that need to be able to access the neighborhood for any reason, have a key card for the gate. It’s also for humans, who normally are not allowed to be in the facility, to get in easily.”

I nodded slightly. “Would I be able to get a key card? You did say family can have them.”

Tadashi hesitated. “Most… Normal workers don’t get a key card unless they live in the neighborhood...” he saw my downtrodden face and continues, “but… Since Rachelle is technically your sister by adoption, I’ll see what I can do.” We stopped at a crossroad.

“How did you know I was adopted?” I asked him. He held up his pile of papers.

“I told you, I’m the Advisor. Andrew technically is too, but he’s more of the training advisor and he lets me do all the paperwork.” He rolled his eyes. “Plus, if you and Jay are twins, then obviously you guys were adopted or something. We’re trying to figure out everything we can about you and why the Leaders are confused about you two.”

“Mae? Why is she confused?” I asked. What’s confusing about me?

Tadashi shrugged. “No idea. That’s something she hasn’t confided in me yet.” We stopped and he looked up at the street sign and looked left and right. “I said Clark Street, right?” I thought about earlier and nodded. He bit his lip and looked down the road towards his left.

“Please, please tell me you didn’t get us lost.” I groaned.

He smiled at me sheepishly. “Okay. I didn’t get us lost.” He reached into his messenger bag and grabbed something that just looked like carved wood about a foot long. He shook it lightly and said, “Clark Street.” Instantly the tip glowed a gentle green and seemingly jerked him to the right. He looked back at me. “Well, come on then! I told you I wasn’t lost!” I shook my head in confusion before I ran after him.

After turning left twice and right once, we were finally able to slow down. The stick Tadashi had stopped glowing and his arm fell down to his side. “That really wasn’t what I wanted to do when I showed you my wand for the first time.” He said, out of breath from running. “I just hate getting lost.” He winked at me. “Not that we got lost. Because I told you we weren’t.” He put his wand back in his messenger bag and looked up at the house. “9624. Do you see that anywhere?” I looked around and pointed to a nice, blue two-story house. A pang of sadness hit me. We haven’t had a house like that in years. Not since dad lost his job. Before he died. I shook my head of those thoughts.

We started walking up the driveway when the door opened. I saw a little girl standing there, probably only seven or eight years old, with tan-orange ears on the top of her head. I saw a spotted orange and black tail waving slightly behind her. Behind her, I saw Rachelle running down the hall to the door. She stopped at the door, saw me, and then she barreled at me like a charging rhino. I braced myself for her hug, but still almost fell back when she hugged me.

She finally pulled away and smiled. “I knew you were coming,” she said.

I smiled. “Of course I was coming. I couldn’t leave you.” I looked at the house. “Did you see me coming down the street?”

She shook her head. “I sensed you coming.” She was holding the pendant on the necklace she was wearing. I realized that was the same necklace I gave to her when she turned 11. When I promised I wouldn’t let our parents hurt her. When I promised I would protect her.

“You sensed me?” I asked. She nodded. I looked at Tadashi in confusion. He took his wand back out of his bag and waved it around her. The tip glowed a light blue.

“Lauri mentioned Rachelle being Psychic. But she didn’t go into specifics.” I watched Tadashi pull his wand back towards his and look at it a second like he was reading it. I looked at it, too, but it just looked like a stick.

He seemed to understand, though. Maybe it was a Wizard thing. “That’s how.” He looked at me, then back at Rachelle. “She’s a Dowser. They are able to track a person through objects sentimental to the person.” He looked at Rachelle’s hand, the one still holding the necklace. “Did Jakki give that to you?”

Rachelle looked at me and I nodded, indicating this crazy man was okay to talk to. She looked back at Tadashi. “She gave this to me for my birthday a few years ago. I never take it off.”

Tadashi nodded. “That’s it, then. She’s a Dowser.” He put his wand away.

I glanced at him then turned back to Rachelle. “Anyway… Do you like the family alright?”

Rachelle’s eyes lit up and she nodded. It warmed my heart to see her so happy and having a family that made her happy. “Their names are Jessica and Jason Dawson. They have an older boy, who lives in the facility, named Shane, and a younger daughter named Leah. Jessica’s a human, with probably Lycan ancestry, but Jason and Shane are Werewolves. Leah is a Cheetah Lycan, which is why they think Jessica has Lycan ancestry.”

I smiled. I was wondering what the ears and tail were. “You seem happy.” She smiled and nodded.

“I’m still getting used to it, but they’re helping me adjust.” She looked so happy, like she finally found a place where she belonged. I was happy for her, but it made me sad, realizing that, without our neglectful parents, she didn’t really need me. She was fine on her own.

I smiled at her, tears pricking up in my eyes. “I’m happy for you.” I hugged her and kissed the top of her head. “Well… Tadashi and I better get going. He’s going to show me around the town and get some food, but I’ll see you later, okay?”

Rachelle nodded. I could tell she knew something was wrong, but she didn’t push it. She hugged me again. “Okay, sis.” She looked up. “I love you.”

I smiled and kissed her forehead. “I love you too, sis.” I pulled away and smiled. I turned around and walked over to Tadashi. I turned back and waved before walking away.

Before we turned the corner I looked back, and Rachelle was playing tag with the young girl, Leah. I smiled and turned away, a single tear falling down my cheek.