death of the twin
By jen bellefleur
10 Oct 2009
sirens blared as fire trucks and police cars went by, just outside the window. she didn't move. she thought about the half of her that is missing. the loss of the twin. some people cruelly hypothesize that because they were identical, that the loss was so devastating because in it she saw or felt her own mortality, feared her own death. this simply wasn't so. the death of the twin had been akin to an amputation, an organic loss of something so vital, it was beyond description. it was as if she had awoken one day to find herself completely blind in a sighted world. a creature that breathed oxygen trapped underwater. that was it. she couldn't breathe.
when the birthday came a few months later, no one had known what to do, so they had put together a small party for her with the few people who knew her, none of them close friends. she had no close friends, only the twin. the now dead twin. someone made a cake, a pink lopsided number that reminded her of a dress they'd worn to a bat mitzvah.
everywhere, she saw the pairing of things. the two. party of two. double. twin. twins. they held hands. buy one get one. she left the others in the living room and went into the bathroom and locked the door. she looked at herself in the mirror and wondered whether bees slept. slowly she moved towards the mirror, moving forward and sideways, until finally she found herself pressed directly against it. she pressed her cheek to the cool surface and closed her eyes. when she opened them, she looked across to the medicine cabinet, perpendicular to the mirror above the sink against which her face was pressed. in that mirror, she saw two. the two. the twin. she smiled.
she remained in the bathroom, looking at the double image, until a sharp knock at the door accompanied by a falsely cheerful voice called, "honey, are you okay?" after a few moments, she answered. "no. i'll be right out." she closed her eyes and moved her cheek to a cool spot on the mirror.
13 responses
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Leanna Lomanski gave props (10 Oct 2009):
Write more, write more..............I want to read them all.
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Robert J Ross gave props (11 Oct 2009):
depth, heart, soul
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Catherine Hadler gave props (11 Oct 2009):
I love your stories Jen, this is a treat
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Tricia Louvar said (11 Oct 2009):
You keep knocking me out, again and again, with your talent. This is superb--the cool spot on the mirror is absolute perfection in so many ways. So wonderful.!!!!
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Michele Randell said (11 Oct 2009):
I love this story.....conjures wildly in my imagination even without your soulful images which add so much ..............
"A cool spot on the mirror"....perfect and says it all. -
Sean-Michael Bryce gave props (12 Oct 2009):
awesome story
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Maura Wolfson-Foster gave props (14 Oct 2009):
You are SO gifted Jen......thank you for sharing with us all.
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John Linton gave props (16 Oct 2009):
Aftershocks coolness.
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k. pasa? k. pasa? gave props (17 Oct 2009):
what a very well written story. i'm very impressed with your talent. excellent, jen. moving.
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eithne mythen gave props (18 Oct 2009):
Gripping story, you are a great storyteller..
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Joy B gave props (30 Oct 2009):
Fabulous writing!!
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Maura Wolfson-Foster gave props (1 Nov 2009):
Jen, this needs to be changed to a photo essay, so we can vote!!!
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Rhio9 (Rhio Hirsch) said (3 Nov 2009):
beautifully unforgetable
