Chapter Text
Chapter 1
Liam hated decisions. He always had. But, he had an important decision to make today.
Yesterday, he’d been bold enough to take his twin siblings, Lucy and Noah, to a public aquarium. While they were transfixed with the immortal jellyfish, Liam paid close attention to the kind guide (who most people were ignoring) and he said that scientists were studying the undying invertebrate, trying to understand immortality. Liam chatted with the guide afterward about the scientists, and he gave Liam a phone number.
Liam pulled the phone number out of his pocket, unfolded it, and stared at it like it would bite him. It was dawn, so there wasn’t much light to read it properly. Liam looked up and felt his mind relax. Sunrise and sunset were his favorite times of the day.
Liam kicked off the tattered blanket he wrapped around himself and turned toward Lucy.
“Hey,” he whispered, nudging her. He felt bad waking her up, but she was good at making choices, unlike her twin brother: Noah.
Lucy stirred under Liam’s hand and peeked one green eye up at him.
“It’s early,” she muttered, trying to shift her body away. Usually, he’d leave her alone, but this was important.
“I know. But, I need your help.” he whispered.
She looked at him again, considering. He never really asked for help. Not on purpose, anyway.
“Whassup?” she slurred, rubbing her eyes.
“Remember the aquarium?”
“Of course I do,” Lucy sat up.
He cleared his throat and looked over at Noah. He was still sound asleep. Thank goodness.
“Well,” he started, leaning in closer to Lucy so he could avoid waking up Noah. “The guide told me about a laboratory that would love to study how our little… ability works. In return, they’d give us food and a home.”
Lucy stared off into the street. She zoned out pretty often, especially when there was a decision to be made.
“I would love a real bed…”
“I, personally, love my soggy cardboard mattress,” Noah protested.
“When did you wake up?” Liam asked, looking over Lucy’s head to glare at the now active fourteen year old.
“That’s beside the point,” Noah said, rolling his eyes. “We’re staying right here,”
“Shh…” Liam scolded. If someone heard them, they’d be evacuated from the abandoned ally they’d recently started to call home. “They might be nice?” Liam offered weakly. Noah squinted.
“Yeah, right. Scientists love freaks like us, and their main goal in life is to make us feel happy and secure,” Noah grumbled sarcastically.
“Don’t be sassy,” Lucy berated, flicking Noah upside the head. Liam sat down between them.
Noah looked up at Liam with wide, green eyes.
“Liam, please.” he shuddered. Or shivered. Noah was so thin that it was hard for him to keep warmth in his body.
“We could have a home.” Liam said, playing with his ripped tee shirt.
“At what cost?” Noah scrunched up his face. “I really don’t like needles,” he added quietly, rubbing his arms.
“I know,”
Back when they lived under their caretaker’s roof (who shall not be named) a doctor had given them vaccines. Noah almost had a panic attack.
“How do you know these scientists will use needles?” Lucy asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Comics,” Noah sniffed. Noah liked to hide in libraries and read comic books.
Lucy rolled her eyes.
“Lucy, this is bothering him. Please leave it alone.” Liam said softly.
Noah was usually obnoxiously brave. It unnerved Liam whenever something scared Noah. Liam? He was afraid of his own shadow.
“Let’s just think about it.” Liam suggested. He received blank stares from Lucy and Noah.
“How about we think about it, and then vote?” Lucy suggested.
Noah scoffed.
“We all know you’re just hoping that Liam will be your tiebreaker,”
“You’re smarter than you look,”
“Hey.” Liam interjected himself between the twin’s argument before it could escalate to a ridiculous degree. “We’re going to think about it, and we’ll see how we feel.”
Noah and Lucy glared at each other.
“Fine.” they agreed, begrudgingly.
Liam smiled and ruffled Noah’s light brown hair.
“How about we do something together again? The aquarium was fun.”
“I get to pick!” Noah exclaimed, removing Liam’s hand from his head.
Lucy folded her arms.
“Sure,” she said.
“I vote we should steal from a bank!”
“NO!” Liam and Lucy said in unison.
“Even though they would never catch me,” Lucy tacked on, smirking.
”I’m joking,” Noah laughed nervously.
Liam shook his head and then felt his stomach growl. Ah, food day.
Liam stood up and stretched.
“…Actually, I’m going to try to find some food. Please don’t burn things down.” he begged.
“I make no promises!” Noah exclaimed, saluting Liam.
“Lucy’s in charge.” Liam added.
“Where’s your funny bone? I wasn’t actually going to!”
Liam gave Noah a warning look and shouldered a scrap of fabric that functioned as a bag.
“Also, please stay behind the dumpster?” Liam pleaded.
“Where else would we go?” Noah grumbled.
Lucy ignored Noah and nodded at Liam’s request. Noah mockingly mimicked her, which she gave him a punch in the arm for.
Liam slunk out from behind the dumpster that sheltered them, and walked briskly out of the alley.
He tried to straighten his hunched posture so he looked confident. Hopefully, that would help him fly under anyone’s radar.
“Watch it!” a grumpy, middle-aged man shouted. Liam accidentally bumped into him while he was focusing on posture.
“S-sorry.” Liam stuttered. The man scoffed at Liam (probably frustrated with his small voice) and shoved a petrified Liam out of his way.
So much for good posture. Liam pushed his curly, thick, dark brown hair out of his eyes so he could see better and wandered up and down the streets of San Francisco, looking for a crowded store.
When he found a shopping mart bursting with people he ducked in and started shoving things into his ratty bag. Liam carefully watched his back, making sure no one noticed him, and bolted.
Liam ran for about a block when he was suddenly elbowed in the chest. He fell backward and looked up. A figure (about six foot and clad in dark clothes that covered his entire face and body) towered over him, eyeing Liam’s full bag.
Liam’s heart rate picked up.
“Wait.” Liam pleaded, holding his now filthy hands out like stop signs.
The figure leaned down and placed a heavy boot on Liam’s trembling form. He twitched and braced himself as the figure got so close to his face that he could smell their rancid breath. Noah would’ve pointed that out and asked him if they’d eaten an expired fish sandwich that was dipped in sewer water. Noah had a vivid imagination.
“Please don’t hurt me.” was all Liam said.
He whimpered as the figure looked him up and down. He lessened the pressure on Liam’s stomach and tried yanking the bag out of Liam’s hand. That made him curl around the bag, holding onto it tightly.
Noah and Lucy had to eat.
The figure got more frantic but refused to give up.
They eventually stomped on Liam’s throat five times. He felt a white-hot pain flare through his jugular, then everything went dark.