In this weekly series called ‘Friday Fiction’, I challenge myself to write 500 words every Friday, using a ‘fictional story’ prompt and publish my work (whether it is good or not!). I hope this will work the writing muscle and also reduce the fear of putting my writing out into the world.
Today’s prompt: Write a scene or story that includes a character receiving an invitation, or showing up to an event that they were invited to.
Writer’s note: This is Part II, read Part I here first.
Tilly woke up in a plush reclining chair, blankets piled on top of her, and a full meal on a tray on the coffee table below. She was alone.
“Till, I’m here.” Tentatively.
Her startled body twitched. She didn’t know how she could hear her sister’s voice so clearly, yet she knew Billie was not in the room.
“Yes, I’m inside your head, silly.” Billie boomed this time.
Tilly wasn’t sure how to answer back. She said aloud: “Billie? You’re here?” Then, to herself “Or they’ve turned me mad. Shit. Did I go mad?”
“You’re not mad, look where you are. Look at the emblem on the coaster.” a voice that was undeniably Billie’s replied. That voice had accompanied her for her whole life.
Tilly looked down, right enough it said “The Society of Lost Twins”.
“We’re found again, Till” Billie’s voice was a quiet reverberation in her skull. “I promised I’d never leave you.”
Tilly allowed her heavy eyes to let loose a stream of salty tears. No other response would demonstrate the relief she felt. She cried for what felt like hours, and eventually, they began to talk. Tilly realised that there was no need to speak aloud, as Billie could hear her thoughts. They talked about Billie’s death, how her spirit floated for months afterwards, unaware of space and time. How she found the society, and the steps that got them here. Tilly spoke truthfully about how she’d handled her passing, the awful awful funeral, the last few months of monotonous grief. As they talked, Tilly feasted on what seemed to be a continental breakfast for five spread out on the tray next to her. She was ravenous, enjoying food for for the first time in 6 weeks. Every bite was a joy. Tilly could sense that her sister was happy for her, but she couldn’t taste a thing. She wasn’t experiencing the body, per se, only witnessing it. It felt strange. When her sister couldn’t eat towards the end of her illness, neither could Tilly. Her appetite never came back, until now.
“Won’t you miss your life?” Tilly asked.
“My life is gone. I’m just here to accompany you on yours. That’s how it works.”
“It seems unfair.”
“It’s unfair you have to host me-“
“-I’m happy to. I just don’t want you to feel stuck.”
“I’m not. I’m looking after you. You’re my little sister.”
“Yeah, only by three minutes, thanks very much!” Tilly said instinctively.
They laughed. As if Billie was sitting in front of her. Except she wasn’t. Anna-Rose burst through the door with a bounce, a flurry of red curls, with a red suit today to complete the look.
“There you are! My darling Tilly. Or Tilly-Billie? What are we going with?” Anna-Rose smiled, a stretch of large red lips colonised her face.
Tilly paused.
“Absolutely NOT Tilly-Billie.” Billie said.
“Tilly’s fine.” she responded, laughing in agreement with Billie. They always thought the matching names were embarrassing enough.
“And how is our Billie?” Anna-Rose at on the arm of the couch and began to stroke Tilly’s head.
“Tell her I’m fine” Bill responded “God, that woman is annoying.”
“No kidding” Tillie replied inwardly, and to Anna-Rose “She’s great, thanks. Happy to be reunited. Can we go now?”
“We’d like to keep you in for observation overnight.” Anna-Rose replied with a cartoon grin, cupping Tilly’s face.
“Another night?! Why?” Tilly struggled to speak, face clamped like an untaxed car. Somehow she felt Billie rolling her eyes.
“Well darling, you don’t look so good.” Her large hands now turned Tilly’s face side to side. “We can’t send you two off into the big bad world without first making sure that you’re okay.” Anna-Rose’s expression incensed Tilly and Billie. Pity.
“I’m fine.” Tilly barked, matter of factly, shaking away her hand. Despite the protestations, her body indeed felt sore and drained.
“Of course you are, darling. But a bit more support won’t hurt.” She patted her on the head and stood, looking down at her now. The pity grin never faltered. “I’ll leave you to it.” Anna-Rose said “Just call if you need anything at all.” The red hurricane whooshed out the door.
“What bloody number?”Billie huffed at the slammed door.
Tilly grimaced. Then, responding to her sister “Yeah actually, what the hell? Anna-Rose didn’t even give me a number to call!”
“I swear to God, I hated that woman from the first time I met her!” Billie said.
“But she certainly delivers on her offers… Billie I can’t believe this worked!” Tilly’s mood shot up again as she thought of how different life had been just 24 hours before. As she thought this, Billie, still always one step ahead, asked “What time is it anyway?”
There was no clock in the room. Tilly’s wristwatch was gone. Her phone and other possessions were nowhere to be found. A sense of panic arose in her throat. “Try the door” Billie suggested. Tilly got up to try it. Locked. Shit.
They spent the next hour working out an escape plan. It wasn’t going to be easy in a huge network of rooms inside god knows how many warehouses, with no windows and a door lock that could not be picked (Tilly had tried). Not to mention the fact that security was unlikely to be very lax, and they had no access to their possessions.
“Try the door again” Bill suggested. Not that either twin was often described as “calm”, but as usual, Billie was more composed than her sister. Come to think of it, she was actually calmer than ever.
“Perhaps that’s what dying and coming back to life through your sister’s body does to you.” Tilly thought wryly.
“You bet ya!” Billie laughed.
Tilly gasped. “I keep forgetting you hear everything – including my thoughts not even directed towards you!” Billie laughed, a sound that Tilly could feel more than hear within her. Tilly gave the door a shake. Then, realising that they were not in a traditional building, she knocked at the wall surrounding it, realising that the doorframe is screwed into drywall, not brick or concrete. She began to remove books from the decorative shelf next to the door. Then, she grabbed the butter knife from her breakfast tray. Fitting the tip of the knife into the screws, she eventually unscrewed the shelf from the wall, removing the long metal pole which supported the bottom.
“What are you doing?” Billie eventually asked, as Tilly picked up the pole and held it like a spear towards the wall.
“Escaping” Tilly said with a smile, and was shocked by how easily the wall was opened up by the pole. A few more hits, and she could fit herself through the damaged plasterboard. Stepping out into the corridor, she became aware of the conspicuous noise and mess she’d made.
“Let’s go!” Bill said, and without a beat, Tilly sprinted along the long corridor, sensored lights illuminating her path as she went. The corridor was a rabbit’s warren, and she began to lose track of the turns she had made. Doors were scattered randomly on either side of the corridor. Some were regular, like three small rooms next to one another, but sometimes she wouldn’t see a door for a while, suggesting one large room occupied that area. Light peeked out from some rooms, whilst others appeared unoccupied. When Tilly heard voices or movement from a door, she sprinted faster. She was surprised at the flimsiness of the whole structure. That being said, a flimsy labyrinth is still a labyrinth.
Linggow 