That’s me Edith Kim.

Everyone says I take after my mother, which I suppose

is true. Never really thought much about what I look like , never saw much
reason to. I’ve always thought it’s what’s on the inside that should really
count. I’ve met plenty of people who are just lovely on the outside, but utterly
rotten everywhere else.
This is my twin Omri, who’s one of those some think look awful on the
outside who’s truly wonderful inside. I’ll never understand why people want
to worry so much about external beauty. All I know is I don’t want to have
much to do with them.
But I guess I can’t escape spending time with all the rotten lovely individuals
of the world. You especially can’t escape them if they happen to be family
and happen to be best friends with your twin brother. This is my cousin
Kalana Vijjakayar, who I don’t much care for. Oh she’s pretty enough I
suppose, on the outside.
Xan is a different story. She’s my best friend in the whole wide world, next
to Omri of course. She’s an explorer like me at heart, and I don’t mind that
she’s scared of things. We’ve already decided that we’re going to go find
the elves one day when we get grown up. I’m gonna learn how to use a
sword so I can protect us on our trip just like dad did for Uncle Toren when
they were younger.
Cousin Rhiannon’s already promised she’ll be my sparring partner when I get
big enough. She’s the best at using the sword, even though Kalana likes to
brag she’s going to be better when she gets older. I finally had enough of her
smart mouth and last Saturday I told her if she didn’t shut her mouth I was
going to shut it for her. But that made Xan upset. Xan doesn’t like it when
people fight.
Cousin Rhiannon keeps all of us after school since dad is a vampire. He can’t
get up when the sun is out or he’d die. We always have the best time with
Rhiannon. For a teenager she’s pretty cool. She never complains about
having to spend so much time with “babies.”
She doesn’t have to let Xan and Kalana stay over, but she does.
Sometimes I wish she would make Kalana go on home, but sometimes
Kalana can be fun. Sometimes she makes me forget how horrid she is, and
we all have a great time, but then she goes and opens up her stupid mouth
again and makes me want to punch her lights out.
Omri can’t seem to stay awake as long as I can. He’s usually out cold around ten
o’clock. Me, I can stay up forever, but dad won’t let me on school nights. I was surprised
when I stood at the door to our bedroom for ten minutes on Thursday night before dad
finally called softly, “Go to bed Edi.”
Dad must not have realized he was in my bed again and that actually complying with his
request would be rather difficult. But I decided not to bother him since he seemed to be
thinking about something important.
I crept down the hall and climbed into my dad’s bed. I actually didn’t mind having
to sleep in the there for the night. I actually like the peace and quiet, but I guess
I’m the only one. Omri stayed in dad’s coffin once for a few minutes before asking
us to let him out, Xan wouldn’t even go near it, and Kalana, well she stayed in
longer than Omri but I think she only did it so she could brag.
It was early the next morning when I woke up to the smell of pancakes drifting down the
hall. I climbed out of the coffin and slipped down the hall. I stood and watched Dad flipping
the pancake in the air. He was humming while he cooked. I don’t think he’s ever quiet. “Edi,
go get your shower and get dressed. You don’t want to be late for school.”
I rolled my eyes at such a silly notion. How could I possibly be late for school? It was barely
4 a.m. But rather than argue I plodded down the hall and complied with the request.
“That’s better now isn’t it?” my dad greeted me a little while later. He grabbed my hands
and let me get my feet on top of his before he began to swing me around the tiny
bathroom.
Our feet splashed in the puddles I’d left on the white tile making an even bigger mess.
But dad never seems to mind no matter how big the mess is. “Go on Edi and eat your
breakfast before it gets cold. I’ll clean this up.” He always cleans up after me with a
huge grin. I wonder why that is.
Every morning after my dance with dad and eating my breakfast, I climb up on
the piano bench and start to practice. I play as loud as I can knowing I’ll need to
play loud enough that the dead might hear it.
Otherwise, Omri might never get up. He eventually growls at me through the
door, “Not so loud Edi!” and it’s usually in unison with dad. I of course oblige by
playing very quietly, but if I don’t see Omri plod toward the bathroom after a
minute or two I start playing loud again.
He eventually has enough and gets moving.
We wait for bus alone in the yard since it comes after the sun climbs into the
sky. Omri usually kicks up dirt from the swing, while I push him occasionally
from behind. “Omri?” I asked one morning my eyes glancing at a familiar sight.
“Do you suppose graveyards are any different at night?”
“I don’t guess so. Why?”
“Then why does cousin Rhia only ever try to talk to the dead at night?”
The bus began to honk it’s horn as it came to a stop in front of our house. Omri got up
from the swing. At first I thought my second question might go unanswered. But then as
he climbed the bus steps he called back, “Because that’s when dad is awake. Dad is
responsible for her…he teaches her and protects her.”
As I climbed aboard the bus and slid into the seat beside Xan I couldn’t help but start to
think that maybe I ought to be responsible for someone too.
I didn’t get much work done at school that day. I kept thinking about the graveyard and about dad’s job. I’d
been thinking about it a lot lately which was why I’d promised to help Xan find the elves when we got bigger. It
was after school when I got the craziest idea I’d ever had come into my head, I still don’t know where it came
from. “We should spend the night at the graveyard.”
Xan looked at me nervously, “Why would we do that?”
I shrugged, not really sure. “I just thought it might be interesting to see mamma’s grave at night-time.”
Xan piped up then, “Oh so you’re dad could go to. That’s a nice idea. I bet he’d be happy to take you sometime
Edi.”
As we got up to play I didn’t have the heart to tell her that was not what I
meant. I’d been to the graveyard with dad several times. I wanted to go
alone…or rather just us…the twins club. Sometimes I have a hard time
letting people know exactly what it is that I want.
Luckily I’m a twin. That night before bed while dad was busy teaching cousin Rhia, Omri
piped up. “You don’t want to go to the graveyard with dad do you Edi?”
I smiled and shook my head, “I want to go just us. You know you, me, and Xan.”
Omri understood at once, “Oh like on a quest for the club? That would be cool. I bet Kalana
will know the best way to get Xan to go without being scared of the dark.”
There it was my perfect plans ruined by her again. Omri would want to invite
Kalana, but she’d been made part of our official twins only club…and I guess it
wouldn’t be a twins club if she had not been allowed to join. I just wish my best
friend didn’t have such a rotten twin sister.
The next morning I ate breakfast with dad, who still seemed to be thinking.
He’d seemed to do that a lot in the last few weeks. Dad’s not usually quiet.
But grown-ups never tell kids what’s going on because it will scare them.
Even though I’m not scared of anything.
I couldn’t help myself dad was just too quiet. I picked up a bite of my food
and chunked it right at his grey face. “Food fight!” I called with a laugh
hoping dad would join in or at least scold me and snap out of his daze.
It worked.
Omri joined me at the table later after dad had gone to bed. “Edi, I just remembered. Today is Saturday.”
“So?” I said not understanding. “That’s perfect. We can go tonight.”
Omri nodded, “Yeah I know. But Cousin Zeric is here this weekend and will be coming over tonight.
Shouldn’t we invite him to go too?”
I thought about that for a minute or two. Technically Zeric wasn’t a twin and he’d never really been made
part of our club being closer to cousin Lir’s age than ours, but…”Sure let’s invite him too.”
Rhiannon came over just as I slid into my sat on the piano. The three of us
rocked the afternoon away. Butterflies were flipping in my stomach as I kept
thinking about my first big adventure. Hopefully nothing would ruin it.
Later that afternoon everyone arrived at the house. The teenagers hung out in
the music room and the kids got sent off to the playroom while the adults took
up rank in the living room. But while the grown folks had their own plans, I had
one of my own I was itching to get out in the open.
“Are you insane?” Kalana had asked in that I’m better than you tone of voice
she so often uses. “If our parents find out we snuck out do you know what kind
of trouble we’ll be in?”
I flipped my hair out of my face. How dare my cousin assume I didn’t
understand the stakes. “That’s not that point.” I huffed truly exasperated.
Xanthe sat on her hands on her side of the table. Her lower lip was twitching as
she watched the two of us fight. Omri noticed it too and sent her a wink. Since
when did my twin wink?
“Come on ladies…let’s not fight. I think it’d be fun. We just thought the whole club
would like to go. But if you don’t think you can handle it Kalana…”
Kalana gave my brother a look that would kill. “Excuse me? I can do anything that you
can Omri Kim.”
I shook my head as I saw my opening. “So does that mean you’ll go Kalana?” If she
squealed on us I’d kill her.
“I’ll go on one condition. You have to be the one to ask our dad if we can spend the
night.”
I stared my cousin down. Our eyes locked her lips curled into an evil sneer. She didn’t
think I’d do it! I’m not scared of Uncle Toren. “Okay I’ll do it.”
She blinked at that clearly not expecting nor believing that I’d actually do that. Everyone in
our family knew what Uncle Toren could do. But the way I saw it, if Uncle Toren said no
then there’d be a good reason for us not to go. If he said yes then there wasn’t. I didn’t
dare think of the possibility that maybe Uncle Toren would have seen nothing about what
we were planning in his dreams.
Now I turned to coaxing Xanthe to going to. I tried every tactic but she just
wouldn’t budge. Omri finally won her over and why did he keep winking at her? It
was weird.
“But Xan it won’t be any fun without you. And who knows what we’ll find.”
Xanthe had beamed from ear to ear. “You….you really want me to go then?” She’d
nibbled her lower lip before finally smiling and agreeing to go with us.
Zeric drew everyone’s attention when he cleared his throat. “Well…seems like
we’re going on an adventure.”
I blinked. I wasn’t really sure Zeric would want to come with us. He certainly
would tell on us to the grown-ups, but he’s always been “older” than the rest of
us. But for whatever reason, he was going with us, and I was actually quite glad.
I found Uncle Toren out by the fountain. My cousins were playing with dad. I kept
telling myself I wasn’t scared, but I was. My stomach was in knots. “Uncle Toren?”
He looked at me with that unreadable face. This wasn’t going to work I felt myself
thinking. Still I made myself press on anyway. “Could Kalana and Xanthe spend the
night please? Zeric is spending the night with Omri.”
Our eyes met and then I watched the mask fall away. He smiled a half smile…
and I just knew somehow right then that he knew what I was up to. I pursed my
lips preparing myself to give a disappointed okay…when Uncle Toren said.
“Yes I suppose it’d be alright.”
I couldn’t believe it! He’d said yes! I threw my arms around him in excitement
before dashing off to tell my friends. This was going to be great!
It took us three hours before we found a way to sneak out of the house. The teens had moved
to the living room as they too were having a sleep over. But around midnight Kalana found a
way for us to sneak out the playroom window. I suppose it was pretty cool that she can pry
stuck windows open.
When we arrived at the graveyard, Kalana and Omri headed off together leaving Xan with Zeric
and me. “You’re not too scared are you Xan?”
Xanthe smiled and shook her head, “No. Aren’t you cold Edi?”
Truth was I was a little cold. Xan seemed to be the only one of us who’d had sense
enough to put on her sweater before we left. “So you’re glad you came right?” I asked
hopefully.
Xanthe grinned. “Yeah….very happy.”
Omri called Edith over to check something wicked out…which left me alone with Zeric.
We wandered around reading the tombstone inscriptions, Zeric reading any
words that were too big. We finally got tired of that and stopped to look at one
of the fountains. “You’re not going to put soap in it are you?” I heard my cousin
ask disapprovingly.
“I didn’t bring any soap.” though now I wished I’d thought to bring some.
I must have made a really weird face because Zeric began to chuckle. I asked
him what was so funny. “You should see your face Edith. It’s scrunched up
something awful.”
I asked as I rocked back and forth on my heels, “How come you came with
us?”
Zeric mumbled something and I thought I caught him rubbing his neck.
And then he kissed me! Zeric had actually kissed me? But we’re cousins…
that’s gross. Isn’t it? Isn’t it?
“Did I do that alright?” he asked nervously.
I blinked at him. And I know my mouth had to be hanging open. “Uh..I think so. But why’d you
do that.”
Zeric shuffled his feet. “Cause I think you’ve got a lot of spunk…” I’ve got a lot of what?...
“and oh you’re pretty.” He thinks I’m pretty…I felt my cheeks getting hot…he thinks I’m pretty.
“Thanks..you’re uh cute too I guess….I mean of course you’re cute….uh..I mean yeah that
kiss was alright.”
I quickly changed the subject. “Looks like Omri and Xan are having fun over there.”
“Yeah….you want to go join them? Maybe I should go see if I can find Kalana?”
I nodded, “Yeah, but I could go look for Kalana with you.” Did I just willing volunteer to go
looking for Kalana?

“Well okay.” I felt myself begin to follow Zeric off to the east.
I caught sight of our cousin standing near one of the smaller graves. “Oh there
she is.” I was about to point her out when I noticed Zeric seemed to be looking
at something rather scary just over my shoulder. “What?” I screeched whirling
around.
“Oh…hi dad. How are you?”
My father looked down at me a huge grin on his face. “I’m fine…now that I can
clearly see my daughter hasn’t gotten any of our charges killed with another
one of her little schemes.”
I smiled sweetly back up at him. “My scheme….but Omri…”
Dad just shook his head. “Don’t even try it Miss Priss. You’re the ring leader.
Now…home that way…now.”
I wonder how he knew? Hmmm..must’ve been Uncle Toren.
“Uh. Huh. Yeah I’ll tell her. Hey Edi…Xan says hey and that she’ll see us when hell
freezes over.”
I stopped playing the difficult piece and shot Omri a look. “She did not say that. But tell
her I said hey back and that I hope she has a nice birthday. And oh yeah that I wish I
could be there”
Omri just winked at me…again… and returned to chatting away with cousin Xan..I swear
if he doesn’t stop all this winking I’m going to punch him.
And I’ll end it here with a picture of the twins on their birthday. Yep we’ll see em
as teens when we come back. *sniff* Where does the time go? Hopefully you all
enjoyed this chapter. I had a total blast letting someone else narrate for a
change while still keeping dialogue at the same time. Yep I’m back…can’t
promise fast updates, but does look like you’ll get to keep following my precious
simmies after all. Yay!