Lake stood near the window, fists clenched and eyes narrowed. Across from him, Lucas dangled the action figure just out of reach, a smirk twisting his lips. The air felt thick, buzzing with years of unspoken resentment and competition, shadows growing long as the sun slipped lower. "Admit it, Lake, you’ll never be as good as me. I should’ve been the only twin," he taunted, shaking the figure teasingly.

Lake lunged at Lucas, grabbing for the toy. The struggle turned physical, their shouts echoing off quiet houses. In a flash of anger, Lake shoved Lucas, who stumbled backward, twisting his ankle as he fell hard onto the pavement. "You idiot! My ankle—" he cried, voice cracking with pain.

Lucas[/@ch_2] struggles to sit up.] Lake froze, heart hammering as Lucas tried to stand, clutching his ankle. The approaching car picked up speed, its engine a low growl. With a sickening screech, it veered too close—Lake barely had time to register the impact before Lucas was struck, the world erupting in chaos and the action figure skittering into the gutter. The car sped off, leaving only the fading echo of disaster.

Lake[/@ch_1] stands trembling over his twin’s lifeless body, panic flooding his features.] Lake dropped to his knees, shaking Lucas’s shoulder, his breaths coming in short, desperate gasps. Blood pooled beneath Lucas, staining the cracked sidewalk. "No, no, no—this can’t be happening," he whispered, his voice barely audible over the distant drone of traffic. The world felt suddenly hollow, as if holding its breath.

Lake[/@ch_1] drags Lucas’s body behind a hedgerow, his hands shaking and clothes smeared with dirt.] Lake fumbled through tears and terror, stripping Lucas’s jacket and sneakers, pulling them onto himself. He wiped his face with the back of his hand, smearing grime across his cheek. The cold night air bit at his skin as he bundled the body out of sight, heart pounding so loudly it threatened to drown out all rational thought. "I have to fix this. I can be Lucas. No one will ever know," he muttered, voice hollow and far away.

Lake[/@ch_1], now dressed as Lucas, stands before the bathroom mirror, practicing his brother’s smirk and mannerisms.] Lake stared at his own reflection, forcing his lips into the familiar, cocky tilt of Lucas. His eyes, red-rimmed and haunted, betrayed the storm beneath the mask. Downstairs, their mother’s voice echoed, calling for Lucas to hurry up for breakfast. "Coming, Mom," he replied, voice trembling as he stepped into a new, uncertain life, haunted by the secret only he would ever know. __END__