Hellbound Twins

My life was normal. That's what I want my father and Arthur Voss to know. For two years, I had a pretty ordinary life. I went to class in the morning, then I was at the library in the afternoon. I hung out with my friends at night. We even had karaoke nights with our friends. I had a clean apartment. I had a bed that was really mine. No crappy motels. No weird stuff happened. No scary things like demons or vampires or ghosts. No guns. I didn't have to sleep in motels that smelled like old cigarettes or bleach. My life was simply perfect until I heard someone knock on my door. Then Arthur came to my door. I knew it was him before I even opened it. Nobody knocks on a door like that. Three knocks, like the door owed him something. I closed my book. I stared at the door for a second. I opened it. It was Arthur Voss, my brother. He was wearing a leather jacket and old jeans. His hair was messy. He looks at you like he's searching for what he's going to do. He looked tired. Not tired from driving all night. He looked tired like he was carrying something. — Elijah, I said. — Arthur, I replied, leaning against the doorframe. I asked him, "You're supposed to be in Arkansas?" — I was in Arkansas, he said. — Now you're at my door, I told him. — Yeah, he said. He looked inside my apartment. Can I come in? — Sure, make yourself at home. I moved aside. He came in. He scanned the room, like we always did when we entered a place, and he stopped in the middle of the living room. He didn't touch anything. He didn't sit down. He just stood there, like he didn't know what to say. That worried me, because Arthur always knows what to say. — It's about Dad, I asked him. He looked at me. Answer me. — It's Dad, isn't it? Arthur took a breath. — He left for a job three weeks ago, in Minnesota. Something about a creature in the woods, near a lake. He stopped. He never came back, Elijah. The silence that followed was heavy. I went back to the couch. I sat down, not because I was calm, but because my legs were shaking. — You tried to call him, I asked him. — Ten times, he replied. — You checked the area, I told him. — I spent a week there, he said. The motel where he was staying, his things are still in the room. His pickup is parked outside. He... He opened his hands. He's gone. I stared at the floor. My clean apartment, my books on the table, my class tomorrow that I had already prepared for. — Arthur, I said. — I need you, Elijah, he said. — I can't, I replied. — Elijah, he said. — I have exams in three weeks, I said. I have to get up for class. I have a class tomorrow at eight. I have a life, Arthur, a real life, and a great girlfriend. I stopped. Isn't that what Dad wanted for me? That's why he let me go. I told him. — I could hear the frustration in his voice. — Dad is missing, he said, his voice calm. It was like a knife. He's out there, somewhere, alone, and we don't know what happened to him. He's our father, Elijah. I didn't say anything. We stood there, in my clean apartment with its books and my bed, and I felt my normal life falling apart. — Just to find him, Arthur said. We find him and you come back, I promise. I knew he couldn't promise that. We both knew that when you hit the road, things don't always go as planned. And I love Lisa. I want a life, but I love her. And there was a knock on the door. Lisa came in. — Hey, baby, how are you? — I'm good, I said. This is my brother, Arthur Voss. We have a problem to take care of. I'll be back soon. — Promise? she asked. — Promise, I said. Arthur nodded at her. — I'll bring him back in one piece. Lisa smiled. Deep down, she wasn't happy. — Call me, she said. — But it's Dad, my brother said quietly. I went to my room. I pulled my bag out from under the bed. I started packing. Arthur stood in the doorway, watching me without saying a word. — You got the gun Dad gave me? I asked. — It's in the pickup, he replied. — Good, I said. I closed my bag. When do we leave? A small smile appeared on his face, quiet, relieved. — Now, he said. Let's go find our father, Elijah. "Because Dad's life might be in danger. So we don't have time to waste, I'm telling you, Arthur." I walked over to my girl, I kissed her for the last time. I told her, "I promise I'll come back, because this is family business. I'll call you from time to time." "Do you have to go? Lisa." "Yeah, baby, because Dad's life might be in danger, and my brother can't face it alone." "I see what you're talking about. But you can call the police, right?" "Baby, the police can't do anything. Just trust me." "Okay, promise me you'll be careful." "I promise, my love. I love you." "I love you too. Lisa." And we walked out, out of my wonderful room. He went to get the pickup from the parking lot. I waited outside. I got in. "I'm glad to see you, little brother," said Arthur. "Me too, but let's be clear. If we find Dad, I go back to my student life. Understood?" "Yeah, yeah, I promise." Smiling. He started the engine, not forgetting to put on his favorite song. That's where our adventure began.