V.I.R.A.L

A clicking of fingers. A sudden patter of rain. The warm sound of a fire crackling. "Hey, I said are you still with me?"

Gemini looked away from the window seeing Aoi sitting beside her on the other bed. Gemini looked away, confused. "Sorry I was just. I don't really know."

Aoi shook her head, laughing. "This is what happens when we try and organise no sleep for two days. I guess it can't be helped. I'm just as excited too."

"Excited? Excited for what?" Gemini asked, gripping her blanket tightly. "I don't understand?"

"Are you sure you're all there? You're still alive right? We're getting our streaming licence tomorrow. We've been practising for the exams forever now. How could you forget that?"

"Right, How could I?"

"When we pass tomorrow, what should we name our account? We're doing a joint account right?"

"Of course, what else did you think we were doing? We're in this together."

Aoi hid under her covers, kicking her legs around excited. "I still can't quite get over we're doing this. Do you remember when we used to play streamers in the park with Goro? We'd always make him the bad guy because he has such a scary look. To think this is all for real tomorrow?"

Gemini laid down, holding her covers up to her mouth as she whispered. "Maybe we shouldn't go?"

Aoi lowered her bed covers, looking confused. "Why? Why would you say that?"

Gemini looked at the ceiling, coughing slightly. "I just. What if we don't make it?"

"You kidding me? The legend of P4R4D0X will live on forever! Now can you turn off the lamp please?"

Gemini leaned over, staring into the lamp as the blinding light to her was so captivating. She felt warm and fuzzy all over like the light was calling to her.

"Hey, stay with me, Gem," Aoi said, shaking her sister's shoulder. As Gemini looked away from the light, she found herself in the woods with her sister dressed up in coats and gloves. She felt odd as she looked back up at the sun before looking towards her sister. "You've really haven't been all with it, lately have you?"

"I'm sorry. I just don't feel like myself."

"Well, don't go dying on me or something." She joked, climbing a tree. "The fog is pretty bad today…"

"It's most likely just nerves. It is the big day."

"You're telling me. And to think we will have to get through the entire school day as well. How frustrating."

Gemini watched her sister from the safety of the ground; a nagging feeling was eating away at her one she couldn't quite get. All she could do at this very moment was to watch her sister climb relentlessly. The idea of a foggy day was beyond reasoning when, in fact, it was a bright and sunny day. Looking away, she couldn't help but feel cold. Although a lovely day in the middle of summer, a sudden chill held onto Gemini never leaving her side. That was when Aoi fell from the tree crashing to the ground. "Crap, Aoi!" She ran to her aid sliding down. "Are you alright?"

Aoi looked spooked as she kept looking over Gemini's shoulder. "I saw it. I saw him again. In the fog."

Gemini looked around slightly nervous but at all ends, confused. "There's no one there Aoi."

"Tell me, you can see him. Please tell me you can see it."

"Aoi. There's no fog. Let me help you up." Pulling Aoi to her feet, she kept looking around.

Aoi winced stepping on her left foot. "I can't walk on this foot."

"You probably sprained your ankle or something. Come on; I'll take you back home."

Aoi sighed, hoping with help from her sister. She looked around grumbling. "Of all the day it shows up it has to be today. We're still going to the streaming exam, right? A little sprained ankle won't stop us."

Gemini snickered, lowering her head in shame. "You really are amazing Aoi."

"Where did that come from?"

"Oh, you know. Even when you fall from a tree, you're still in such high spirits. If that were me, I wouldn't move. I couldn't do anything."

"Stop doubting yourself Gem; I'm not some perfect person you know, I'm more jealous of you quite a lot of the time. I'd do anything to have your powers."

Gemini gave a look of discomfort looking around at the wide-open forest their house was stationed in. "Is it really that bad? The fog?"

Aoi smiled, sorting out Gemini's hair. "Did you brush your hair today? It looks nice."

"Huh?"

"Are you sure you're alright, Gem? You don't look too good."

"Me?" She stuttered confused not sure why Aoi was more worried about her than her own self. "Shouldn't you be more worried about your leg?"

"Suppose. Can we sit down for a moment?" Resting on a log Gemini looked around unable to concentrate for very long, she felt tired even though she had just woken up. Her body was sluggish and slow as she found her eyelids slowly giving up and closing. Another snap as Gemini woke suddenly to Aoi snapping her fingers. "You still with us?"

Gemini sat up in front of the fire of their house. Two cups of hot chocolate were resting on the table. One looked steaming hot while the other was lifeless and stone cold. Gemini yawned, rubbing her eyes. "Sorry, I don't know why I'm so tired."

"It's alright. No need to apologise get as much rest as you like. I'm sorry about earlier. We had to cancel the exam because of me."

Gemini shook her head, smiling. "You don't need to apologise to me, as long as you get better."

Aoi watched as Gemini closed the blinds. A chill swept through the house as she whispered softly. "It's coming for me tonight."

"What?"

"The thing, in the fog. It's coming for me tonight. It told me so."

Gemini felt her heart skip a beat, even though she wasn't entitled to believe in such stories the way Aoi said that almost convinced her. "Well, whatever it is out there. I won't let it get you. I promise."

Aoi laid smile smiling softly. "My hero. It's promised me it won't come for you. I made a deal with it."

"A deal? Really? What sort of deal?" She spoke, playing along with Aoi's wild imagination.

Aoi, still lying back, closed her eyes resting. "That it would help us achieve our goal. It would help you."

"Aoi, you do know, right? This thing doesn't exist."

"It's fine. It's fine now. Don't worry." Aoi strangely said. She looked towards Gemini but could never see her; the fog was too thick. Although Gemini wasn't in sight, she saw another figure standing not too far in the distance, just watching. A small tear trickled down Aoi's cheek as she closed her eyes again. "I love you, Sister."

A clicking of fingers. A sudden patter of rain. The warm sound of a fire crackling. But this time no voice to meet its demands. Gemini's eyes fluttered open as she woke in the living room. The fire was cracking its final breaths as the rest of the room was silent. Looking around, she found Aoi gone. Assuming she went to bed and left her to rest, Gemini rose and dragged herself to the bedroom. Creaking the door open, she found two empty beds. It hadn't clicked with her just yet what was going on. So instead she checked the bathroom, the kitchen, the study, her parent's room. Nothing. No sign of Aoi. That's when the dread was starting to take form. Opening the door to the outside, a thin layer of fog had made itself at home covering the outskirts of the forest. Armed with a flashlight, she ventured out into the night her footsteps sludging up in the mud as the pattering of rain was still in full effect. Having no idea where Aoi went, she began calling out. "Aoi! Aoi, where are you?!"

No response. Gemini kept looking, that's all she could do. Battle the weather and push through the fog to find her sister. With each call came nothing. Hope began to run out. That was until she saw a figure in the distance. Approaching it, she began to call out again. "Aoi? Aoi is that you? What are you doing out here so late?"

Making it to the figure, she noticed it was floating above the ground slightly. Going to raise her flashlight on the person, she stopped hearing a clicking noise and Aoi's voice. "Look at me, Gem, stay with me. Come back to us."

Turning around, she was left lost. Her hand began trembling as Gemini turned back to the figure. The light on them as Gemini froze in shock. It was Aoi hanging from a tree. An old piece of rope tied around her neck. She didn't give much of a response as she stared blankly at Aoi. A few moments past as she turned around in disbelief. She was dead—no doubt about it. The fog became heavy and thick as small echoes of footsteps were heard. Gemini didn't call out or try and ask for help. She stood in silence as the figure stood in front of her. The fog covering every feature as the two stared at each other. It soon looked over to Aoi before back to Gemini. The figure scoffed slightly before holding their hand out. "Gemini. Shall we make a deal?"