LJ Idol, Week 7: "Hikikomori"

It had been exciting, at first, being alone in her own head, with no underlying echo of her sister. She had felt lighter, and oddly free, as if a weight she hadn't known she was carrying had been lifted off. Ember had relished the sensation at the time, but lately she had begun to miss Aisling's calm presence, the solidity and unity she had taken for granted in her life. Losing their twin-bond suddenly felt like a cozy sweater being ripped off her shoulders.

The world was definitely colder without her sister. Six weeks ago, Aisling decided it was time to “find her true self,” or so she had said. She abruptly packed some clothes and essentials into a few small bags, grabbed a wad of cash from the safe, pocketed her car keys, and left. She even went so far as to turn her phone's tracking feature off. With the exception of one brief email, Ember hadn't heard from her since, and it worried her.

Slowly, Ember had turned her view inward.

She realized she needed time to focus on herself. Although it was hard to admit, Ember didn't know how to proceed without Aisling by her side – they had worked so well as a team, as twins, her own dark yin complementing Aisling's bright yang.

Without Aisling's influence, Ember's darkness had taken over. She was drowning in it.
( Read more... )