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"THANK YOU." SEB TOLD THE LORRY DRIVER AS HE STOPPED ON A STREET WITH EL AND THE BOY. Seb didn't like this plan still but sat in between El and the stranger none-the-less. Even is Terry Ives is their mother, Seb didn't really agree with hitchhiking with random strangers to go see her. But El did, so he kind of had to. "Hey." The man called, El turning around to look past Seb. "You two apologize to your mama, yeah? She must be scared half to death." He spoke kindly, El looking to Seb as he nodded awkwardly. "Will do." He spoke, shutting the door quickly. "How long's it been?" The man rolled down the window, El turning around. "Long time." She spoke, the man nodding and driving away. Seb looked to the mailbox before speeding to catch up with his sister. They then came across another cabin that had a large red door, the twins gulping.
"You want to knock?" Seb asked softly, El nodding and doing so. No one answered, Seb's face scrunching up before he knocked, noticing El was just hitting the door with her palm. "You do this." He corrected, taking El's hand and making it into a fist and knocking properly with it. El only smiled at her brother, nodding. "Go away, I'm not interested!" A woman yelled, El flinching as Seb was taken aback. "Knock again." He spoke, El nodding and knocking repeatedly before a woman answered the door. Seb moved to see her as the door didn't open fully, the woman looking at the two of them. "I don't want your guy's Thin mints, okay?" She spoke simply, El confused as Seb tilted his head. "Thin mints?" He asked, the woman sighing. "Or your religious mumbo jumbo. Whatever you're selling, I ain't buying, okay?" She asked, Seb nodding as they weren't selling anything for her to buy. She shut the door after that, El walking back.
"Go on." Seb spoke, El concentrating as they both heard the lock slowly unlock itself. The woman stood there shocked watching it. After some silence, the woman jumped as Seb opened the door, a grin on his face. "We're here for our Mother." He spoke, the woman frozen in her spot as El wipe the blood from her nose. She then seemed to come back, nodding and motioning for them to follow. Seb let El in first before shutting the door, the woman watching astonished as Seb clicked his fingers, the lock locking again. She nervously lead the twins to another room, a TV heard as a gameshow played. The siblings fell silent as they watched their mother pay no attention to them, rocking in her chair and staring at the wall. "Rainbow. Three to the right. Four to the left." She murmured, Seb staying in his spot whilst El sped to her side. "Breathe. Sunflower." The woman continued mindlessly, the woman, Becky, looking to Seb with sympathy.
"Mama, it's us." El spoke, Seb sighing and walking to kneel next to his sister. "Jane and Jacob." She continued, Seb thinking his real name felt foreign. El dismissed her brother, laying her hand on their mother's. "We're here now." She did all the talking, Seb trying not to tear up. Seb perked up when Terry looked to them both, as did El. "Breathe. Sunflower. Rainbow. Four-fifty." She then spoke, Seb sulking back a bit. El turned back to Becky, the woman watching them from the doorway.
