The Shadow Anthology

Violet & Nina

From birth, Quin and Fiona were given childhoods filled with disorder. Their actual births had taken place in different buildings. Their mother, Violet, had wanted to give birth at home, though she hadn’t consulted anyone about this. When the time came, she was sat in her living room with a friend. She then simply excused herself, went into the bathroom and sat in the bathtub impatiently. Upon hearing the muffled screams, her friend raced upstairs and forcefully took down the door. The woman then proceeded to call an ambulance against Violet's wishes.

By the time the ambulance had arrived Violet was ready to give birth and couldn’t leave. So, under astounding duress, Quin was born into the arms of a paramedic and then given warily to his mother. However, both Violet and the paramedics knew that more was to come, and soon. She then gave them leave to take her to the hospital, where Fiona was birthed into a healthy environment.

In the following months, Violet could scarcely be seen taking care of her children, as she was often away trying to secure stable work. Quin and Fiona were left in the care of their mother’s friends. Nina cared little for money and mainly took care of them out of moral duty. She liked Violet but didn’t think she could ever be a capable mother. Nina assumed the role so that the children could grow up under adult supervision and stability.

When Nina wasn’t taking care of them, Violet entrusted them to the woman who had been there since they were born. Zoe was stricter and less forgiving than her counterpart, though Violet still thought her an acceptable guardian. Her rules were less exacting than she would have made them for her own children, though they still made young life difficult for the energetic babies.

When their mother overdosed on her medication they were given to Nina, as was stated in her will. They had recently turned eight when they were sent to her. It took the twins time to adjust to a house without the stench of cigarettes and broken glass littering the floor. Nina lived relatively near to their old, suddenly-abandoned house, though the crime rates in this new area were considerably lower. This neighbourhood had a variety of schools, but this woman wanted them to have a religious upbringing, despite her lack of faith, as she believed children had to grow up with an unwavering moral code and a steadfast belief system.

At their new school, the twins originally found themselves surrounded by inquisitive new friends. The teachers supposed that the attraction was due to the sheer oddity and rarity of twins, though some months on their popularity hadn’t dwindled into the pitiful flickering twig that was expected, as it was still a raging forest fire of affection. They had begun to accumulate individual respect and authority in the school, with both teachers and students, so their lives began to improve rapidly from what had come before.

At home they were given the freedom to play and shout, within reason, for as long as they wished, as long as they helped out around the house for at least an hour every day. Quin and Fiona were both irritated by the mandatory proposition but preferred it to any which they would have been given had they ended up in another house.

Despite this arrangement, Nina rarely spoiled them unless there was good reason for it. Firstly, she had little money to spend on unessential presents, but also her parental programming prevented her from doing so. However, she understood that birthdays and Christmases were acceptable occasions for them to be spoiled. For instance, on their fourteenth birthday Nina spent hours making a triple layered cake where either side was decorated individually. She also bought Quin a gym set and Fiona an extended vanity mirror that easily took up half of an already overflowing room. Nina would never spend money on pointless extravagancies and always made sure to research the various products, as well as asking their opinions beforehand as well.

In high school, the twins retained their individual popularity for years, though their social groups rarely interacted. Quin played a variety of sports and was well-renowned for being one of the best in each. In his early years he was even made captain of the football team; a title he held until he left the school. Fiona was on the student council and took part in all manners of both fundraising and artistic events. Together, though their circles couldn’t overlap, their popularity enveloped almost the entirety of their year, as well as the staff.