Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction 1-2 | Page 619

The Twins
Zhuhai International School, Revel, Gabrielle - 10
T
he twin’s grandmother who they called Grand was like a mother to Claire and Jack. Their real
parents died when they were only three years old.
On their 13 th birthday Grand had a party waiting for them when they got home from school.
Grand was the only guest. “Happy birthday” said Grand. She presented ten gift-wrapped boxes, five with
blue paper, five with green paper. Jack loved to read, so he got books. Claire liked sports so she got sport
supplies.”I almost forgot!” said Grand. She hurried to the other room when she returned she had locket in
each hand and gave one to each twin. They opened it at the same time. In Jack’s there was a picture of
Grand in an army uniform. In Claire’s there was a picture of Gramps in an army uniform.
Gramps and Grand met in the army and fell in love. Gramps died only two years ago. Claire was fond of
him. They would play in the yard for hours on end and come in and Grand would yell at them for getting
their clothes dirty, and how Jack never got dirty reading. Claire wasn’t the same after Gramps died.
Claire was sitting on the bed looking at her locket. Jack burst in and Claire flung off the bed, and dust
rained down on Claire and Jack. Then they argued about whose fault it was till bedtime.
At school Claire couldn’t stop thinking about the locket. “Claire?” asked the teacher Mrs. Roxy. “What?”
asked Claire. “Do you know the answer?” said Mrs. Roxy. She just wanted to be back to when Gramps was
alive. Suddenly she was in the back yard playing rugby with Gramps. Claire was so shocked, she didn’t
notice Gramps whizzing past her. “No no no! This can’t be happening!” murmured Claire. “What because I
beat you!” teased Gramps. “I need to talk to Jack” said Claire over her shoulder. Claire ran into the living
room and saw Jack with a confused look on his face “I think we traveled back in time” the twins said in
unison. “But how” asked Claire. “The dust!” exclaimed Jack. “Why didn’t it react emidietly?” asked Claire.
“Were you wishing to be somewhere in the past?” asked Jack. “Yes!”exclaimed Claire “I was wishing I
could rough house with Gramps again!”
Gramps died on a Saturday in a car accident on his way to the golf course. The twins agreed to go back to
that Saturday. Claire found herself walking home from a victorious soccer game again. She ran home. When
she returned, Claire was relieved to see Gramps telling a war story to Jack. “Hey, Gramps! Want to play
baseball?” asked Claire. “Sure!” said Gramps.
Claire won. Claire and Jack met up and each reached for their lockets and sprinkled the dust over their
heads and wished to be into their own time.
Claire was jumpy all day. When the bell rang, Claire dashed home. Gramps wasn’t on the porch waiting
for them like he used to. She went inside and was overjoyed to see Gramps sitting on the couch with a news
paper. “Claire!” said Gramps “If I had known you were running home from school today I would have
greeted you on the porch!” Claire said Hey old man. Want to be creamed in a game of tackle
football?”Gramps said “I thought you’d never ask.”