One Story, One Huge Secret Chapter One RECAP: The short, sweet sounding songs of the birds filled the air as the snow from the previous day had only began to melt under the sun. Anna was stood admiring the garden and the way the sunlight bounced off the ground and shone through her bedroom, sneaking through the tightly shut blinds. Looking through the slats she brushed her long hair out of the way before the quiet click of the bedroom door cracked the silent atmosphere as she craned her head towards the doorway to find James standing there, a comforting glare glazing his eyes. "Are you okay? It's six in the morning, I heard you getting up." He swallowed audibly, his dry throat aching from the effects of the early starting day. Anna nodded, her gaze never leaving the window which she could barely see out of. The garden looked so beautiful to her. The coldness started to get to the air as she finally realised how long she'd been away from her bed, slowly climbing back into it as James sat a meter away from her on the opposite end. "I was only thinking about something." The small mutter that left Anna's mouth was barely above a whisper as James moved closer to get a louder response. "What was that, sorry?" He asked, leaning towards her. She threw her hand up in front of her, cutting herself off as she waved it, giving him the silent message not to ask again. "Ah, fuck it." Letting out a large breath Anna leant against the headboard of her bed. "You know I never meant for this to happen, sis, it wasn't planned." James explained, silently pleading she would understand. She was so young, yet felt so lost. It killed him inside and he kept it a secret. There was a silence that filled the air, even quieter than the one before. Nothing dared to make a sound, not the few cars that passed outside, not the now silent birds that were once singing their song, not even Anna's or James breathing broke the emotion that was hanging in the air. The dull emotion. "I just wish," Anna began, thinking of how to phrase her sentence, "it wasn't like this." She sighed, exasperated with the situation she and her brother were now in. "If I could change it, I would, I promise. I told you since the day you were born I would change it, even if I couldn't find a way to emotionally; and I promise I AM trying.....But it's not all too easy." James bit his lip in anticipation. "What stories did I tell you when I was younger?" Anna's gaze shifted up to meet James' for a moment. "You said you would tell me in the morning...It's the morning now." There was a long pause before the story was finally released to her, the one she'd been waiting to hear. "You used to say you weren't real." A chuckle erupted from James' lips before it quickly turned to a frown. "I never knew why, no body knew why. I took you to the doctors when you were 4, to see if your brain was developing properly; you had the idea stuck in your brain that you weren't real. They took a blood test, but they couldn't figure anything out. What they took wasn't human blood, as far as they were concerned it was a faulty test that they took which made it so that it wasn't human, when it 'obviously was'. I wasn't done though, but I left it. I took you home and you continued to tell me you weren't real and that there was something I didn't know about you. By the time you were 8 you started getting really pale. I have no idea if it runs in the family, because we both look like paper, but you told everyone it wasn't mummy or daddy's fault. I didn't know what to think, so I never asked. Now that you're older, what were you trying to say by telling me you weren't real?" James finally asked, exhausted from his speech. Anna took a deep breath, looking him straight in the eyes as her voice rung out through the small bedroom. "I'm a ghost." * James' eyes widened as he stared emotionally at his sister, not knowing what to do or say next. Anna gulped, brushing her fingers across her leg, trying desperately to avoid her brothers hard gaze at her. "No..." James muttered quietly, still staring at Anna, he shook his head. Biting his lip he got up from the bed, his eyes never leaving her. "No." "Yes." Anna helplessly whispered, her breath was becoming ragged as she herself didn't want to believe what she was saying, sitting up straight. "That's not possible, you're alive!" James exasperatedly breathed out, throwing his hands up in annoyance and confusion. Anna gave him a look, a cold look, a soft look of defeat. Her gaze switched to the robin that was perched on her white window pane. The snow lightly settled on its head, making it look slightly angelic. She watched it for a while, the way it hopped effortlessly along the freezing ledge before finally flying away into the frost filled mist. "I was." She shrugged, getting up and walking briskly out the room with James hot on her heels. "We're not done talking!" He exclaimed as Anna started running down the stairs. "I think we are." She replied sternly before slipping on her shoes and running outside the house. James ran a hand through his already messy hair and sighed, rubbing his hands over his face as he huffed, ascending the staircase once again with every inch of energy he had left. * 3 hours had passed and Anna still wasn't back. It was already starting to get lighter but the snow still hadn't stopped falling on the ground outside, covering it with a thick white blanket. "Fuck winter." James grumbled, pushing his spoon around the cereal that he was currently attempting to eat - although feeling sick to his stomach he managed his most of two mouthfuls before throwing it away. He got out his phone, dialling Anna's number, anxiously waiting for a reply. "What?" Her voice was dripping with venom and hatred as she answered the call on the other end. James' heart rate sped up at least two times what's normal for an average boy of 17 as he bolted up in his seat, surprised by the tone of her voice. "I wanted to talk about earlier!" He said, trying to make his defence for his side acceptable. Anna tutted which came along very audible through the good quality speakers before she finally spoke up. "You think I wanted to tell you James? Tell you that I'm dead, that I'm not real?!" Her voice rose as the rant continued. "You know, it's not easy waking up knowing you're dead and your brother and only friend has no fucking idea that you're not living!" She screamed, James didn't know where she was but he was shocked he couldn't hear her nonetheless. "Anna, calm down! I'm not pissed off with you, I was worried and confused. How did this happen, were you born a ghost or-?" Anna but him of with a groan. "Don't ask me, bro! I don't know, honestly! I was 2 years old and every night got colder and colder, even with summer. I woke up one morning and bam, I was some sort of ghost thing - I could walk through walls, I could disappear - anything I wanted!" Anna sighed, chewing the inside of her cheek. "That's fine, just please come home. We can pretend this never happened, I promise you're perfect the way you are, ghost or not." James and Anna laughed simultaneously before James continued. "It's not gonna define who you are, in fact, it's pretty cool. Just please come home, I miss you." Anna giggled before accepting. Soon enough she was back home and embraced in her brothers loving arms. He kissed the top of her head as she snuggled deep into his chest, tightening her grip around his torso, pulling him further into her. "How about we read a book?" She asked, looking up at him through her eyelashes. He grinned, locking his hands behind her waist and resting his chin on her head. "I dunno, I kinda like cuddling more."