He ate in silence, and rather than just horking down his food like he usually did, he ate slowly, appreciating all the different and distinct flavors. Once he finished, he patted his belly and sighed gratefully. “That was the hungriest I’ve ever been.” 

He stood up and felt a soreness in his legs that made him immediately sit back down. Coming to think of it, my thighs are throbbing, too. 

Jan frowned deeply. Am I dying again? Like I was from the spider bite? No… ma seemed to think it wasn’t that big of a deal. 

Jan’s heart was thudding for no apparent reason. He rubbed his temples. I want it to be yesterday, so I can stop thinking about all this. 

He pushed himself to his feet, and felt the soreness of his body from cleaning coursing through him. Even his back hurt. Maybe I’ve gotten old? Ma said I was getting older… the people I read books about say their backs hurt more and more when they get old. 

He went outside his castle for fresh air, and got to see the last light of the sun as it went down. The sky was painted with beautiful strokes of deep purple and bright pink, and Jan watched it patiently as it eventually faded from the sky and turned into a black night. 

The wind began kicking up again, and he could have sworn he heard the same deep voice from yesterday, but then, it could also have been thunder. Regardless, it frightened him and he dashed inside, up to his room, where he shut his door. 

When he was smaller, his mom would sing him to sleep. He wished she would now. He lit one of the candles in his room and grabbed a book from his shelf. He read for a time. It was a story about creatures called mermaids. According to the book, mermaids were soulless creatures who used magic to hunt holy humans for their souls. They had sharp fangs, translucent skin, and varied in shape and size. 

Jan didn’t like the sound of them, and shut the book. He tucked his chin under his blanket and stared up at the ceiling quietly for a time. He knew he should blow out the candle and go to sleep, but found that he was shaking from how cold it was... or perhaps how scared he was. 

Clouds appeared in his bedroom, and he had never been so happy to see his mother’s eye appear in them. “Are you having trouble sleeping, my son? It wouldn’t be good to get no sleep tonight.” 

Jan nodded silently. He smiled after a moment and said, “Ma, did you see how clean I got the castle?”

“I saw. Mommy is proud of you. I see you are shaking. Did you light the fireplace?” his mother asked.

Jan shook his head. “No. I don’t know how.”

His mother tsked. “What am I to do with you, Janny?” 

From the clouds, a gigantic hand appeared with long, painted nails. The hand snapped its fingers and fire appeared in the palm of its hand. His mother moved her hand over to his fireplace, and she dropped the fire onto the logs therein. 

Jan smiled. “Thanks ma.”

His mother just looked at him for a time. Eventually, her eye glistened with tears. She cleared her throat and she said, “Well… I must go.”

Jan reached out a hand. “Wait, ma! Can’t you tell me a little more about tomorrow?”

His mother’s eyes drooped with sadness. She murmured, “I can’t… Well, I can tell you one thing. Think of the thing you are most passionate about. It may just get you through tomorrow. Now I must–”

“Wait! Please… read me a story like you used to ma. I’m your perfect, precious prince after all.” he grinned hopefully. 

His mother’s eyes lifted, and he could tell she was happy. “Very well.” 

Her hand pulled up the sheets around his chin, and then grabbed a book from his shelf that looked decidedly silly in such a gigantic hand. She began reading one of his favorites–one about twin princes. 

“Once upon a time, there were two princes. One was destined for greatness and good, and the other destined for greatness and evil. They would both leave a mark on the world, but only one would be remembered fondly.” His mother began the story, and he drifted easily into sleep afterwards. 

***

He had a dream he was in the story. He was the good prince. In the story, the good prince was framed for a great evil, and cast out of his kingdom. The bad prince who had framed him remained in the castle, and used poison to murder the king and his relatives until he was the last one left to rule. 

The good prince’s heart became hardened toward all those he met. He kept to himself, and thought of himself as a loner who wasn’t meant to be loved. 

When Jan was in his shoes in the dream, it was the worst feeling he had ever had in his life. He knew he was one of the most important, loved people who ever lived because his mother told him so. Being robbed of that love robbed him of his confidence as well, and not having the confidence made him feel like a cold, empty shell.

***

He woke up in a cold sweat, shaking violently. He looked around, just to make sure he was in his own body, safe in his own bed. He breathed a sigh of relief when he was. But then he tucked himself back under his covers. He thought if he hid under them, he could avoid his Birthday. 

He shivered uncontrollably, the fear of not knowing what was going to happen made him immobile. 

But enough time passed with nothing happening that he eventually thawed out from frozen inaction, and began moving slowly out of bed and getting dressed. He realized that he couldn't hide from whatever would come, so he decided to go about his normal routine. 

He got up, and tried to enjoy every moment of his relaxed routine. He watched the sun rise in the sky, enjoying the vibrant colors and the atmosphere of the moment. 

It felt… holy and complete. 

Eventually, when the sun has risen the rest of the way, he turned away from the window and found himself crying and sniffling. He went to the pantry and got out a piece of chocolate. Chocolate always made him feel better. He loved the rich taste and the energy it gave him. But also, the sense of peace and relief it gave him afterward. He chewed slowly and enjoyed the deep flavors. His eyes were still laden with tears as he ate. 

In the distance, he thought he heard thunder again. He froze, sensing that whatever the noise was, it was the end of his peaceful world. 

The sound became louder and louder, and eventually, Jan recognized syllables in the loud sound. It is someone's voice…

He looked out his window, and saw something bizarre. 

A jagged line was splitting the sky above. The rest of the sky was a beautiful, crystal blue masterpiece, but the jagged line looked like the paint had been rubbed off and the white canvas underneath was exposed. 

Jan nearly fell on his behind in shock when the face of a gigantic woman appeared behind the jagged line. 

His instinct was to run, but then he recognized the eye of his mother. The hair on the back of his neck raised. I didn't know ma was more than just an eye. 

"Jan, it is time for your birthday celebration. It is time to meet your twin." His mother said. 

Her hand reached in through the crack, toward his window. 

Jan shook his head in dismay. "Twin? What are you talking about? I don't want to go, ma."

Jan ran from the gigantic hand as it reached in through the window. He ran down the stairs, but the far reaching arm pursued him and eventually caught him by the collar. 

It lifted him up the stairs and out his window. He struggled, kicked and punched as his mother lifted him high into the sky, and retracted her arm toward the schism in the sky. 

"All will be well, my son." His mother said. 

When she dragged him through the crack, his heart nearly thudded put of his chest at what he saw.

The thing that had been his home all his life was a glass paludarium set on top of a small desk inside of a gigantic room filled with lizards, fish, and other strange creatures kept in aquariums. 

All these creatures were three times his size. His mother spun him around to look at her. 

She was the biggest thing of all in the room. He thought she must at least be fifty feet tall. She was a beautiful woman with high cheekbones, jet black hair, and… He was already familiar with her brown eyes, but now she had two. Her left hand was missing a pinky finger. 

She left the odd room, and outside, she ran into a man her own size who was carrying a tiny creature that looked exactly like him, except… skinnier.