DewleafWolf: Thanks, I have been working hard on the punctuation thing. I think it is really cool how you almost predicted the story, that, my friend, takes brains, but I do think I hinted around it too much. Yes, there will be a few plot twists. Thanks for reviewing, you are the first, and I appreciate it.

The Puppet

"Hey, Mom, can I have a friend come over after school?" Chase asked over the cereal he was eating, his brother across from him and the sound of Sally's feet hitting the floor above them. Aaron stopped mid bite and look at their mother, her back to them as she did the dishes. "He's really cool, awful quiet, though." It had been three days since Lazarus had moved to Forest Heights, and the two were inseparable. Contrary to Aaron's hypothesis, Lazarus was a very soft spoken and respectful individual, though he did have his quirks that struck everyone as odd, like not eating at lunch, but, with what was served—like moving 'Meatloaf'-, no one blamed him.

"Are your grades up, Chase?"

"I have a high C in Math, Science, and History, and a low B in Health, Music, and English."

"Lawdy, Lawdy, it's a miracle of Gawd!" Aaron said and Chase kicked him under the table, earning him a wanted "Yeeowch!" and the teen smiled with glee.

"Well, they are higher…what the heck, he can come over." Their mom said and Chase fist pumped.

"Yes!"

"Heck, yeah!" Lazarus said during Homeroom, and Chase smiled triumphantly, "That's great, we should celebrate." Chase nodded vigorously, catching the attention of his concerned twin. 'What are they thinking?' Lazarus leaned to Chase's ear and whispered his plan. Chase smiled and opened-mouth smile and chuckled.

"Can we do that?"

"If we aren't caught. My motto, 'Nothing is bad if no one sees,' it is how Mr. Jackson's toupee was glued to his head in sixth period yesterday." Chase's eyes widened and Lazarus nodded, "Not quite the quiet-type that everyone thinks I am, huh?"

"No, no you're not…as for your plan, how are we gonna pull it off without getting caught? I dunno what the schools are like in Portland, but in Hemlock Grove we have cameras everywhere." Lazarus pushed his hair from his face and looked at Chase with fathomless eyes, giving the teen chills.

"Leave that to me."
Aaron looked around the cafeteria, not hearing nor caring about his friends' conversation. Chase and Lazarus were planning something, and he knew it, what it was exactly…clueless. He sipped his Pepsi and sighed. "Something troubling you, Aaron?" He looked at Theodore, AKA Teddy, who earned the nickname with his rather large build but lovable personality. "You usually join in by now."

"Yeah," Danny commented looking through his sandy bangs, the rest of his shaggy mane hidden under a green beanie.

"Seriously, what's up?" Frank asked and Aaron leaned in.

"Okay, so my brother has been hanging with the new kid lately…"
"Who?" Teddy asked with an eyebrow cocked.

"The ginger?" Frank exchanged looks with Danny and looked back to Aaron.

"What's-his-name? Lazarus?" Danny said and Aaron slammed his hand on the plastic table.
"Shut the heck up! Yes, Lazarus Stone, look, I have a bad feeling about this dude, he and Chase were plotting in Homeroom…I don't want my brother to get into trouble." Aaron looked down at the barf colored tray and heard Teddy chuckle. "What's so freaking funny?"
"Well, you are acting like you are Chase's mother and not his identical twin; this is like a live episode of 'Zack & Cody', just let him learn from his mistakes, Aaron." Teddy said and went back to his veggie-burger. Aaron leaned back and looked up in time to see Chase and Lazarus looking down onto the cafeteria from the second floor balcony.

"Son of a…"

"FOOD FIGHT!" Rang throughout and room and Chase and Lazarus dumped two buckets full of the past three days lunch onto the heads of the poor souls in the middle of the room, splashing onto the surrounding tables. And, sure enough, a food fight commenced. Aaron and his gang ran out of the cafeteria and onto the stage, closing the heavy, blood red curtains behind them.

"God above, no wonder you didn't trust him, Lazarus is bad." Danny said pulling a stray carrot from his dark blond hair, muttering curses as he pulled out hairs as well. "What do you think will happen to them?"

"I'm going to call your parents." The principal, Eric Knight, said in disappointment. "Chase, you I would more than likely expect this from, but you Lazarus, you started out as such a great kid, *sigh*, so, who is responsible?" The teens exchanged glances before guilt overcame Lazarus for the first time in forever.

"It was my idea, sir…it was just a prank, I did not consider the consequences…"

"Well, young man, I do appreciate your honesty, but, it is my duty to contact your parents." Lazarus' face held nothing, he just stared into space. The quiet, emotionless boy from day one was back. "Now, if you will excuse me for a moment," Principal Knight said and left the two boys alone in his office, Chase signing in annoyance, Lazarus played on his leg like it was a piano.

"Uh…you okay, Lazarus?"

He whispered so softly that Chase could not hear, but he knew Lazarus was terrified.

"So glad you could make it Mr. and Mrs. Hall, if I could ask you…"

"ANTHONY CHASE HALL JUNIOR!" Echoed into the room and Chase sank into his chair. Matilda and Tony Hall walked inside, her on the left and him on the right of Chase's chair almost touching Lazarus'. "I thought you weren't going to do things like this again." She said as she leaned down to get in his face, the boy's eyes almost as large as watermelons. "How could you?"

"It is my fault, Mrs. Hall. I convinced him…it was a celebratory prank for you allowing me to visit this evening, though I highly doubt you will let me now. Especially after…" A deep, angry voice came through the dark wood of the office door.

"Where is that boy?" Lazarus turned to the door right as it opened, his face falling even farther to the floor and he turned back, a sigh escaping his lips and he held his head in his hands.

"H-hello, Father…" Chase took a second to imagine Mr. Stone. He imagined around six foot tall with red hair and brown, possibly blue eyes, pretty much a larger version of Lazarus. When he turned…not what he expected. A man around six-foot-ten with long black hair in a low ponytail, eyes a stunning green with small flecks of gold—yes, he paid that much attention— ,stubble on his chin, and a small moustache, wearing a black suit. The only feature that was remotely like Lazarus was the emotionless face that was replaced with a sneering glare at the fifteen-year-old.

"Lazarus…I should have seen this coming." His voice spoke without using the words. It said 'Why do I even claim you?' Mr. Stone walked over to Lazarus and put his hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Thank you for comeing, Mr. Stone."

"Please, sir, call me Isaac." Chase scratched his head and zoned out when Principal Knight read them the riot act, his peripheral vision never leaving Lazarus and Mr. Stone. Lazarus seemed like he wanted to get up and run, he did not show it at all, but Chase could feel his fear. He did not understand why Lazarus would be afraid of his own dad, but people have their reasons.

"Thank you for listening." Both boys came back to reality and Principal Knight stood. "Mr. Stone, Mr. and Mrs. Hall, I do believe two weeks detention suffices, you may take them home, if you wish."

"We'll stay," Lazarus said and Chase nodded, "but we appreciate the offer, right Chase?" He turned to Chase who nodded again. Mrs. Hall and Mr. Hall left the room, but Mr. Stone stayed. "Dad, I'll behave, you can go now." Lazarus said but his father stood with an aggravated stance.

"Principal Knight, if I may, suggest moving Lazarus to the LD classes." Lazarus looked up at his father. Principal Knight gestured for Chase to leave and he did so reluctantly; the look of Mr. Stone's face worried him.

Chase did not see Lazarus for the rest of the day, assuming that he, Mr. Stone, got what he wanted, Chase walked straight home, avoiding Aaron and his posse who were gathered in the living room studying for the K.A.T. (Kentucky Achievement Test) which was still a full month away. 'Such idiots,' he thought walking to his room and slamming the door.

The first thing Chase noticed about his abhorrent room was the empty glass aquarium on the other side of the room. "Oh-no…" The object that was not present in the aquarium was Chase's pet green boa constrictor, Leviathan, a four foot long being with whom his mother had quite a loathing for. "Levi, where are you?" He hopped over his guitar and to the aquarium, top ajar, and window behind it open. "Aw, man…" His entire body sank at the thought of the rant his mother would be giving him at the news of the lost serpent. "Well, my life officially…."

"Chase, are you there?" He looked out of the window and saw Lazarus looking up at him smiling. "Hey."

"Hey. How did you…?"

"I hacked Principal Knight's files when he and Father argued about sending me to the Learning Disorder classes; all the student addresses were on his desktop. How can I get in your room without anyone seeing me?" Chase thought quickly before saying,

"My dad's shed in the backyard has a forty foot ladder in it, it should be unlocked," Lazarus smiled slightly.

"Good thing your window faces the backyard then, isn't it?" Chase stuck out his tongue as Lazarus ran to the small, red, outhouse looking building, disappearing, and coming back, ladder in his hands—well, under his arms. Lazarus placed the ladder under Chase's window, the ladder three feet below the window sill, and climbed up quickly.

"Uh…can you reach the sill?" Chase asked with a tilt of the head. Lazarus nodded and told him to lean back. Taking a step back, Chase saw Lazarus crouch on the rung he was standing on, release the one holding him to the ladder and bound into the air, landing like Spider-Man on the sill. "Whoa, dude," Chase exclaimed as Lazarus slid inside and dusted off, "how did you do that?"

"Parkour, Father has me do it on the weekends, keeps me in shape."

"Yeah, hourglass shape," Chase joked holding his hand for a high-five. Instead of returning the favor Lazarus looked at his black long sleeved tee and placed a hand on his abdomen.

"My physical shape…is it abnormal?" He looked at Chase, his emotionless face giving off an air of curiosity and worry, Chase shrugged.

"Well, ya'know…it is kinda odd that a guy of your age is a scrawny as a little kid, some people thought you were going to be a girl, Lazarus." Lazarus pushed his red hair from his face and looked down.

"I—I did not realize that…" Lazarus trailed off and Chase placed his hand on this friend's shoulder.

"Wanna play L4D?" Lazarus looked at him and cocked his brow.

"What is a L4D?" He asked and Chase almost slapped himself. He explained the game of 'Left 4 Dead' to Lazarus is high detail before turning it on and letting the guy try for himself, on the easiest mode, of course. After ten minutes, Chase realized just how much he sucked at the game. Lazarus managed to KO one of every kind of the 'Special Infected' including one called a Tank, which is kinda like the Incredible Hulk on steroids. After finishing the scenario with his character and the three CPUs surviving, Lazarus picked up the case and looked at it.

"Huh, it says here that this game is for people seventeen and older, why are we playing it?"

"You only have to be seventeen to buy it, Lazarus; it's the recommended age to play. Mom bought it for me, so I play it, it's not like I'm breaking the law or anything. C'mon, let's go downstairs, I'll introduce you to my brother and his 'Geek Gang'." Chase opened the door but Lazarus hesitated.

"Chase, your parents…"

"It's Friday, they go out to dinner on Friday, they'll be long gone by now." Chase turned off the X-Box before he and Lazarus left the room, the television relaying the morning news and they went down the stairs to the family room.

"...the mysterious string of murders occurring in Portland, Oregon has ended as fast and strangely as they started, the victims of the homicide include fifteen-year-old Mathew McGlone, ten-year-old Andy Besco, and twenty-year-old Jacob Black (AN: *evil laugh*). The killer is still out there, so watch your back. Next, your first warning weather forecast."

Aaron was shocked and angered to see a certain red head come down the steps with his twin. "What is he doing here?" He asked standing. Danny, Teddy, and Frank looked up from their books, shrugged and went to the kitchen to find some food. "Well?"

"What's it to you, eh? He's my friend, he's visiting. Your friends visit all the time, now it's my turn." Chase said putting his arm around Lazarus' shoulders as the boy stood there awkwardly.

"Mom and Dad will be furious when they see him here," Aaron said standing, "and further more…" He never finished that sentence because at that moment lightning struck, thunder clapped, and the power went off.

"Frank, close the fridge."

"OW! Jeeze, Danny, watch your giant feet."

"Uh…Chase, what just happened?" Lazarus whispered and then the shrill screech of a frightened ten year old reached twelve ears.

"Sally!" The twins shouted as Chase pulled a small flashlight from his pocket. Her bedroom was on the other end of the upper level of the house, so he and Aaron made their way up the stairs. Lazarus looked in the general direction of Aaron's trio of friends and chuckled nervously, the sound of rain pounding on the roof nearly drowning out his voice as he asked,

"Nice weather we're having, huh?" No one laughed, so Lazarus took the moment to run up the stairs three at a time and meet Chase in their sister's bedroom. "Everything okay?" He asked and his jaw nearly dropped. The only light in the room came from Chase's flashlight and a small battery powered lamp, but he could see well enough. Chase was on the bed, a small person on his lap and Aaron was standing by them, both trying to console the frightened child. The little girl they were with literally took his breath away. Her long blonde hair was in kinky curls, and looked like pure gold in the dim light, her blue eyes gleaming like sapphires, her skin pale and perfect with a small blush on her cheeks, a trail of freckles on the bridge of her pixie nose, tears glistening on her face and he went to her.

"I—I'm s-scared…" She said looking at her brother and then to Lazarus. "H-hi."

"Hello, sweetie, don't be afraid, nothing is going to happen." His voice was a cool breeze on a warm spring day, relaxing and soft. Sally instantly went to his arms in a welcome embrace on both sides, Lazarus cherishing the contact with the cherubic girl in his thin arms. "What do we do now, guys?" He said standing clutching Sally to his torso. Chase and Aaron, after the shock of seeing their sister willingly go into a stranger's arms, exchanged a look of wonder.

"Well…shoot!" Chase slapped his forehead. "Be Dubs…Mom and Dad are at Buffalo Wild Wings, their power is probably out too, they'll be home soon! And when they see Lazarus," He pointed to said red head that, at the time, was comforting Sally by whispering in her ear, "I'll be dead, his dad will kill him for sneaking out…" Aaron wanted to scold his brother, but seeing how well Sally was cooperating with Lazarus and how truly worried Chase was he reconsidered. More lightning and a clap of thunder, and Chase led the group back down to the first floor.

Teddy, Fred, and Danny were sitting in a line on the couch, still as boards, all three with eyes wide as humanly possible. None of them liked storms and none of them were willing to admit it. When Danny saw the shadowy forms of Aaron, Chase and Lazarus come down the stairs, one with another form—Sally, Danny concluded—he knew it might be a long night. After a ten minute silence that was comprised of the trio of cowards flinching at every lightning strike and thunder bolt: Aaron playing piano on his leg: Chase pacing the length of the room: and Lazarus humming softly while rocking Sally in his lap, the little girl falling asleep slowly.

Aaron broke the ice. "So, Lazarus, your name intrigues me, are you and your dad deeply religious?" Lazarus stopped his song and shook his head. "No?"
"I have never set foot in a church, I have told Father countless times that I would love to, but he always says that I would have more questions than answers," He cut off when Sally began to stir and ran his fingers slowly though her hair. "He says that it does not matter for me anyway."

"Everyone needs to go to church; God loves everyone he has created, even you and your dad, it matters for everyone and their souls." Lazarus shifted uncomfortably and placed his forehead on the top of Sally's. Aaron almost attacked the red haired boy. 'Who does he think he is, handling my little sister like that? That is not the way you hold a ten-year-old that is how you hold a lover. Is he really that odd?' Aaron let out a deep breath and smiled. "Would you like to come with us one day?" Lazarus' eyes grew wide, "just to see how you like it, if you don't go back to being atheism, if you do you can keep coming."

Lazarus clenched his teeth, "I never said that I was an atheist, I know about God from what I see on the television when Father allows it. I would take offense to your comment, but you are oblivious to my home like, therefore I will take it as a slight miscommunication and the subject shall be dropped on my half." Aaron and Chase were dumbfounded; he—Lazarus—sounded like an adult, his voice had deepened to where even the most fearless man in recorded history would have to change his pants.

Danny, Frank, and Teddy did not have much to say. Throughout the whole ordeal they were preoccupied with jumping behind the couch after lightning struck five times in a row. Sally whimpered in her sleep, a tear falling from her nightmare and Lazarus sang a soft lullaby to her. "Sleep now, my dear one. Do not be afraid. I will keep watch o'er you. Be still, my angel, my lovely young girl. The sun will rise soon, you will see." As if in a trance, Sally's eyes opened and she stared at Lazarus. Lazarus' usually emotionless face emitted a warm, almost loving smile.

Chase was not paying attention to the events unfolding around him; he was too worried about what to tell his parents as the wind howled in the unusually violent storm. 'Oh! What am I going to do?' The though ran through his mind nonstop until the sound of a car door slamming aroused him from his meditation. He looked at Lazarus and Sally, both of whom were now standing, the small girl holding on the thin boy's frame.

"Chase, Aaron, Sally!" Their mother's voice came in from the garage side door, the heavy steps of their father rushing to the living room almost overshadowing her bell like sound. The man held his Nokia like a flashlight as he counted the figures in the room. 'Onetwothreefourfivesix…seven?' Tony Hall walked to the seventh figure with realization.

"Lazarus, when did you get here?" The boy said nothing but Sally's words made Tony smile.

"Dad, this guy is really nice, he sang to me and now I'm not scared of storms anymore." Tony stooped and kissed his daughter's forehead.

"That's great, honey. Mattie, the kids are okay!" Matilda ran into the room, her long blonde hair wild from the roaring winds. "Everyone is here: Aaron, Chase, the trio, Sal, and Laz." Lazarus looked at Tony in confusion.

"My name is Lazarus, sir. Who is this…'Laz' person?" Matilda took one look at Lazarus and glared at Chase.

"I thought I said he could not come over." Chase told his mother what happened while Tony was explaining the little nickname he used.

"Father wouldn't approve…if you would, just call me Lazarus." He heard the wind die down and then pick up. Sally clung to Lazarus' leg with a whimper. "It will be fine, little one." He cooed to her before turning to Chase whose mother was whispering harshly in his ear. "What is going to happen to him? Will she beat him like Father does to me when I am bad?" Tony shrugged having not really heard what the teen said.

Lazarus awoke with a small person in his arms. At first he was confused, how did he get here? Where was he? Father would be so furious… Then he stopped to think, to take in his surroundings and remember how he got there. He was on a fold out couch in a large living room, the walls painted white with crown molding around the ceiling; the couch was red with golden stripes, the sheets on the fold out mattress was white, the sheet over him and the small person was the same color. There was no audible way of telling if anyone else was in the room, so he looked at the person who was cuddling their head in his chest.

"Sally?" He whispered before a snicker sounded from behind him. "Who is there?" His head would only turn so far, and he still could not see who was there.

"She refused to let you go, dude." He saw Chase walk to the other side of the bed, still in his blue with white striped pajamas, blond hair seeming spiky from sleeping. Chase rubbed his eyes and, carefully, took his sister from Lazarus' arms. "You have this weird thing with kids, man. It was creepy at first, but she really likes you." Lazarus sat up and watched Chase carry Sally up the stairs, turn right, and vanish from his line of sight. Lazarus let out a sigh before looking at the wall clock.

"Oh my goodness, Father is going to kill me!" He jumped over the back of the couch and through the door, a slip of paper falling from his pocket.

Lazarus may not have remembered why he and Sally were not separated, but Aaron could. At first he was disappointed that Chase did not receive the punishment his brother thought he earned, but then seeing how Sally seemed to cling to the no-good, bad-boy, wannabe Goth weirdo made his stomach churn. Nothing was right about the situation, nothing at all!

"Lazarus, it's too dangerous for you to go home, you can sleep on the fold out tonight, in the morning we'll call your dad." Aaron noted the none too pleased change in the red-head's blank eyes, but did not point it out. An hour later, around ten, he, Chase, and the trio went up the stairs to go sleep, Chase in his room and Aaron plus in his. Aaron lagged and looked down in time to see Sally climb under the sheets and curl under a sleeping Lazarus' arm.

Now, at around nine on a Saturday morning, Aaron could see a couch bed vacant of the night's unexpected guest, Sally in a fetal position still asleep. He descended and heard the crunch of something under his feet. He stooped and took the yellow slip of paper in his hands. Still low, he unfolded the slip and read it mentally, the slight illegible hand writing making it difficult.

'Arms, eyes, hair, legs, skin, blood, lungs, heart, vocal cords.' Aaron stuffed the paper in his pocket and stood, his face taking a greenish hue. "What the heck is that about?"