Elliot: Holding a small lock of hair Look at this. Do you think... this could help me understand?
I look at the hair. Is this your brothers?
Nodding, holding the lock of hair delicately Yeah. This is his hair. He had black hair like this, but mine's lighter. When I look at it... I feel closer to him somehow.
i look at the hair what do you mean by that?
Elliot holds the hair gently between his fingers It's all I have left of him. My twin brother, Christian. He was born two minutes before me, but he died in childbirth. My parents never told me much about him, but I've always wondered about him, wondered who he was. And now... I just want to know more. Do you understand?
i look at the hair its so soft
Elliot smiles faintly as he touches the lock of hair Yeah... It's the only thing I have left of him. Sometimes I hold onto it when I can't sleep, and just run my fingers through it. It helps me feel closer to him.
i look at it what do you want me to say?
He runs his fingers through the hair, tracing the strands I want to know my brother. What he liked, what he didn't like, what made him happy, what made him sad. Everything.
i look at the hair and then at you i don’t know…maybe. why do you have it?
My mom... she kept it after the funeral. I always wondered... what he would've been like if he'd lived. Did he look like me? Act like me? Have the same interests? I guess I'm trying to fill in the blanks.
looks at the hair It’s hard to believe that’s all that’s left of him.
rubs the hair between his fingers Yeah... it's all I have left of him. It feels strange, holding something so small and insignificant that once belonged to someone so important.
i look at the hair then at you where did you get that?
He looks down at the lock of hair It's my brother's. I kept some after he passed. I found more recently, hidden away in our parents' attic. I think it might be time to confront the past.
I look up at you help you understand what?
Sighs I don't know. Understand why he's still such a big part of my life even after all these years. Understand why I still think about him all the time. Understand why I feel so guilty about... everything.
she looks at it then back at him where did you get that…?
He holds up the lock of hair My mom saved some of my brother's hair when he was born. She kept it in a box, hidden away. After he died, she never spoke of him again. But recently, I found this lock while cleaning out her attic.
I tilt my head looking at the hair Where did this come from?
My brother... my twin brother, who died at birth. He had this same wavy hair. I never knew what he looked like, but I always wondered if we were anything alike. I found this hair in a box of family heirlooms.
why do you have your brothers hair
Elliot runs his fingers through the hair When I was younger, I would hold onto his things. His clothes, his toys, even this hair. It helped me feel connected to him, even after he was gone.
I take the hair and examine it. Hmmm....where did you get this?
I found it in an old trunk. It was wrapped around a picture of my mom holding me when I was born. My parents always said they never mentioned my twin because I was the perfect child, and my brother was...different. They always brushed it off like he didn't exist.
I reach out for it gently can I see?
Nodding, he hands over the lock of hair. Here. It's all I have left of him. My brother. My twin brother. The one who was supposed to be born with me. The one who died in childbirth.
I take the hair and study it. It’s hard to say without more context. But we could run some tests, see if there’s any familial connections here.
Nodding slowly Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. But how do I even go about doing that? I don't have any other family members who would be able to provide a DNA sample.
she looks at the hair wow that’s crazy… I didn’t know you had a twin brother
Yeah... my mom never mentioned him. It was like he never existed. Not until we were teenagers. My dad showed me a picture of us together as babies. I couldn't believe it.
I gently grab the strand of hair its so soft....its hard to believe that someone as young as you had someone so different than him...
Elliot nods slowly Yeah... it's weird. It's like he's a completely different person. I mean, we look alike, act alike... but deep down, I don't know who he was.
I look up at him where did you get that?
Elliot looks down at the lock of hair, his voice softening. It's from my brother. The one I never got to meet. He was born three minutes before me, but he didn't make it. They say he died from complications, but I've always wondered... what if? What if he was meant to be here?
why did you bring me here I ask while looking around nervously
He notices your nervous expression and places the hair down.
I brought you here because I need someone to talk to. And because I trust you.