Prologue: Conflict

Prologue told from a mystery character's perspective...

There are two things I remember that night, two years ago.

One was the overwhelming stench of gunpowder.
The other was the agonizing ache of my body.

I remember regaining consciousness, my eyes wet from tears and watching in horror as they fought. I had no idea what was going on at the time. They had been best friends for years, yet now, they fought viciously. I tried to push myself up but fell back onto the bed, face first.

I heard my brother screaming at him;

“How dare you lay a finger on him!”

He sounded hysterical.

I frowned, my eyes unable to focus on anything yet. Lay a finger on me? Had…Aizawa beaten me up or something? It didn't make sense - he wasn't a violent person at all, yet it was the only explanation I could think of for the tight pain that burned throughout me. My head was spinning, my stomach reeling, and I had no strength to move.

I could only watch in fuzzy terror as I saw the glint of the barrel. My heart stopped. Was…was Aizawa going to shoot my brother? I no longer wanted to watch, but I was frozen in fear. My brother fought back, knocking the pistol from Aizawa’s hands. It skidded across the bedroom floor, landing at the foot of the bed. If only I had the strength, I could… I could have reached it… Ended the fight… Saved a life…

But I didn’t.

I couldn’t.

My eyes slowly focused on the scene as I began to get more feeling. I squinted as Aizawa wrapped his hands tightly around my brother’s throat, squeezing tighter and tighter. My brother began to choke - disjointed gurgles met my ear.

Aizawa’s eyes had a dangerous glare in them - a murderous glare. I heard him hissing about how he couldn’t let either of us live now…because my brother had seen too much.

I closed my eyes shut tight; praying that when I opened them, everything would be okay.

I needed a miracle.

There was a sickening thud: someone had just been knocked to the floor.

“How could you betray us like this?!” My brother cried; the agony evident in his trembling voice. “I can't believe you raped him!”

My blood ran cold.

I’d known Aizawa for years - he was basically part of the family. He would never do anything to harm me! Yet, the numb aching below my waist told me otherwise. What the hell had happened? I didn’t remember anything… After the show…they…I… We went for a few beers and then…

I opened my eyes again and saw my brother staggering backwards in my direction, clutching his throat. Aizawa was on the floor, his mouth gushing with blood. He got to his feet, something metal shining in his hand. It was my flick-knife �" I’d left it lying on the floor from earlier. My heart stopped beating as I realised that my own carelessness was about to kill my brother.

Then everything went in slow-motion.

Aizawa lunged at my brother. My brother fell to his knees and grabbed for the pistol...and I lay alone on the bed, naked, drugged and utterly terrified.