Chapter I

The introduction to my book, my legacy

I

      July 7, 2023

      The Dawn of the Snatchers

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       All was deathly silent that early morning of July 7. I will always remember that silence because of that foreboding sense it gave me that something bad was about to happen, like the calm before a storm. Yes, all was deathly silent that morning. The sun hadn't even peeped over the horizon yet. Not a thing was stirring-- no kids snored, no beds creaked, no birds sang, there wasn't even the chirping of a cricket. Just calm silence. But I could sense a storm brewing. Not far over the horizon, either.
       I lie in my bed, in a state of semi-consciousness. I'm not fully awake, but the silence won't let me drift to sleep completely. The other children don't seem to have that problem. All the children in my room lie curled into tight balls, snug in their beds and sleeping soundly. I am probably the only one awake in the entire orphanage right now. I strain to hear sounds of movement but hear none. I sigh and turn to thoughts of my past. It's hard being an orphan... not many people know the pain of having lost both of their parents. But I am thankful I still have my brother, Jack, who lies only a few feet in front of me, sleeping like a baby. We've been through a lot together. At one point we were rivals, fighting whenever we had the chance, feeling like we always had something to prove. But now we were inseparable, like the cement that holds two bricks together. It was tough, being orphans, but we helped each other, and together, I feel like we could face anything.
       I hate this place. It is a place of misery, it's humid, and my room always smells like piss because a kid who sleeps next to me wets his bed every night. I hate this place because it has bad food. I hate the kids here. I hate the stupid owners. But mainly, I hate this place because it isn't my home. I hate it for what it's not.
       I'm fifteen years old, and turning sixteen in september, so soon I'll be able to get a job, rake up some cash, buy a car, and run away with my brother. At least, that's the plan. Our plans tend not to go so well, but hey, that's life. Jack is thirteen, only about three years younger than me. He is incredibly wise for his age, and extremely dexterous. I don't think I've ever beaten him in a serious game of chess. Probably because I lack the one thing he excells in-- patience. He takes time to weigh his options to make the right decision, whereas I am reckless and move pieces all over the board. The kid's a freaking chess whiz.
       Me? I'm a runner. I don't remember a time when I wasn't faster than the majority of the kids my age, and older. In school, I did track. My event was the 400 meter dash. I loved it. I love running, it makes me feel free, like I'm flying. Jack can have his chess. I'm a runner.
       That's another thing I hate about this place. They keep us cooped up too much, and I don't get time to run. Jack tries to make the best of it, but he too is bored, because nobody in this orphanage has enough sense to tie their own shoes, and therefore can never possibly hope to match my brother's wit. He gets rather bored of winning. And the kids get rather pissed at losing.
       I couldn't shake that foreboding sense. I watch too many movies I guess. I keep expecting somebody to say, "It's quiet... too quiet," and for ninja to pop out everywhere. Ha, ninja at an orphanage... I suppose pirates are going to raid the fridge next...
       I suppose I must have dozed off, because I awoke to the sounds of doors slamming and footsteps thundering below. We were on the second floor, third corridor. I didn't think it strange at first, but then I heard startled cries, followed by sounds of struggle. Suddenly I heard a very audible smack. Glass shattered. Wood splintered. It was as if someone had started some hardcore mosh pit below. Only there was no rock-band...
       kids all around me woke in stunned fear, unsure of what was going on. Then I hear shouting. "Get the hell out of my way, old man!"
       "No! You will not touch the children!"
       Bang! Bang! Bang! Gunshots, followed by the sound of a body falling. All the kids go white with fear, and proceed to panic.
       "What is going on?" "What do we do?" "We're going to die!" they all cry, except for Jack, who looks at me calmly. At least there is one rational kid here. So let's see... everyone here other than Jack is a complete retard, and I'm clearly the oldest. Obviously, I was to take charge. 
       "Silence!" I whisper, but they can't hear me. Angered, I shout, "Shut the hell up!" Startled, the kids do so. "Don't panic. We might be able to escape."
       They were all quaking in fear, but otherwise silent, although I'm pretty sure a short blonde kid wet himself. I slowly walk over to the door and put my ear against its surface, straining to hear sounds of movement.
       I didn't have to strain hard. I could hear the attackers storm upstairs and fill the corridors. "Damn," I whisper. "They're close..." Obviously we weren't going to escape using this door. I stand up and look around the room. There is a fire escape outside of our window. "We'll have to use that."
       I run to the window and open it. "Go!" I shout at them. "Get out of here!"
       They blink at me and stumble over to the window. I rush towards the door and press my ear against its surface again. As if on cue, the doorknob turns from the other side! I press my back against the door with as much force as I can exert to keep the attackers at bay. 
       "Open this damn door or we'll break it down!" shouts a man from the other end. "Comply and no one will get hurt!"
       "Go to hell!" I shout through gritted teeth. The children stare at me through the window. "Go!" I scream. "I can't hold them much longer!"
       They nod and leave, all except Jack who just stands there and looks at me, still calm in the face. I feel the attackers slamming against the door. I cry out with each blow.
       "What are you doing?!" I bellow, straining to keep the door closed. "Get out of here!" I feel the door splintering behind me. "Please go!"
       "Like hell!" he cries, shaking his head. "I'm not leaving you! We're brothers, we don't leave each other behind!"
       "No!" I implore. "You are going to get caught unless you get the hell out of here! GO!"
       He shakes his head and runs to the other side of the room. He gets behind an incredibly large dresser, something I'M not even sure I could push, and starts shoving it in my direction. I gape at him incredulously. "Move!" he shouts. "We can escape together!"
       "The door!" I cry, almost sobbing with the amount of effort I was exerting. "It won't hold much longer! GO!"
       He continues to push the dresser towards me until it is pushing up against my body. My body aches from the amount of effort it takes to keep the attackers at bay. I'm afraid that as soon as I move, they will bust through the door before Jack has a chance to block it, but I can't hold them anymore. "I can't take it anymore!" I scream. My legs give out and I roll away. The door opens slightly but Jack beats them. He quickly pushes the dresser in front of the door and picks me.
       "Okay, now let's GO!" I shout, running towards the window. I vault myself over the sill onto the first flight of stairs, followed by Jack. All of the other children had already reached the bottom and were running away. Good, I thought. Now I won't have to deal with them anymore. We were working our way down when Jack suddenly shouts, "Crap! I forgot something!"
       He turns around and starts back up the stairs. "Jack?" I call out. "Jack! Get back here! Damn it!" I curse as I turn around to follow my foolish brother up the stairs. He reaches the window before I do and jumps in. I watch him roll under his bed and jam his fist under the mattress. He pulls something out when suddenly splinter! The door is smashed down exposing them, the Snatchers.
       The snatchers were a Chinese terrorist organization. They had been kidnapping people since 2016. They could be identified by the clothing they wore-- they dressed in all white with strange red markings and hoods, and gas masks that covered their faces. The group tended not to kill (usually) but they would attack at random places at random times, and were completely unpredictable.They would pick an area, storm it, and kidnap as many people as they could, thus earning their nickname, 'The Snatchers.'
       This day they chose a foster home for orphans.
       I stare in horror as they pry through the door. Jack stands there, dumbstruck, like a deer caught in the headlights. 
       "Come on!" I scream, waving my arms frantically. Jack comes back to his senses and runs to me. But all too late. The Snatchers storm the room and just as Jack begins to climb through the window, they grab him and start pulling him in. 
       "No!" I roar, grabbing his hands. My heart is hammering in my rib-cage and blood is swooshing in my ears. Jack is the only thing I have left, the only part of my life that hasn't been taken away from me. "No!" I shout again. "No goddammit, you can't have him! I won't let you!"
       "Go," Jack sobs, his eyes filling with tears. "Go! You can't save me!"
       "No, we're brothers, damn it! Remember? We don't leave each other behind!"
       The terrorists were laughing. "Such a touching moment," one of them chortles. "Sadly, we have no use for you. You are too big and too old to be of use for our cause. You would only cause problems." He pulls out a gun and points it at me. "All who resist must be subdued. Sorry." He pulled the trigger.
       He tazed me. It wasn't a gun, it was a tazer. I'm not quite sure what happened next. Just the feeling of electricity flowing through my body. My limbs going numb. Releasing Jack's hands. Falling back. Going over the rail. Falling.
       I land hard on my back. The wind is knocked out of me so hard I can't even release a hoarse whimper. As I lay there, losing consciousness, I remember Jack. He is still hanging half out of the window, struggling against his subduers. He is shouting something. Is it my name?
       I reach out to him. My vision is blurring. Jack throws something out the window, and is pulled in by the Snatchers. Jack. My only brother. The only thing I have left. Stolen from me. And there was nothing I could do.
       The object gently floats down towards me. I lift a weary hand and catch it. It was a picture of all of us, Mom, Dad, Jack, and me. Had there even been a time when we were all together? It feels like a thousand years ago. The picture brings back many fond memories. No wonder why it meant so much to Jack.
       Suddenly the wind picks up and blows the picture out of my hand. I try to grab it, but I am no longer able to lift my arms. It drifts away slowly, leaving me with nothing.
       I've lost everything dear to me now. I even lose consciousness.