PLAN B (romance/action adventure)

one.

December 1776 (Written in a more sophisticated time than 1776!)

*Chapter one is Gemma's perspective ;)* After the fighting began in New York, the British conquered the city of Brooklyn alongside 9000 other men and women. Houses and other large buildings were shut down or completely destroyed. Townsfolk covered the streets like a blanket, forming riots and waving their flags. Of course, while a lot of this was occurring small children were brought into custody and taken care of so their guardians could help with the rebuilding and money of the city from what was taken from them. Some were ripped away from their families and forced to live in a boarding school thousands of miles from home. In this case, 50% of their adult population died, leaving some kids to be fed in orphanages. Here is my story.

"Mama!" I screeched with every ounce of noise I could get out of my tiny mouth. Debris and ash threatened to pick at my lungs. The scene I was so used to seeing had completely fallen before my eyes, again. It seemed that every night when the fluffy gray clouds spread across the stars was when the soldiers from Britten decided to charge. They ruined everything. And they always won their prize. No doubt about it. And there was nothing my little 4-year-old self could do. I crumbled beneath the broken doorway, the wreath I made for Christmas wasn't visible on our wooden bulleted door anymore and the world I grew to cherish slowly collapsed. Fire, smoke, and soot filled the air. My house was gone. They had won another war. I stopped reliving every moment I could remember from my past and stared at the ground under me. My chest went tight. "Not again." I realized I couldn't breathe. Oh god, I thought. I can't breathe! "It's ok," I reassured myself one too many times. Count. One, two, three. Ever since I could remember my Father would always breathe through his nose and exhale out his chapped lips while counting to ten whenever he was nervous or scared. I looked up to him and always did what he did. Even if I knew it was risky, which we never got in trouble with. I promise. But, that was when he was alive. Seems that everyone I've ever loved died.

My bloody palms flew out from under the door, reaching for something, anything really. "Help," I coughed out, blood trickling out of my throat. "Please, mama," I practically started begging until moments later five darkly color-cloaked men sauntered near where I was lying down crushed. My first thought was that they were here to help me. Of course. Naive. My free arm wiggled wildly, hoping to get the rough door off my petite body. "Hewo, over here!" My lisped voice sounded through the wind. Their faces became clearer once the fire surrounding me flickered off their skin. I blinked at them, waiting to be helped. One of the men was more significant than the rest, (Im guessing that was their leader,) he tore off his hood and revealed dirty blonde hair covering his scalp. He and the others stared me down for a while. They seemed way more intimidating for someone who was trying to rescue me.

The larger one turned and whispered something to the others. The fire was getting too close for my liking. "Uh," I hummed, pushing myself higher so it wouldn't touch me. "Please save me, I'm only this many." My eyes began to fog up as I swiftly raised my hand holding up the number 4 to inform the men of my young age.

The blonde, as I now call him, cocked his head to the side his face twisting into something I couldn't catch. "She looks like the one," He whispered in his breathy voice. The other man to his left piped in, "She's perfect, sir. And just the right age" The fire was now touching my clothing, shriveling the edges. My hazel eyes widened and I started up a coughing fit. I began shrieking really loud, the fire was hurting my skin. "Help! Mama!" I screamed. My vision turned blurry but I managed to ask, "Where is she? Where is my mama?" The leader bent down to where my trembling body lay and looked me in the eyes. "Your mommy is dead, sweetheart."