MARROW: The Crimson Odyssey

Prologue: Past

PROLOGUE 

Past

01.15.12

The snow... Out of everything I remember the one thing that always stands out to me is the snow. Looking up at the blackened sky, it made it seem like the stars were falling down on us. And there was that small trickle of orange light reflecting of his ring as he looked at me. His eyes were a dark goldenrod, with tears streaming down his face. He was making these weird short sucking sounds, like he couldn't breathe. The blood soaked his fingers and the snow. It reminded me of that one word he used to say. I couldn't remember it though. I was shaking, unable to move, my head throbbed as my vision blurred in and out.  

His name was John, and he was my brother. To be more specific he was my twin brother. And even to this day I have to say that there are many gaps left in my memories of him. From what I was told he was a great man, a God fearing, loving, and kindred spirit. Spirit... That wasn't the word, but that stuck with me as well, as it always stuck with me and always will. 

That precise event stays burned into my brain, embedded. I remember the only thing that wasn't dripping with his blood was his jacket. His sweatpants, hoodie, and even his shoes were covered in it, but what remained untouched was his jacket, an olive green. It looked like someone who was hunting would wear it, but then again it was too nice looking to get dirty. 

I felt like I couldn't breathe, my hands flew to my face as I hyperventilated and started tearing up. I managed to roll away and get on my knees. My left arm was numb and for some reason it felt cold. My body was on fire but my arm felt like in icicle hanging at the top of a cave in the arctic. I looked down and saw blood in the corner of my eye...John wasn't the only one shot. I screamed at the top of my lungs, and before I knew it my mind swirled, everything spun around me; my eyes rolled into the back of my head and fell face first back into the snow. 

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I had blacked out... I looked over to the body again and jumped. My heart was racing. Waking up to a dead body beside you is one thing, but looking at one that mirrors you makes your heart want to spring out of your chest. Suddenly I looked up as the snow dripped from my face, the police sirens went off followed by an ambulance and the typical red and blue lights flashing; blinding me. The pain behind my eyes just seemed too much to bear, my fingers trembled as I tried to push myself up off of my stomach from the snow, my face was a pale white, my lips were almost purple, and everything felt so cold. The silhouettes of medics and policemen suddenly surrounded me and the body lying to my right. I looked over to him, not remembering what had happened or who anyone around me was. 

"Are you okay!?" Suddenly I was rolled on my back by one of the medics, and looking back up at the sky, the stars were dim and the snow had stopped falling in clumps and were more like specs of dust. I felt a mask come over me and heard my hollow breathing with my arm being patched up as I flailed my hands about, trying to get them to let me rest. 

"Wait, wait. Stop," I said blindly grasping someone's arm, my vision blurring again. "Stop, I don't need it. I don't need any medical...I don't need any medical attention." I was out of breath, my body was weak, and I felt a sensation come over me of panic but couldn't physically express it. 

"Sir I understand, but let us at least wrap up your arm or you will bleed out." It was a woman this time, I couldn't muster up a 'no', but she was right. My vision came back and I didn't lose a lot of blood, but I definitely lost enough to make me a little dizzy. I wanted to laugh, but my lungs hurt enough while I was breathing, I recalled that it wouldn't have been the first time somebody saved my life. 

Wait, something I remembered? Yes. I think I remember the water, and trees, a swimming hole perhaps? Rosalina, who was Rosalina? I suppose just another memory, another gap in my head that gnaws at me and forces me into a dark place. Why would I think that? What is that word? It was burning in the back of my head but I couldn't think of it.