Left Alone

Chapter One

Nine years ago...

Sirens wail behind me, an irritating noise I can barely stand. The stench of the alley fills my head and makes me dizzy. It smells of gas and rotten flesh, urine and gunpowder. My eyes blink back tears, partly because of that smell and partly because of the image before me.

"Mom!" I choke out. This can't be happening.

She gasps, then screams. The sound sends a lightning bolt of fear through me. I grasp her hand, as if that could help her. She weakly squeezes my hand. I stare at her and say nothing. Leaning against the side of an old warehouse building, my mother's entire body is covered with a thin layer of sweat. Her eyes flit from one place to another before slowly setting on me. Her chest rises and falls in rapid movements, pushing sharp cries out of her throat. Blood forms from a wound at the sternum, ensuring a slow death. Her silver necklace is tainted.

"Sky," she says. "Where is he?"

"He's safe." That's all I will say. Yes, he was safe. But how long will that last? A couple days? Maybe only a few minutes. That's all anyone has.

"Help him, Sky." Tears slide slowly down her face. "He needs you. Don't ever let him go."

"I won't," I promise. "He's safe, Mom, I swear. I have him. It's okay."

"Watch out for-" She chokes and hot blood splatters my neck and arm. She gasps quickly and then dies.

"I have him, Mom," I tell the lifeless body. I allow just one tear to fall, but no more. "I'll watch out for him."

Movement behind me attracts my attention. It was then that I realize that my mother had been trying to warn me. Not two feet away stood an agent, dressed in the usual gray uniform and boots, along with a helmet and gun to protect him from 'hostiles.' I freeze and then lunge to the right in a vain attempt to escape. He grabs my hair and yanks, causing me to lose my balance and fall. I gasp at the pain and twist to the side, just in time for the agent's foot to connect with my jaw. My head connects with the pavement and for a moment I can't see. He flips me on my back and thrusts his gun under my chin. Quickly, I slap the gun away and roll to the side. When he reaches for me, I kick him in the shin and dart under his arm. With another well-placed kick I run away. The alley is a little longer than others, which gives me an advantage. I run; my lungs fill with the putrid air around me and it burns but I don't stop. A fog has built up in this part of town so I can easily slip into a crevice in between the pavement and the building. Burrowing deep, I wait. A cry behind me causes me to start in alarm. Quickly, I cradle him to my chest while covering his mouth with my hand. It isn't enough to suffocate him but it muffles the cry to where it isn't noticed by the agent.

"Shh!" I hiss, as if the baby can understand.

The agent darts by, still searching. Panic rises within me until I think I might burst with it. But then another siren wails, this one different, and the agent leaves to go check it out. I wait a few minutes and then breathe a sigh of relief. Removing my hand from his mouth, I hold him tightly.

"It's okay," I tell him. "I'll take care of you." With difficulty, I climb out of the hole, still carrying the baby.

Shots are fired from a distance. I stand silently and decide that the shots are too far away to cause us harm. I need to find a safe place for us. He needs care. But I want to do one last thing before I leave. With caution, I make my way back to my mother's body. She looks too stiff, too cold. The idea that she won't wake up is foreign, as if my mind just can't accept it. And yet, it seems natural. With death being so commonplace, why wouldn't my mother be a part of that?

I shush him when he started to cry again. He just won't calm down. I don't want to attract unwanted attention, so I rip the necklace from my mother and take off down the street. The agents like to patrol the back ways, so we have a better chance of escaping by taking main roads.

"Just a little longer," I promise him when the cries became steadily more frantic. "Shh, baby. Shh, little brother. I've got you.

We'll be okay. Come on, Star. Please be quiet for just a little longer." I repeat my pleas as I continue my search. With the baby I won't get far, and unfortunately, this part of town crawls with agents. But I've lived here my whole life; no one knows this place like I do. And I have the perfect temporary safe house in mind.

Then we can leave, I think to myself. Travel west. We'll be safe. Just me and Star.