Introduction:
"Do I know you?," I ask as we slip quietly past buildings in the dark.
"No," he replies, "But I know you."
I give him a concerned look hoping the sky is to dark for him to see it.
"You're different," he says as he skims his surroundings.
"You're nice," I reply sarcastically and I manage a mocking laugh.
"No, not different like that... your brave." I stop walking and exhale.
"After all of this, I've never seen anyone crawl out of fear so quickly."
His shoulders drop.
"Fear is just a word, anger is emotion."
He evens his breaths and nods his head.
"So tell me, what is my name?," I ask as I shift my arm.
"Fearless."
I turn on my heels, sprint down the alley and mumble to myself,
"No one is fearless."
I listen closely but his footsteps don't follow.
Chapter 1:
"No, you can't die here," my eyes flooded with water. Sorrows way of giving in. I stare at my brother, wide eyed. "You can overrule fear," he says as he sniffs, "Come eye to eye with the war. They'll listen to you." The last thing he says before he's swept into the arms of death was, "Help us. Help me." I watch his eyes close. Sent away to sleep. Maybe for a little while. Maybe forever. I shut my eyes as well.
I repeat his words in my head. I gag when I see his wound near his stomach, a bullet wound. The pit of my stomach hardens and I feel heavy. I lower my head into my chest. I forget who I really am for a second, and I stare past the pavement and into the ground. Then I remind myself:
My name is Farryn. I have lost my family, I have lost everything.
The city is crumbling to pieces.
I am here to put it back together.
Alone.
I just need to find the missing pieces to the puzzle first.
I keep my hand near my back pocket, that is where my gun hides. I shift my eyes from left to right, but nothing really catches my attention. But then I see him. The boy I saw last night. He stands close enough to the wall so he can see, but not enough for someone to spot him. I lurch down under a window and check the road for any Executors. These Executors are careless people that run the country.
The Executors murdered both my parents, my brother and I have been on the run ever since. But now I have to overrule them, by myself. The thought of it grows a hollowness in my stomach.
I sprint over to him cautiously. I keep my straight face on. "Hey," he whispers over at me. I raise
my eyebrows and purse my lips into a line. "I talked to you last night."
"Yeah. I know." I say as I shift my weight to one foot.
"Can you help us," the word 'us' boggles in my mind and I know exactly what he means. The Hopeless.
The neglected and hurt have become a nation itself. They're called the Hopeless. No need to explain.
"Why should I help you...and them?"
"Please", he begs, "there are not many of us left. The Executors are taking over. My brother he-"
"Stop!", I exclaim, "I'll help. If I can."
