Fight For Survival

Chapter 1

I hunched over further as the rain got heavier, trying to hide from the cold numbness that had already spread throughout the rest of my body, fighting the urge to keep my head down I looked up through a curtain of my wet hair and saw my house not that far away. Yes!

I stated running, trying to get there faster when I slipped.

I landed hard, my chest taking most of the blow. I rolled over gasping for breath, trying to calm my racing heart.

It took a while but when my heart rate went down and I could breathe again I got up. I started mumbling incoherent profanities about how I'm gonna need a shower when I get home (I hate showers), and that this was my favorite outfit.

Just as I was about to walk away I noticed a blue box lying in a pool of water. It took about a seconds hesitation before I picked it up and took it inside with me.

***

I checked in with my brother to make sure he was okay. You see, my brother got some kind of cancer that no one knows anything about so ergo no one knows how to cure it. I know. Stupid right?

"Hey bro, how ya doing?" I asked as I entered the room. "Better." he croaked. Liar. "Thats good," I replied, lying through my own teeth. "Mmmhhmmm." he hummed. He knew I could tell he wasn't fine. "I got some more hot chocolate, if you want I can make you some?" I asked. "Na, I'm gonna have a nap. Maybe later though?" he yawned. "Sure. I'm going to go to my room now, I'll wake you when dinners ready." I said and left.

Seeing him like that makes my chest physically ache. I love him, he's my brother, to think he's going to die makes me want to curl myself up into a little ball and cry. If he died I don't think I could carry on. My dad died way before I was born and my mum fled as soon as Ryan, my brother, got sick. Its just me and him against the world.

***

I made it to my room and fell on the bed. Just as I lay down I remembered the blue box I had picked up. I perked up at the mere thought of something to occupy my free time.

I yanked it out of my coat pocket and started to examine it. I looked at it from all angles, shook it and even licked it, (I know I'm weird, don't judge). I came up with nothing.

Thats it, I'm opening it.

***

I carefully pulled the ribbon from around the box and lifted the lid. What I found inside shocked me.

There was a tiny white device with a little red bleeping button. I flipped it over and over trying to figure what it could be, I put it to my ear to listen. It fit perfectly.

My finger skimmed the red button and I pressed it. Soon the monotone voice of a woman came on.

If you are listening to this than you are a possible contestant of the Brimstone Bleed. If you do wish to contend then you must go to Hambritch Hall within 48 hours to receive further information.

All you need to know for now is that  the prize at the end of this race is the cure to any illness. 

With that the message cut off. But I didn't remove the earpiece, something caught my attention.  Something that rolled around in my brain. The cure to any illness.  I could save my brother.