Black & Blue ( ON HOLD )

CHAPTER 1.2

It had been weeks since Mika first ran to the nearest rooftop to her house and had begun to scale its menacing features. At the top she had hurdled herself over to find it empty except for a small hatch leading to the rooms below.

Now she was squatting in the same position, staring at her old home.

She did it a few times, all the while bringing her fears and worries around like luggage. She peered in the window that used to be her room and saw what looked like Eliza reading.

As much as Mika hated her arrogance, she was been proud of how far her little sister had become. She only hoped that her - and all her other siblings - understood the reason she had left in the first place.

Mika slipped her hand into her small bag and pulled out a day-old half-eaten sandwich. She had found it on the street and had only taken one bite out of it so far.

She pulled it towards her mouth and let her jaw relax for the incoming halt to her hunger when a scream pierced her ears.

The sandwich fell from her hands onto her pack and she leaped towards the edge of the rooftop, peering down at where the screech seemed to have come from.

Her eyes widened as she saw Evan, the youngest of her 3 siblings, half-hidden behind the open door to the grand foyer, a large man standing in front of him with a gun at the ready.

Mika stared, praying that her brother wouldn't do something stupid. These guards were easy to anger, and when they were, it was hard to convince them not to hurt anyone. At the very least they would kill the eldest sibling to punish a family, and since Mika was gone, that left Eliza.

She shook her head, willing the thought out of her mind. She felt the familiar - almost comforting - tinge of worry blur her thoughts into an indecipherable swarm, her eyes watching as a motherly figure appeared in front of its son.

The door opened a fraction more to show the concerned face of Father, peering out into the commotion.

Mother raised her hands as if in anger or disbelief, turned on her heel, and lead the soldier into her home. Evan began to close the door.

Wait, Mika thought. As if he heard her the door halted milliseconds before it latched closed, and Evan tilted his head through the doorway to peer around the street in front of him.

With nothing found, he pulled back and closed the door.

Be safe, Evan.

It wasn't long before her curiosity - and fear - got the best of her, willing her limbs down past each level on the fire escape of the building she sat perched on.

Her feet silently thudded on the ground, a steady pace set to race her heartbeat.

She crawled to the familiar window above the large kitchen counter and peered in. Being tall for her age, she could see the familiar faces of her family standing against a wall.

Mother had her hands trembling over Mika's youngest brother, who was holding hands with her 5-year-old brother Max.

Father stood with Eliza trapped beneath his sturdy grasp. For a second it looked as though they were posing for a photo.

But a second longer made it all sink into Mika's glossy blue eyes.

The guard stood in front of them, his gun raised. Mika's Mother cried, but this time it wasn't fake.

"This family has started a war against the republic, after signing allegiance to it. Your rights have officially been taken –"

"We did nothing wrong! I was just protecting my family!" Father screeched.

"You did everything. Your daughter, the eldest, has a warrant out for arrest and execution. She will be found. Your deeds have brought this on yourselves and the child." His voice was calm while he brought the terrible news.

"We can't afford to have traitors in this world of war. Fear is something that is greatly valued by your dutiful leaders, and hence we must instill it and follow through with our threats. You have commit the worst kind of crime towards our continent, and therefore must suffer the consequences. This is the easiest way to instill fear effectively, while ridding our nation of non-patriots such as yourselves."

What? Instill fear? Traitors? Although no one could see, her expression showed her confusion. What did we do? The laws... What are the Regulations again? No housing of immigrants – we hid Eliza well enough. Still, we shouldn't speak of her just in case - No creation of overpowering mechanisms of organismic or mechanical sort – well, unless they counted me that can't be it. Ha. Could you imagine? Me as an overpowering mechanism-

Wait.

Even father had tears forming in the crevices of his own eyes. "Mika is not overpowering! She's just as humane as the rest of us! Please, you can't count her as a traitorous act. She didn't know – We have done nothing wrong. Please, if you could just get the Department of Illegal Affairs to reconsider –"

"The Governmental Departments do not reconsider. This action has been debated and decided on wisely by the Directors. Do not question them, or your family will be killed before your eyes." The children looked up at their parents, probably thinking about when their next lesson would be.

Stupid kids, Mika thought.

Her last thought before they slunked like they did.

Her last thought before the men stormed out of the house, bloodstains in their wake.

Her last thought.

Her last.

Heartbroken couldn't describe the sharp knife twisting in her heart. The blade pierced through the vital veins and arteries, killing her heart's momentum as it raced to infinity. When the blade finally pulled out, she was a bloody mess on the floor, her heart straining and limbs failing. The grass felt so soft...

But no. She couldn't stay. The damp on her cheeks would dry, and so would the blood leaking from her biggest scar. She had to leave, or they would kill her too.

So she ran. She ran as far as she could, as long as she could, until somehow she was cornered. Two men with black coats and blue eyes bound her and dragged her into the cold, spring night of 2029.

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Don't forget to read the next chapter!

<3